Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Melissa Butler.

She is a Detroit native who has skillfully and strategically launched a start-up beauty brand, The Lip Bar, into a nationwide phenomenon. Melissa obtained her Bachelor’s Degree in Business Finance from Florida A & M University before going on to work on Wall Street as a licensed stock broker. Her journey from stocks and bonds to beauty is one that she describes as natural, not because she loved makeup, but because she was frustrated with the industry and therefore created a solution.  She wanted to create a brand that would be inclusive, non-toxic and easy to use so that everyone could see themselves as beautiful.  “Everyone deserves to have representation. Without it, we are left seeking validation” she says. It was her belief in health and inclusion that lead her to make lipstick in her kitchen and develop the vegan line, The Lip Bar.

A career pivot is usually described as, “Changing from one career to another within the same industry or general field.” Well, Melissa Butler is here to let everyone know that this definition is not always accurate. Going from a career as a Wall Street Banker to founding, owning, and running her own vegan-based, woman-focused cosmetic line is a testament to how widely this word can be applied. Finding your true path in life is never easy, but taking the first step and pursuing a business that you believe in is worth any risk as Melissa can attest. Curious?

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