At just 23 years old, Los Angeles native Mulan V of Mulan V Beauty has established a global brand, and positioned her company as a force to be reckoned with among online retailers. MulanVBeauty.com offers premium hair extensions, closures, eyelashes, cosmetics, styling products, and more at a price that continues to capture the attention of discerning consumers around the world. The talent and drive of the businesswoman born Marshayé Nicole Miller was also noticed by the team at Tyra Beauty, a makeup and skincare line founded by entertainment mogul Tyra Banks. The company will soon feature its products on the Mulan V Beauty website, demonstrating their confidence in the quality of her products, and the long-term success of her brand.
In addition to these accomplishments, Mulan V is also an actress, singer, and rapper signed to independent label Freestyle Records Inc. Her latest single, “Drop It,” is available on iTunes, TIDAL, and other digital outlets, and its accompanying music video has received over 125,000 views on YouTube. In an exclusive interview with FM Hip Hop, multi-talented entrepreneur and #FMFeline Mulan V shares lessons learned, motivation for her “V Dolls,” and what’s next.
FM HIP HOP: When did you found Mulan V Beauty, and what inspired you to launch the brand?
MULAN V: It started in high school… I take my appearance seriously, so I was doing the hair, makeup, things like that. But girls would ask me all the time, “Where did you get that hairstyle from, and that makeup?” How to do this, how to do that? I was giving one-on-one advice… but I figured, why not start a brand where I could give back and show girls the right quality? So I started my own, and I wanted it to be affordable too. I launched [Mulan V Beauty] about two years ago.
FM: How do you balance your roles as a recording artist and a businesswoman in the beauty industry?
MV: I try to put together a strong team of people that work for my brand and help me do what we need to do to get things done. I’m full-time– an artist and a businesswoman– so I kind of just split my time in half. When I’m not in the studio or working on music, I’m definitely in meetings, running my business, making sure everything is going smooth.
FM: As female entrepreneurs especially, we have a tendency to try to take on everything ourselves. What have been some of the benefits of having that strong team?
MV: I will be honest… I had to understand that as well. When I first got involved: “Oh, I’m going to do everything.” And then I realized, when the business started becoming more successful than I anticipated, so early– I was like, “I need help.” You can’t do it on your own. Having a team is important because you have so many different brains that come up with ideas that you don’t even have the time to even think of… You have people on your team that are skilled in specific things like marketing, and they’re skilled in sales, and that’s all that they do. They know so much about that field that they’ll teach you things that you didn’t even know were important.
FM: Who are some of the women that inspired you?
MV: A lot of women have inspired me, like Michelle Obama. I love Oprah for business reasons, and Tyra Banks, of course. Just to name a few. Also a lot of hip-hop women, like Missy Elliot.
FM: What are you currently working on on the music side?
MV: I’m working on some new songs; there are plans for a mixtape in the works… we’re going to be releasing some little surprises and little teasers over the next couple of months. Definitely there will be more music coming this year.
FM: Many people have an interest in beauty or may procure items for their friends, but not everyone goes to the next level with a full website, a range of branded products, and presenting at leading shows. How were you able to take it to the next step?
MV: I said if I was going to do a beauty company, I wasn’t going to try to do it halfway. I want to go all in. I want to make sure we get as much success as possible. And it was different opportunities happening at the right time. We ended up being able to do Bonner Bros. [International Beauty Show] a year ago… We do a lot of investment into the company to make sure that it excelled, and just making sure that we were available for different opportunities to network with the right people and connect with the right people. I think that’s so important with business, and that really helped us to expand and get things were it is now.
FM: What distinguishes Mulan V Beauty from its competitors?
MV: Our brand is very affordable. I’m very big on selling high quality products for an affordable price… I have to go back and forth with a lot of people, they’re like, “You should up your prices, your stuff is so nice.” But that’s what makes it stand out from other people. I believe in not taking advantage of my customers. I used to be a consumer trying to save to buy beauty products and stuff. A lot of people are in it just for the money. I’m in it for the money but also for the experience: Seeing the look on a woman’s face when they buy the product. We have sales and I do a lot of giveaways for hair extensions, lipstick, just so girls can try the product.
FM: What does it mean to be a “V Doll”?
MV: To be a V Doll means that you’re a fan of the brand. Anybody can be a V Doll! You get to know a lot of inside announcements before everybody else, you get to know about secret giveaways… sometimes the giveaways aren’t open to everybody at first, so you might get a heads up. Sometimes we even ask for their opinions on certain things. There definitely are a lot of perks of being a V Doll.
FM: What advice do you have for aspiring female entrepreneurs?
MV: Believe in yourself, first and foremost. Whenever you have an idea like that, there’s always going to be people that are going to get in your head… It’s your vision at the end of the day, so don’t let other people try to get in and cloud your judgement. Don’t let people confuse you and deter you from your dream and what you’re trying to do.
Always make sure you’re setting an example for younger girls, because there are other people out there watching you and taking notes, and they might aspire to be where you are some day. Always make sure that you keep your brand positive and you give something that women can appreciate.
FM: What’s next for Mulan V Beauty?
MV: We’ll be expanding the collaboration that we have with Tyra Banks’ line, more products to be released, some new things coming– we like to give them out as surprises, but definitely new products are going to be launched. There’s a lot more stuff coming, and more sales. A lot of cool stuff!
Brownie Marie | IG: @browniemarie | Twitter: @mz_brownie
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