Walmart Celebrates Female Entrepreneurs and Launch of Black Owned Beauty Brand at Black Enterprise Women of Power Summit

During the 2022 BLACK ENTERPRISE Women of Power Summit, Walmart convened a dynamic group of female business leaders for a weekend of learning and celebration. Led by Vice President of Constituent Relations and Racial Equity, Tony Waller, and the Constituent Relations team, Walmart hosted a range of activations. These events included a dinner celebrating the launch of MADAM by Madam C.J. Walker, informational sessions, and engagement of key female business influencers.

Madam by Madam C.J. Walker

Launched by the great-great-granddaughter of entrepreneur and pioneer Madam C.J. Walker—A’Lelia Bundles, MADAM by Madam C.J. Walker is an accessible brand that evokes the memory of America’s first female self-made millionaire. Ms. Bundles joined Walmart and Sundial Brands in launching the new line, according to a press release.

During the BLACK ENTERPRISE Women of Power Summit, Walmart hosted a special dinner celebrating the launch and female entrepreneurs.

“It is so gratifying to me that Madam C.J. Walker’s original vision is being revived through this partnership between Sundial, Shea Moisture and Walmart. These teams are lifting up Madam Walker’s legacy in a way that celebrates textured hair and empowers women,” said A’Lelia Bundles.

“I am thrilled that MADAM by Madam C.J. Walker is in more than 3000 Walmart stores and that the line is accessible and affordable. I hope that every time someone twists off the top of a jar to style their hair or their daughter’s hair, they might be thinking about Madam Walker and be inspired.”

Walmart worked with leading Black female business influencers to engage and share the programming with a large network of stakeholders. Walmart and Values Partnerships brought Black Girls Greenhouse co-founder Kalkidan Gebreyohannes and CoupleyFit co-founder Deanna Mangum to elevate and share the programming at BLACK ENTERPRISE Women of Power 2022.

“The BLACK ENTERPRISE Women of Power Summit left me feeling an enormous amount of pride and joy. Sisterhood is a necessity and I have left here feeling renewed, restored and believing that I am part of the best kind of sisterhood there is!” said Kalkidan Gebreyohannes, co-founder, Blk Girls Green House.

“The BLACK ENTERPRISE Women of Power Summit provided an environment for me to be seen, heard, and valued while connecting with over 1,000 powerful and influential black women from all over the country. Speakers shared history and experiences that reignited my fire to get out and be the change I want to see in the world!” said Deanna Mangum, Co-founder, CoupleyFit™.

Activations at the BLACK ENTERPRISE Women of Power Summit continue Walmart’s commitment to supporting Black women in business; especially Black-owned beauty brands. MADAM by Madam C.J. Walker joins a wide range of Black-owned beauty brands available at Walmart. In addition to partnering with small businesses for digital and in-store retail opportunities, Walmart supports these entrepreneurs through the work of the Center for Racial Equity—a $100M commitment from Walmart and the Walmart Foundation over five years to advancing racial equity.

The Center for Racial Equity invested in the Washington Area Community Investment Fund (WACIF) and Shea Yeleen to support creation of a maker space for beauty entrepreneurs in Washington, D.C. The space will include a business accelerator program to advise underserved entrepreneurs and deploy flexible capital to independent, Black-owned beauty brands.

The Center for Racial Equity invested in the SoGal Foundation to launch a new national training program to help Black entrepreneurs connect to capital. The Black Founder Retail Catalyst Fellowship program will help 60 Black female and non-binary business owners access capital, mentorship and a network of peers in the retail industry.