Women’s History Month. Madame C.J. Walker, 1st Black woman millionaire – Mary T. O’Sullivan

By Mary T. O’Sullivan, MSOL, contributing writer

“Women belong in all places where decisions are being made. It shouldn’t be that women are the exception.” – Ruth Bader Ginsburg

For years, women have been shut out of opportunities. Up until the 1970s, women could not take out a loan or start a business on their own. We now know of women’s many success stories, from the rise of Estee Lauder to the accomplishments of Mary Barra (the first female CEO of General Motors). Even though we all know the glass ceiling still exists, throughout history notable women have made significant cracks. From Eleanor Roosevelt, Sandra Day O’Connor, Admiral Grace Hopper, Oprah Winfrey, Gloria Steinem and others, women’s influence on culture,  human rights, science and business, inspire women to stay resilient and continue to move forward.

One remarkable woman is an impressive example of overcoming the obstacles to success. Her story may be obscure to some, but is so distinctive, she can’t be left out of the annals of women’s history. Madame C.J. Walker, the first Black female millionaire in the United States, started a hair care company  begun out of personal necessity. In 1905, she developed a hair care formula which addressed hair problems that plagued Black women for years.

Her sales approach was unique for the time: direct-to-consumer marketing which emphasized in- person demonstrations, word-of-mouth promotion, and community-based sales networks. Her groundbreaking hands-on approach built trust and created demand among her customers. She came to her clients; the clients didn’t have to find her.

Madame C. J. Walker traveled throughout the United States and the Caribbean hosting in-person demonstrations in churches, hair salons, and social gatherings, much like the “home party” concept as demonstrated by Mary Kay, Pampered Chef, and one time home-party giant, Tupperware. She showed “before” and  “after” results with real people to prove that her product actually worked.

In the four-part 2020 Netflix mini-series, Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker,  the story of this woman, a former laundress, showed how she worked her way out of poverty by using her instincts, her innovation, and her own personal style. She began to expand her product line, and convinced her customers that using all her products would solve their hair care issues. She also instituted an army of “agents” to sell her products for her, with a portion of the profits coming back to her.

As an example of her innovative sales approach, she was the first Black entrepreneur to use print advertising extensively, taking out ads in well-known Black publications, featuring customer testimonials, and her trademark “before” and “after” pictures. She became a leader in training her agents and hair stylists in the use of her products, much like modern brands such as Paul Mitchell, Redken, and L’Oreal, thus ensuring repeat customers and product growth.

She further showed her leadership by heavily donating to Black colleges and universities, as well as other Black community organizations. Her philanthropy ensured her place as a role model and boosted sales through her reputation and generosity. People were drawn to her as a result of her phenomenal success and her obvious mission to improve the lives of others in her community.

With her pioneering sales approach, Madame C.J. Walker established sales strategies which are still relevant today. Direct customer engagement, selling a full line of products, empowering sales agents, and establishing a brand with a mission, are all elements of a successful business model. She was a woman with a “better idea” for her era. And her ideas established the foundation for sales techniques still used today.

A true innovator ahead of her time, Madame C.J. Walker is an influential role model for women and deserves her place among other notable women in history. She exemplifies the strength, innovation, and empowerment needed for success and to smash the glass ceiling. Her journey from poverty to becoming the first self-made female millionaire in the U.S. is a testament to her hard work, vision, and determination. And she continues to inspire women today. She is a true pioneering spirit no one can afford to ignore.

 “The question isn’t who is going to let me; it’s who is going to stop me?”— Ayn Rand.

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Mary T. O’Sullivan, Master of Science, Organizational Leadership, International Coaching Federation Professional Certified Coach, Society of Human Resource Management, “Senior Certified Professional. Graduate Certificate in Executive and Professional Career Coaching, University of Texas at Dallas.

Member, Beta Gamma Sigma, the International Honor Society.

Advanced Studies in Education from Montclair University, SUNY Oswego and Syracuse University.

Mary is also a certified Six Sigma Specialist, Contract Specialist, IPT Leader and holds a Certificate in Essentials of Human Resource Management from SHRM.