Uploaded July 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Ami Colé is closing its doors—and as a fellow Black beauty founder, I had to speak on it.
In this video, I reflect on the heartbreaking (but all too familiar) story of Ami Colé’s shutdown, as shared by its founder in The Cut. I break down the systemic challenges Black-owned beauty brands face—from the realities of venture capital and growth-at-all-costs expectations, to the cashflow strain of retail partnerships and the devastating impact of the VC funding drought.
I also share my own journey with Mented Cosmetics, including how close we came to the same fate, what it took to survive, and what I wish more founders (and funders) understood.
If you’re building a brand or just want to understand the business of beauty better, I hope this is helpful.
👇 Let me know your thoughts in the comments.
#AmiCole #BlackBeautyBrands #BeautyBusiness #StartupLessons #MentedCosmetics
💡 SUBSCRIBE FOR MORE💡
/ @iamkjmiller
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▬ VIDEO CONTENTS ▬
00:00 The Closure of Ami Colé: A Reflection
03:23 The Venture Capital Landscape for Black-Owned Brands
10:59 Navigating Retail Challenges and Cash Flow
19:04 Lessons Learned and Key Takeaways
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TikTok: / tiktok.com/@iam_kjmiller
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📧 BOOK ME: kidar@kjmiller.co
References:
Ami Colé Article in The Cut:
thecut.com/article/why-i-am-closing-ami-col-my-beauty-brand.html
Ami Colé is closing its doors—and as a fellow Black beauty founder, I had to speak on it.
In this video, I reflect on the heartbreaking (but all too familiar) story of Ami Colé’s shutdown, as shared by its founder in The Cut. I break down the systemic challenges Black-owned beauty brands face—from the realities of venture capital and growth-at-all-costs expectations, to the cashflow strain of retail partnerships and the devastating impact of the VC funding drought.
I also share my own journey with Mented Cosmetics, including how close we came to the same fate, what it took to survive, and what I wish more founders (and funders) understood.
If you’re building a brand or just want to understand the business of beauty better, I hope this is helpful.
👇 Let me know your thoughts in the comments.
#AmiCole #BlackBeautyBrands #BeautyBusiness #StartupLessons #MentedCosmetics
💡 SUBSCRIBE FOR MORE💡
/ @iamkjmiller
--
Subscribe to KJ Off The Clock - My Weekly Newsletter
kjofftheclock.substack.com
–
💻BUSINESS COACHING💻
Interested in a 1:1 Coaching Session? Book here: kjmiller.co/coaching
–
📋STARTUP STARTER KIT 📋
This on-demand intensive helps people of all ages and backgrounds create and launch the startup of their dreams. This course will teach you how to turn the problems you’ve spotted in everyday life (products that don’t work as well as they could, services that don’t exist but should, etc.) into real business opportunities, and guide you through each step of the process from idea, to launch and beyond. Enroll here:
kjmiller.co/courses
---
▬ VIDEO CONTENTS ▬
00:00 The Closure of Ami Colé: A Reflection
03:23 The Venture Capital Landscape for Black-Owned Brands
10:59 Navigating Retail Challenges and Cash Flow
19:04 Lessons Learned and Key Takeaways
---
📲 LET'S CONNECT
TikTok: / tiktok.com/@iam_kjmiller
📧 JOIN MY MAILING LIST: https://mailchi.mp/ef53db75073f/join-my-mailing-list
📧 BOOK ME: kidar@kjmiller.co
References:
Ami Colé Article in The Cut:
thecut.com/article/why-i-am-closing-ami-col-my-beauty-brand.html
