Over the past two decades, the curl revolution has been sparked by creative entrepreneurs who used their knowledge and passion to create products for women with textured hair. Courtney Adeleye has been a major force in this revolution, launching The Mane Choice in 2013. With a $500 investment, the registered nurse leveraged her science background to build a multimillion-dollar empire focused on healthy hair.
Adeleye is passionate about giving back to the community that fueled her company’s rapid growth. Now The Mane Choice has partnered with MAV Beauty Brands, to launch The Generational Advantage Fund, a $30 Million Fund for Women. MAV Beauty Brands is a global personal care company dedicated to nurturing and growing founder-focused brands, including Marc Anthony True Professional, Renpure, Cake Beauty, and now The Mane Choice.
“I made this move to expand the company’s reach and ultimately create more opportunities for my community, so they can get on a path to creating advantage and wealth,” Adeleye says.
The Generational Advantage Fund builds on Adeleye’s other philanthropic efforts, including the “Pay My Bills” campaign and The Bawse Conference. Pay My Bills campaign is an Instagram-based giveaway where she paid off a bill of one of her brand’s followers each week, paying off hundreds of bills since she launched the endeavor. The Bawse Conference is a 3-day motivational event connecting aspiring business owners with successful female entrepreneurs.
The Generational Advantage Fund will focus on providing financial literacy programs to communities in need, fueling them with tools to succeed from generation to generation. To launch the fund, Adeleye has already personally committed to contributing $30 million to support business capital, mentorship programs and scholarships, among other initiatives. By expanding the reach of the brand, Adeleye will be more empowered to help diverse communities with an opportunity to share in the success and impact of The Mane Choice.
The Mane Choice offers a wide variety of hair care, body care and beauty products, including shampoo, conditioner, hair styling products, treatments, body wash, and body and hand lotion across multiple collections. Products are sold in over 30 countries around the world, in over 100 major retailers and through over 60,000 doors. The Mane Choice products are Holy Grail products for many curly girls, winning numerous NaturallyCurly Best of the Best and Editors’ Choice awards.
As a result of the partnership with Mav brands, The Mane Choice now has the opportunity to expand across North America. As a self-started entrepreneur, it was critical that Adeleye found a partner who shares the same DNA and mindset as The Mane Choice and also supports her brand’s desire to build opportunities for the community.
