CEO Crush: Meet 7 Fierce Female Founders Shaking Up Their Industries

Natalie Mackey: CEO and Co-Founder of Tik Tok's viral cosmetics brand, Winky Lux 

Prior to Winky Lux where were you? 
I was in finance, and then fashion. I've been an entrepreneur for 11 years now!

What was 20-year-old Natalie doing that today's Natalie is proud of?
I was really curious. I spent a lot of time researching industries and businesses that interested me. I also made some relationships that I still have today so you could say that I was good at networking in my twenties and she would be proud of that.

Did you always want to work in the beauty industry?
I've always loved makeup and skincare. I’m a die hard product junkie. I saw beauty as both a great business opportunity and a personal passion.

What obstacles have you face in your industry/career as a woman if any?
It’s just a fact that women receive about 2% off all venture funding which means that Winky Lux is an exception (not the rule). In other words female founded businesses, like mine, are scrutinized harder and held to a much higher standard than our male counterparts. Luckily I like a challenge. On the positive side we have and always will know the customer better…because we are the customer. 

How do you hope to help make a more equitable path for fellow female entrepreneurs? 
Personally, I'm incredibly passionate about developing female leaders particularly because it was a series of great leaders who developed me. I set aside a day a month to talk to founders who are earlier in their journey. That said, women are often “over-advised and under-funded”, so I’m more excited to invest in those that are particularly promising. From a business perspective, Winky Lux helped create the SoGal Founders grant which helps bridge the gap for black women and non-binary entrepreneurs on their path to getting funded through 5k and 10k grants. We were the first 60k in and now the program has raised over $1 million. 

[Photo courtesy of @natmak1]