(ENSPIRE Man Code 101) Entrepreneur Edward Griffin Talks About Marketing His Personal Skincare Blends
No business is unfamiliar to serial entrepreneur Edward Griffin. His E. Griffin Enterprises hosts a diverse range of businesses from luxury footwear, to branding, to HIV/AIDS education, and now skincare. Edward Griffin has shared a look into his work with ENSPIRE as well as details about his latest product; Melanin60 Skincare, born from his personal hobby of making and using his own plant-based skincare products.
Edward Griffin is a Chicago native operating a series of businesses under the E. Griffin Enterprises umbrella out in Atlanta. He is a proud member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, author, and a veteran of marketing. Now, to add to his robust portfolio of 12 brands and 2 books, he is sharing his best-kept secret with the world.
Melanin60 Skincare specializes in using plant-based skincare products for all skin types. Griffin has been taking care of his skin and making his products for years. After consistently receiving compliments on his skin, he has decided to market the same skincare blends that he has been perfecting through personal use. ENSPIRE has been in contact with Griffin and asked him a few questions about his work and latest project;
- How did you get involved in making your own plant-based skincare products? Has your personal connection with the product influenced Melanin60 Skincare’s’ mission statement?
A: I have sensitive skin, so I’ve always had to be careful about the products I use. Once I became more conscious of the ingredients that were going into other skincare products, I started making my own, to ensure that I knew what was going into my body. Our mission is to provide the entire family with the best quality in skincare, and I created each product recipe to do just that. Since I’ve been using the products myself for so many years, I know first-hand that they deliver on our mission.
2. What obstacles has the COVID-19 pandemic presented to the launch of Melanin60 Skincare as well as your larger work as an Entrepreneur?
A: This pandemic has been a challenging time for many people, for different reasons. For Melanin60 Skincare, the pandemic had an impact on my ability to connect with people face to face for focus groups and testing and interfered with shipping times for ingredients and supplies. Beyond that, I’m thankful that I was able to successfully launch a new brand amid a pandemic. My plan was to get it launched earlier but GOD, we all have heard the saying, you want to make GOD laugh just tell him your plans. With that, I believe it came when it was supposed to, I’m a firm believer in timing. I believe the challenges we are all experiencing will help us prepare better, not just for life’s unknown but will also give us the tools needed for business growth.
3. What inspires the ideas behind your diverse range of businesses under E. Griffin Enterprises?
A: All my businesses have stemmed from personal passions and/or needs. Melanin60 Skincare started because I needed to be mindful of what I use on my skin. I’m passionate about giving back and helping others, especially youth, so, R.A.P on AIDS and Brand Me University support my philanthropic side. I’ve always been passionate about the culture of hip-hop, fashion, and everything entertainment, and through my background birthed my media platform Hip Hop U-C-IT; Hip Hop U-C-IT was my first official company, Culture Shoes, Heavy Clothing Co., and black pow•er are aligned with those interests. I’ve always done my own branding, design, web development, and marketing for my businesses so I decided to officially launch The Peblicité Firm, to field all of those needs through my own company not only for myself but for my clients. I’m very deliberate about my business ventures because I need anything with my name on it to meet a certain standard. E. Griffin Enterprises is a portfolio of socially responsible, innovative, and forward-thinking brands, and all my ventures should reflect that.
4. As a serial entrepreneur managing several businesses, what time-management tips or productive habits have you adopted which most people tend to overlook?
A: There are so many things, but one of the things I focused on when preparing to launch Melanin60 Skincare was that I turned off my personal cell phone and unplugged from social media to limit all outside distractions. Family, friends, and clients had access to me if needed, but I made sure to tell my family and friends that I would not be available for a specific timeframe and to only call me on my business line if absolutely necessary. When you head up multiple companies, delegating is critical but more importantly, there is no delegation without building a solid foundation. You must have a solid foundation so that when tasks are delegated to your team you don’t have to worry about micromanaging because you’ve created a seamless process. What I focus on most is my WHY and not the what. We’re all human and life isn’t going to let up because I chose to do all things so it’s crucial for me that I focus on why I chose to do things. The way I do that is by focusing on The Power of Positive Thinking, no matter what, I do my best not to let those negative thoughts creep in and I don’t allow my thoughts to be on anything I don’t want. Our minds are powerful, what we think eventually shows up in our lives.
At the core of Griffin’s success as an entrepreneur is his personal passion for all of his products as well as social responsibility. ENSPIRE looks forward to seeing what ventures lie ahead for Griffin. To keep up with his businesses, check out the E. Griffin Enterprises website. To have skin as healthy as Griffin himself, visit Melanin60 Skincare.