When you step foot into a neighborhood beauty supply store, what are you expecting to encounter? Crowded shelves? Too many products? A staff that doesn’t understand your beauty needs? At Marsh + Mane, beauty lovers will find something a little bit different.
Located in Philadelphia, PA, Marsh + Mane is a natural beauty and lifestyle boutique launched in December of 2018. The vision of the company is to create a beautiful, inviting space and enjoyable shopping experience mainly for women of color. She wants customers to leave the store feeling inspired and empowered to take on the rest of their day. “We aren’t a traditional beauty supply store,” says owner Jenea Robinson. “We’re a bit more upscale, and our customers will meet staff that know and understand all the products, because they use them.”
That level of customer service is important to Jenea, and it’s exactly what she found when working with True Access Capital. True Access Capital provided Jenea with her very first business loan, and Marsh + Mane would not have been able to open without their help. Jenea notes that she engaged True Access Capital instead of a traditional bank because she wanted a more personal experience. “I worked with people who understood the business and were excited for me and saw the need for it. Everyone I interacted with was informative and patient.”
Through True Access Capital’s SBA Community Advantage Program, Jenea was able to ease some of the stress that often plague first-time business owners. “I would absolutely recommend True Access Capital to other first-time business owners. It was a really long process, and through that process, everyone was so helpful and answered my questions really quickly, which was so important to me.”
Today, Marsh + Mane makes sure they spend time giving back to the community by hosting workshops, opening pop-ups, and sharing their knowledge through social media and word of mouth. Being proud of and connecting with the Philadelphia community is a priority for Jenea and her staff.