Dallas Weekly COO Jess Washington said:
When I met Autumn Yarbrough at a mutual friend’s birthday party, I knew we had to meet again. Being “Yarbrough” also stuck with me because that’s my stepfather’s last name. But what intrigued me even more was the legacy of Autumn’s family business and why she wanted to start herself in the hair care industry. And you know how much I love the “Legacy” story. That The story is very unusual. But unlike his Dallas Weekly legacy in the hands of future generations, Autumn his Yarbrough has carved out his own path with his Nu Standard. Founded in 2020, New Standard is his one of the most innovative hair wellness systems on the market. It was an honor to speak with Autumn about the balance she has between creativity, motherhood, and how she has grown this business from the ground up.
it’s in her blood…
If you know even a little bit about Autumn Yarbrough’s life story, it’s clear how she got into the hair business. She is the granddaughter of Comer Cottrell Jr., one of the most successful, philanthropic and groundbreaking black businessmen of the 20th century, born through his company Pro-Line Corp. I was. She moved her headquarters to Dallas in 1980 while managing the company’s biggest product success, curly kit aka The Jeri Curl.
So one might think that Nu Standard is a dynamic venture, especially given that so many families were part of the Pro-Line Corp business. Her great uncle, James Cottrell, was considered a partner for Cummer.and her own parents, especially her mother Lenny Cottrell Brown just for meBut Autumn didn’t make the jump into the hair industry as everyone might imagine. , and this is where the Nu Standard was born. This system is 100% reflected from her autumn vision of changing the way we look at textured hair. So the seed may have been planted from her family heritage, but the path Autumn chose is an entirely different one. While she maintains her relationships with many who championed her grandfather and helped ProLine Corp succeed, Nu Standard is a startup she created alone.
Why Nu Standard Brings New Standards…
We believe that every great idea is the culmination of experiences and conversations that are summarized in a plan of action. This is why Nu Standard intrigued me even before I gave it a try. When I first met Autumn, I also had the chance to meet Tracy Ashley, a chemist with over 30 years of experience in the hair care industry. Let’s be honest, the hair care market is saturated with “healthy” hair care products. It’s fascinating to see a company like Nu Standard put everything on the table and admit that hair isn’t her one dimension. It’s not just the end result. Our mission is to help you care for your hair from the inside out. Also unique to Nu Standard is that it is also used by professional hair stylists. The Go series and his HYDRASILK aftercare system are processes that require time and professional analysis to work efficiently.
black section…
Autumn was determined not to stay in the “black section” of mainstream beauty stores when it brought Nu Standard to market. That’s because Nu Standard is not a black hair product. all Woman with textured hair. We all know that people of African descent have a wide range of curl patterns. This is why I remember growing up seeing women of all ethnicities in my salon. It wasn’t, so it’s important to make sure the right product and the right people have done the right job.Nu Standard’s approach to marketing and distribution shares that philosophy.
From a business perspective, it’s clear that you don’t want to limit your product’s ability to reach a wider market based on the assumption that it will only be used in certain demographics. The truth is, the moment you state that you are a “black” company, people want to put you in a box.
“If the opportunity arises for my products not to be placed in the black section, I am very strategic. Neither issue has anything to do with ethnicity or race. And black women should be able to talk about these issues without feeling pigeonholed.”
The Nu Standard founder has made it very clear that she wants black women to support and use her products. But her goal is for both consumers and retailers to understand that black-owned businesses can create solutions not just for black people.
Autumn recently made headlines for being the first black woman to curate and distribute a bond system specifically designed for textured hair with Nu Standard’s new HYDRASILK Hydrating Bond System. It will be available in her CosmoProf stores nationwide in January 2023. This is a big achievement for Nu Standard. Because CosmoProf stores are the leading distributors of salon products for licensed professionals in the hair industry.
Checking all checkboxes…
Autumn says her product is “The busy queen on the go”… I think it’s certainly necessary to know that. To describe her wife and mother of two, Autumn, her Yarbrough life as “busy” would be an understatement. Like any entrepreneur, Autumn needs to travel, hold meetings all day, and focus on a myriad of tasks. Whether it’s maintaining her happy marriage with her husband Eric, raising children, or social life, we talk all day every day. Autumn states that she does not have her secret powers and is literally her daily process.
Despite their differences in parenting, they rate mom Lenny the most when it comes to work-life balance.
“You see, I saw my mother work hard.
Autumn is really in touch with her children and regularly asks them if they need more of her. But following her family tradition, she definitely gets her kids involved in her Nu Standard business. She also helps with packaging and sometimes helps with marketing. But it’s very important for her children to understand what hard work looks like and that nothing is guaranteed.
“My kids have to work!…doesn’t act…no results”
Autumn has strenuously stated that she would never pressure her children to carry on her legacy. Like, I knew it wasn’t her passion. Autumn is 100% ready for her and I am happy with the result.
If you get the chance to meet Autumn Yarbrough, it won’t take long to see her dedication to her business. And I don’t think it’s wrong. More and more women like Autumn prove that we really can do it all. Hard work can make you successful in business, but that work must also apply to your personal life.
I can’t wait to see what the future holds for Autumn and Nu Standard. From mom to mom, I’m watching you and cheering you on. Keep shining Queen!
Mama2Mama is provided by the North Texas Tollway Association.
