She left Bank of America to start a fragrance brand with $300. Last year, it made $21 million.
Brown Sugar Babe founder Maekaeda Gibbons used $300 to start a fragrance business, growing it to $21 million in revenue without outside funding.
Maekaeda Gibbons Esston, formerly a loan officer at Bank of America, left her job with just $300 in savings. This allowed her to start her own fragrance brand, Brown Sugar Babe, and turn a personal hobby into a profitable business. In its first year, Brown Sugar Babe generated $21 million in gross revenue, without any outside investors.
The company sells body oils, scrubs, butters, and skincare products, and has even opened a flagship store in Atlanta. Gibbons takes inspiration from luxury scents but does not intend to duplicate them; she focuses on creating louder, more vibrant versions of popular fragrances. She has faced criticism for this approach, but remains undeterred, emphasizing that everyone draws inspiration from something.
The business grew slowly and deliberately, relying on customer feedback and Gibbons' intuition, rather than large amounts of capital. While the brand has experienced supply chain challenges and high demand during product launches, Gibbons remains committed to creating personal experiences for her customers through in-person events and pop-ups.
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