July 24, 2025 • 17 mins
Launched in April 2024, Darrell Spencer established Crowned Skin, a new Black-owned skincare brand for men, whose formula combines pheromones to shape and influence women's behaviors, filling a need and gap in the market while also pursuing his passion for skincare. Less than a year after the inception of the brand, the 28-year-old entrepreneur has built a multi-million dollar business, designing products to deliver a luxurious skincare experience that promotes healthy, radiant skin while exuding masculine elegance.Crowned Skin isn’t just a skincare product; it’s your secret to radiant, irresistible beauty.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is Danny d with the Brillantly Black Podcast, and
this has actually been a long time coming. I'm so
excited for my guest today because you know, we typically
hear about women's skincare all the time, like we have
everything to choose from, but today I have Chicago's own
Darryl Spencer with me.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
Welcome to the show.
Speaker 3 (00:18):
Hello, Hello, thank you for having me.
Speaker 1 (00:20):
No problem, thank you for allowing us to highlight you.
I see you've been super busy with your business, Crown Skin.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Let's get it so wet.
Speaker 3 (00:28):
Busy is good. I'm gonna lott tired.
Speaker 4 (00:30):
I ain't hold I'm a lottle tired, but you know
I'm grateful, you know, Yeah, moving to me working.
Speaker 1 (00:35):
Absolutely, I mean that's how it is when you own
your own business, entrepreneurship, You're gonna be tired sometimes, but
I'm sure it's certainly beneficial. Now, of course, you're a
black man. You know you need your own skincare. So
what made you say let me do skincare for men?
Why did you feel the need to create these products?
(00:56):
What was the inspiration?
Speaker 4 (00:57):
Yeah, so well, I guess I can start up with
like my journey through this right, So this is actually
my second company. My first company was King's Crowning, where
I created satelline products to protect men's hair. So I
started in that space first, right, because I had longer
hair and I didn't wanna worry a bond it. So
I'm like, hold on, wait, what what I'm what I'm
gonna get? So I was certainly trying to find products
(01:18):
for my hair that was similch to a bond it,
but was for men. I couldn't find it. So I
created that product first, and that was my first company.
And so like that kind of opened me up to
the space of like men's beauty and men's grooming, right,
So then those that was the company where I've learned
all my lessons so I can actually like come into
this company and take those lessons right and push it
to help push this company. So I started this company,
(01:39):
crown Skin, in the men's personal care space because one,
I was just tired of seeing super mundane, boring products
for men out there in the shells, right literally, like
you will walk down like target or hold on, let
me not see target right now, You'll walk You'll walk down, Okay,
you'll walk down any other shell, right, and then you
see all these amazing products for women, but you don't
(01:59):
see men, like really dope cool products for men out there.
So that was so that was that was my first thought,
my first mind, while I want to create this company,
but number two, I want to create the products that
made men feel great. You know what I'm saying, Because
it's nothing like spread on like your favorite colone and
you just you got a whole different pep in your stuff. Right,
So but then imagine spreading on your favorite colone, but
(02:19):
then it doubles as a moisturizer. So then that was
the innovation, right. That was the innovating part of creating
the company was I created like the first ever two
in one body butter colone that took over.
Speaker 3 (02:31):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
Wait, let's get more to that. Because a body butter
and a colone in one. Oh yeah, I mean I
have had body butters that have a fragrance, but the
quality is different when you say that there's a colone
within the body butter.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
So how did you accomplish that?
Speaker 3 (02:45):
We did it? You know, we did it.
Speaker 4 (02:47):
So basically we merged the world to find fragrances with
moisture and with body butters. So I love to say
I think I just said it, but imagine rubbing over
your body your favorite colone as a moisturizer, right, and
it doubles.
Speaker 3 (02:59):
Is that?
Speaker 4 (02:59):
So we we put in what we balance out and
we manufacture ultra premium fragrance oils with the body butters, right,
and then we balance it. We manufactured in a way
war The fragrance oil preserves, right, it projects while also
moisturizing your skin. So it's in body butter form. But
the fragrance oil our premium as if it was an
actual clint that you was spreading your body. And the
(03:21):
men love it, the ladies love it on their man.
It is taken over everywhere.
Speaker 1 (03:26):
Okay, So that's amazing. So you have that, and do
you have any other products with your line?
Speaker 4 (03:31):
Yes, so we have our hero product, which is the
body butter colone, but then the complimentary product to that
is our body oil colones.
Speaker 3 (03:38):
Right.
Speaker 4 (03:39):
So we can say, either if you want to layer
the products, you can throw on the body oil first
and sealing it with the body butter. Or you know,
if you don't want to put on a more of
like like a rich ladder, like a body butter, you
can go like a more lightweight hydrating product which is
our body oil Colone.
Speaker 3 (03:53):
But we got some other stuff in the works in
R and D right.
Speaker 4 (03:56):
Now we cannot announce just yet, but we do have
so much more products on the way, right, So we
want to be like the one stop shot for everything
men's personal care. So whatever you need, Crown Skin, we
want to be able to ensure that we offer everything
to men.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
Yes, I love that, it's definitely needed.
Speaker 1 (04:12):
Like you see, we see random products all the time,
but the most thing that I've seen from men is
maybe like beard cream or something.
Speaker 2 (04:19):
Like the beard oil.
Speaker 3 (04:20):
That's that's the number one.
Speaker 2 (04:21):
Riter that's the number one.
Speaker 4 (04:22):
All you see is beard oils on the market, right.
They smell good though, but you're seeing it's different kind
of beerd oils. And you know, I mean, I guess soaps,
but I mean what else were getting?
Speaker 1 (04:31):
Yeah, you know you're like, we need more than that.
That's what you're here for, Daryl, Right. We appreciate that
because a little bere a good smelling man and a
moisturized man too.
Speaker 3 (04:39):
You know, I call ourselves we the ash fighters.
Speaker 4 (04:42):
We fight as on one elbow at a time, you
know what.
Speaker 1 (04:47):
Look, we appreciate you Okay, I'm speaking for the ladies
on that and this is brilliantly black. So you know,
we keep it real about businesses and entrepreneurship because it's
not easy. It's definitely fulfilling, it's rewarding, but it's not easy.
So can we talk about some of the challenges that
you may have faced when creating your business or even
just now?
Speaker 4 (05:06):
Yeah, I mean what I will say is when it
comes down to challenges, I mean, things happen all the time,
especially when you're scaling and you're growing so fast.
Speaker 3 (05:15):
Right.
Speaker 4 (05:15):
One thing that I did learn from my first company
is ensuring that I create the foundation of the company
to scale, right, and so from day one, I imagine
that the company will be the next multimillion dollar company, right,
So I foundationally put things in place to ensure I
support that from day.
Speaker 3 (05:31):
One, right.
Speaker 4 (05:32):
So that was the biggest key because you know, the
company where we launched in March twenty twenty four, so
we're about a year and four months in and we've
we've bred an eight figure company and that happened fairly quick.
But it happened with strategy and if I was not
able to, you know, ensure that foundationally were structured in
a way too. If we had scale fast, you could
(05:52):
scale fast, we probably wouldn't be where we are today.
So I would say operationally ensuring that my foundation of
the company was secure, or to ensure that if we did,
you know, go viral tomorrow, are we prepared for that
at scale?
Speaker 3 (06:04):
Yes?
Speaker 4 (06:05):
And I learned that lesson from my first company. My
first company I did not foundationally created for scale. So
I took that lesson and brought it to this new company,
which is Crown Scam.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
And look at you now.
Speaker 1 (06:17):
Yes, So what's one pointer that you would give someone
who wants to maybe quit their nine to five because
I did see that, you know, you know you did that.
Speaker 2 (06:27):
And what's some advice you would give them. Somebody who
wants to start.
Speaker 1 (06:30):
A business, or maybe even a skincare business, what's that
first step for somebody?
Speaker 4 (06:34):
My biggest advice is stay at your job, right, Stay
at your job and hustle and so work your job
while you're simultaneously working your business, right. And give yourself
a revenue number, right, Give yourself a revenue number.
Speaker 3 (06:48):
Right.
Speaker 4 (06:48):
So when I hit this amount of revenue that feels
comfortable for you, that's when you.
Speaker 3 (06:51):
Should be able to let go and quit.
Speaker 4 (06:53):
Because what I did was I stayed at my job
probably longer than somebody else would have, right, because I
was still I was seeing money. But I personally, I
have this. I had this battle because.
Speaker 3 (07:06):
In my head and in my mind and where I
met in my.
Speaker 4 (07:08):
Life, I was I was fearful of letting that stability go.
You know what I'm saying, because that that that W
two income, it hits different, you know, but then when
you leave that company.
Speaker 3 (07:19):
It's all up to you.
Speaker 4 (07:21):
Right, So stability was important, right because you know, I
watched my parents grind, they put, they instilled hard work
and heart and hard work and drive inside of me,
and all I seen was them just working extremely hard.
So I had to quickly change my perception on how
I viewed money and how I viewed what hard work
looks like. And I gave myself a revenue number, and
(07:42):
then when I hit the number, I chose to leave.
But my biggest piece of advice insummation would be work
both jobs, right, Work your full time job until you
hit that actual revenue number, but allow your W two
income and that job to fuel and to fund that company. Right,
So use that income to fuel that company until that
company can fu your entire life.
Speaker 3 (08:01):
So that's that's what I would say.
Speaker 2 (08:03):
Okay, that's very good advice.
Speaker 1 (08:05):
Now what is something that or should I say, what's
your favorite part of your business?
Speaker 3 (08:12):
Oh?
Speaker 4 (08:12):
Man, that's easy. Is the people, it really is. It's
the people. My favorite part about this running this company
is meeting my customers, the consumers. Like out in the
day we were at we did the Economics summit here
in Chicago. I was on our panel the other day
and we just had a lot of customers that came
came to us and they were like, oh, I love
the company, just like speaking life into why they love
(08:33):
the products, what I mean, what it means to them.
So it's always just so gratifying, like meeting the customers
who actually love the products, and you know, it makes
it makes you really just wake up the next day
like just exciting and hungry to keep going because I mean,
I'm really driving impact, right, and that's what I'm big.
I'm big on impact, and we really are impacting people
and impacting men because one I will tell you, when
(08:54):
men wear these products, they get an extra like pep
and extra piece of confidence, right because one the smell amazing.
But also we promote confidence within our company too, Right,
We're big on community, so when they wear these products,
they automatically feel a lot more confident. And the fact
that we were able to empower men right with our
personal care products is everything. So, you know, knowing that
we can just honestly, knowing that I'm just impact the
(09:15):
men on the daily is just the most gratifying part
of running this company.
Speaker 2 (09:19):
That's definitely a beautiful thing.
Speaker 1 (09:20):
And I could tell he's telling the truth everybody who's listening,
because I mean, you're just such a people person. I mean,
you came in here, you're smiling, and you can tell
that you're very excited about what you do. So I
just love that. Congratulations to you with everything that you do.
So not only that, what impact do you want to
leave on your community?
Speaker 3 (09:40):
Oh?
Speaker 4 (09:40):
Man, what impact do I want to leave on my community?
I'll say this, I say this a lot, but I
think that it's important to say and to note, right,
I didn't have an entrepreneur as a father.
Speaker 3 (09:51):
I didn't have an entreprene as a mother. Right.
Speaker 4 (09:53):
I had two extremely hard working, middle middle class parents, right,
who worked hard every day, had not nine to fives
and grind it.
Speaker 3 (10:01):
But they were never entrepreneurs. Right.
Speaker 4 (10:03):
My father owned real estate, though, what I will say,
and he he instilled it in me. So I owned properties,
but they weren't. They didn't have their own companies or
their own businesses. So I knew I always wanted to
be an entrepreneur and I always wanted to create something.
I just didn't know how and I just didn't know when.
So then during COVID, actually during the pandemic was when
(10:24):
you know, I had so much idle time and I
just started researching, googling, youtubing, and then that's when I
created the first company, which is in twenty twenty, which
is King's Frowning. And and truly I didn't have I
did not have a figure to look up to when
it came down to that, right, I didn't see anybody
doing it. So I did not know how to or
I didn't know or I did not know that I
could be it. But I just I just pressed go
(10:46):
and I just went. So the biggest piece of advice
that I will say, and where I'm trying to get
with this story is although I didn't have anybody that
that was a doing that surround me in my circle. Right,
I created my own path in my own lane. I
taught myself right, I went on YouTube.
Speaker 3 (11:02):
I googled it.
Speaker 4 (11:03):
I'd refuse to allow my circumstances and my lack of
resources to prevent me from creating right. So I created
myself and I found my own resources through those different gaps.
So you know, that's my biggest story that I like
to say is, you know, sometimes you might think that
somebody has a dad who was an entrepreneur an uncle,
and most.
Speaker 3 (11:23):
Times they do. Yeah, honestly, most times they do.
Speaker 4 (11:26):
But I didn't have that, and I've been able to
create really amazing companies right without those resources. Now they're here,
right because now I've been able to get my name
out there, I've been able to direct outreach different people.
I've reached out to people for resources, have created informal mentors.
But early on I didn't have any of that, and
I still created so Pressco even without having resources.
Speaker 1 (11:48):
Around you hashtag, I created it myself. That's what Daryl
is absolutely, Yes, how important is it to share with
others because you know, I see you on social media,
You're always giving advice, You're always You're not a gatekeeper whatsoever.
Speaker 2 (12:02):
So why is that? Why is it important to you
to you know, just share your experiences.
Speaker 4 (12:06):
That's how we grow, you know, as a as a
community within our culture, right, I mean, we have to
really stick together, especially knowing historically and systemically where we
stand as people as black people.
Speaker 3 (12:19):
Right.
Speaker 4 (12:20):
So I think more than anything, we can't gay keep
right we It cost us nothing. It costs me nothing
to give some game to somebody else, right, we were.
I was on the panel the other day. I was
talking to reesea Luster from the Luster Products, that the
legacy family, right, that's the mecca of black products, right,
Luster Products, And she was talking about how, you know,
(12:42):
working with Mayel.
Speaker 3 (12:43):
Like they all they were. This was back, This was
back early.
Speaker 4 (12:47):
In the early days of Mayo when they were going
to trade shows and Melvin and moniquely there they were
sending these things up and you know this was Luster,
right and Mayel. They were still growing, but neither one
of them were. They weren't competing. They were in the
same space, but they weren't competing, right, They just seen
each other as fellow black people wanting to see each
other succeed and same thing. I mean, even Resa and
(13:10):
her team they connect us with like brokers that help
them grow, right, And you know, I just I look
at that and it's just a testament to the kind
of people who we are and who everybody should be
and right, and that's just how I move as well.
It costs you nothing to really uplift people, because you know,
that's what our counterpart to do. Very true, So we
absolutely need to do it for ourselves. We need to
create legacy. And how do we do that. We create resources.
(13:33):
We lay out the field for people behind us, right
next to us, in front of us. And that is
the only way that we can succeed and continue to
grow as people, is if we really help each other out,
you know, whether it's informal mentorship, I mean resources, connections, yes,
all those teens can look totally different. And it's not
always monetary. It could be just intellectual capital. But it's
important for us to grow. And again, it costs you
(13:53):
nothing to uplift the person right.
Speaker 3 (13:55):
Next to you.
Speaker 1 (13:56):
Yes, I mean there's enough room in space for everyone
to eat, you know, as they say, And we used
to do it back in the day. Black people were
here for each other when it came to businesses like hey,
you do this.
Speaker 2 (14:06):
I do that.
Speaker 1 (14:07):
Let's come together, let's do this. So I think that
that's what you're doing. And you know, that's so good
that you're doing it in this day and age where
there is a lot of gatekeeping.
Speaker 4 (14:15):
Oh my gosh, it is and I just I hate
the crab and embarrel mentality. I really do. We got
to do better as people. But I mean, honestly, it
starts with this. It starts with us. It starts showing that,
like you can meet certain positions and show people that
it does not affect you, it costs you nothing.
Speaker 3 (14:32):
And then it's representation.
Speaker 4 (14:33):
Hopefully you know, as the people, we continue to grow
and we shift out of that. But I see it happening. Yeah,
for sure, I think it's happening right now too.
Speaker 2 (14:41):
It is.
Speaker 3 (14:41):
That's what it's about.
Speaker 2 (14:42):
Paying it for it.
Speaker 1 (14:43):
Yes, it always helps, it never hinders. So you know,
we are really black here. We support and highlight a
lot of black owned businesses from CEOs entrepreneurs who are
here from Chicago.
Speaker 2 (14:54):
So to you, what does it mean to be brilliantly black?
Speaker 3 (14:59):
Oh? Man black? That's that's beautiful. What I'm just saying.
Speaker 4 (15:04):
That's you to hear those two words put together, it's
just so beautiful.
Speaker 3 (15:08):
I mean, being brilliantly black.
Speaker 4 (15:10):
I mean I think when I hear that, I think
of innovation, I think of greatness. I mean, I think
being in black alone is something beautiful, awesome, special, amazing.
I think of all these positive, great things about that.
But then adding brilliantly to it is everything. So I mean,
(15:30):
I just I think of just resilience, innovation, so many,
so many different things that that honestly, it can come
to my mind. But I mean, brilliantly black is I
think it's simple. It's dopeness innovation.
Speaker 2 (15:44):
Yeah, clap it.
Speaker 4 (15:45):
Up, Yeah, thank you.
Speaker 2 (15:48):
No, it is dopeness, it really is.
Speaker 1 (15:50):
And I mean we wouldn't be where we are without
a lot of black entrepreneurs, inventors and more so, congratulations
to you for adding on to that.
Speaker 2 (16:00):
That is a major deal.
Speaker 1 (16:02):
So you know, I wish you nothing but the best
with your business. I mean, you're doing your things, so
I love to see it. And listen, we're here about
the product. So where can we find these products? When
I find a man, I'm gonna go ahead and get him.
So okay, yes, yes, so where can we find you?
Social media? I saw that you're on TikTok shop. That's
a big thing. Yes, so let's give it all.
Speaker 4 (16:23):
Okay, So you can find me personally at I Am
Darryl Spencer d A r R e L L.
Speaker 3 (16:28):
Spencer.
Speaker 4 (16:29):
Then for our products and our company, you can find
us on Instagram at Crowned dot skin, and you can
get our products online at crowned skin dot com. And
we are on TikTok shop. Make sure you order our
official storefront. It's Crowned Skin. You'll see it there. Also
we're on Amazon as well, but make sure that on
Amazon and TikTok shop you find our official storefront. You
(16:49):
can see it by basically going to the brand name
and it shows you it's crown Skin.
Speaker 2 (16:53):
And there you go. We'll be shopping.
Speaker 3 (16:55):
Oh, appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (16:56):
Thank you so much for joining us. And you are
really black.
Speaker 3 (17:00):
Thank you, thank you you my girl, Danny d
This is Danny d with the Brillantly Black Podcast, and
this has actually been a long time coming. I'm so
excited for my guest today because you know, we typically
hear about women's skincare all the time, like we have
everything to choose from, but today I have Chicago's own
Darryl Spencer with me.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
Welcome to the show.
Speaker 3 (00:18):
Hello, Hello, thank you for having me.
Speaker 1 (00:20):
No problem, thank you for allowing us to highlight you.
I see you've been super busy with your business, Crown Skin.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Let's get it so wet.
Speaker 3 (00:28):
Busy is good. I'm gonna lott tired.
Speaker 4 (00:30):
I ain't hold I'm a lottle tired, but you know
I'm grateful, you know, Yeah, moving to me working.
Speaker 1 (00:35):
Absolutely, I mean that's how it is when you own
your own business, entrepreneurship, You're gonna be tired sometimes, but
I'm sure it's certainly beneficial. Now, of course, you're a
black man. You know you need your own skincare. So
what made you say let me do skincare for men?
Why did you feel the need to create these products?
(00:56):
What was the inspiration?
Speaker 4 (00:57):
Yeah, so well, I guess I can start up with
like my journey through this right, So this is actually
my second company. My first company was King's Crowning, where
I created satelline products to protect men's hair. So I
started in that space first, right, because I had longer
hair and I didn't wanna worry a bond it. So
I'm like, hold on, wait, what what I'm what I'm
gonna get? So I was certainly trying to find products
(01:18):
for my hair that was similch to a bond it,
but was for men. I couldn't find it. So I
created that product first, and that was my first company.
And so like that kind of opened me up to
the space of like men's beauty and men's grooming, right,
So then those that was the company where I've learned
all my lessons so I can actually like come into
this company and take those lessons right and push it
to help push this company. So I started this company,
(01:39):
crown Skin, in the men's personal care space because one,
I was just tired of seeing super mundane, boring products
for men out there in the shells, right literally, like
you will walk down like target or hold on, let
me not see target right now, You'll walk You'll walk down, Okay,
you'll walk down any other shell, right, and then you
see all these amazing products for women, but you don't
(01:59):
see men, like really dope cool products for men out there.
So that was so that was that was my first thought,
my first mind, while I want to create this company,
but number two, I want to create the products that
made men feel great. You know what I'm saying, Because
it's nothing like spread on like your favorite colone and
you just you got a whole different pep in your stuff. Right,
So but then imagine spreading on your favorite colone, but
(02:19):
then it doubles as a moisturizer. So then that was
the innovation, right. That was the innovating part of creating
the company was I created like the first ever two
in one body butter colone that took over.
Speaker 3 (02:31):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
Wait, let's get more to that. Because a body butter
and a colone in one. Oh yeah, I mean I
have had body butters that have a fragrance, but the
quality is different when you say that there's a colone
within the body butter.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
So how did you accomplish that?
Speaker 3 (02:45):
We did it? You know, we did it.
Speaker 4 (02:47):
So basically we merged the world to find fragrances with
moisture and with body butters. So I love to say
I think I just said it, but imagine rubbing over
your body your favorite colone as a moisturizer, right, and
it doubles.
Speaker 3 (02:59):
Is that?
Speaker 4 (02:59):
So we we put in what we balance out and
we manufacture ultra premium fragrance oils with the body butters, right,
and then we balance it. We manufactured in a way
war The fragrance oil preserves, right, it projects while also
moisturizing your skin. So it's in body butter form. But
the fragrance oil our premium as if it was an
actual clint that you was spreading your body. And the
(03:21):
men love it, the ladies love it on their man.
It is taken over everywhere.
Speaker 1 (03:26):
Okay, So that's amazing. So you have that, and do
you have any other products with your line?
Speaker 4 (03:31):
Yes, so we have our hero product, which is the
body butter colone, but then the complimentary product to that
is our body oil colones.
Speaker 3 (03:38):
Right.
Speaker 4 (03:39):
So we can say, either if you want to layer
the products, you can throw on the body oil first
and sealing it with the body butter. Or you know,
if you don't want to put on a more of
like like a rich ladder, like a body butter, you
can go like a more lightweight hydrating product which is
our body oil Colone.
Speaker 3 (03:53):
But we got some other stuff in the works in
R and D right.
Speaker 4 (03:56):
Now we cannot announce just yet, but we do have
so much more products on the way, right, So we
want to be like the one stop shot for everything
men's personal care. So whatever you need, Crown Skin, we
want to be able to ensure that we offer everything
to men.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
Yes, I love that, it's definitely needed.
Speaker 1 (04:12):
Like you see, we see random products all the time,
but the most thing that I've seen from men is
maybe like beard cream or something.
Speaker 2 (04:19):
Like the beard oil.
Speaker 3 (04:20):
That's that's the number one.
Speaker 2 (04:21):
Riter that's the number one.
Speaker 4 (04:22):
All you see is beard oils on the market, right.
They smell good though, but you're seeing it's different kind
of beerd oils. And you know, I mean, I guess soaps,
but I mean what else were getting?
Speaker 1 (04:31):
Yeah, you know you're like, we need more than that.
That's what you're here for, Daryl, Right. We appreciate that
because a little bere a good smelling man and a
moisturized man too.
Speaker 3 (04:39):
You know, I call ourselves we the ash fighters.
Speaker 4 (04:42):
We fight as on one elbow at a time, you
know what.
Speaker 1 (04:47):
Look, we appreciate you Okay, I'm speaking for the ladies
on that and this is brilliantly black. So you know,
we keep it real about businesses and entrepreneurship because it's
not easy. It's definitely fulfilling, it's rewarding, but it's not easy.
So can we talk about some of the challenges that
you may have faced when creating your business or even
just now?
Speaker 4 (05:06):
Yeah, I mean what I will say is when it
comes down to challenges, I mean, things happen all the time,
especially when you're scaling and you're growing so fast.
Speaker 3 (05:15):
Right.
Speaker 4 (05:15):
One thing that I did learn from my first company
is ensuring that I create the foundation of the company
to scale, right, and so from day one, I imagine
that the company will be the next multimillion dollar company, right,
So I foundationally put things in place to ensure I
support that from day.
Speaker 3 (05:31):
One, right.
Speaker 4 (05:32):
So that was the biggest key because you know, the
company where we launched in March twenty twenty four, so
we're about a year and four months in and we've
we've bred an eight figure company and that happened fairly quick.
But it happened with strategy and if I was not
able to, you know, ensure that foundationally were structured in
a way too. If we had scale fast, you could
(05:52):
scale fast, we probably wouldn't be where we are today.
So I would say operationally ensuring that my foundation of
the company was secure, or to ensure that if we did,
you know, go viral tomorrow, are we prepared for that
at scale?
Speaker 3 (06:04):
Yes?
Speaker 4 (06:05):
And I learned that lesson from my first company. My
first company I did not foundationally created for scale. So
I took that lesson and brought it to this new company,
which is Crown Scam.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
And look at you now.
Speaker 1 (06:17):
Yes, So what's one pointer that you would give someone
who wants to maybe quit their nine to five because
I did see that, you know, you know you did that.
Speaker 2 (06:27):
And what's some advice you would give them. Somebody who
wants to start.
Speaker 1 (06:30):
A business, or maybe even a skincare business, what's that
first step for somebody?
Speaker 4 (06:34):
My biggest advice is stay at your job, right, Stay
at your job and hustle and so work your job
while you're simultaneously working your business, right. And give yourself
a revenue number, right, Give yourself a revenue number.
Speaker 3 (06:48):
Right.
Speaker 4 (06:48):
So when I hit this amount of revenue that feels
comfortable for you, that's when you.
Speaker 3 (06:51):
Should be able to let go and quit.
Speaker 4 (06:53):
Because what I did was I stayed at my job
probably longer than somebody else would have, right, because I
was still I was seeing money. But I personally, I
have this. I had this battle because.
Speaker 3 (07:06):
In my head and in my mind and where I
met in my.
Speaker 4 (07:08):
Life, I was I was fearful of letting that stability go.
You know what I'm saying, because that that that W
two income, it hits different, you know, but then when
you leave that company.
Speaker 3 (07:19):
It's all up to you.
Speaker 4 (07:21):
Right, So stability was important, right because you know, I
watched my parents grind, they put, they instilled hard work
and heart and hard work and drive inside of me,
and all I seen was them just working extremely hard.
So I had to quickly change my perception on how
I viewed money and how I viewed what hard work
looks like. And I gave myself a revenue number, and
(07:42):
then when I hit the number, I chose to leave.
But my biggest piece of advice insummation would be work
both jobs, right, Work your full time job until you
hit that actual revenue number, but allow your W two
income and that job to fuel and to fund that company. Right,
So use that income to fuel that company until that
company can fu your entire life.
Speaker 3 (08:01):
So that's that's what I would say.
Speaker 2 (08:03):
Okay, that's very good advice.
Speaker 1 (08:05):
Now what is something that or should I say, what's
your favorite part of your business?
Speaker 3 (08:12):
Oh?
Speaker 4 (08:12):
Man, that's easy. Is the people, it really is. It's
the people. My favorite part about this running this company
is meeting my customers, the consumers. Like out in the
day we were at we did the Economics summit here
in Chicago. I was on our panel the other day
and we just had a lot of customers that came
came to us and they were like, oh, I love
the company, just like speaking life into why they love
(08:33):
the products, what I mean, what it means to them.
So it's always just so gratifying, like meeting the customers
who actually love the products, and you know, it makes
it makes you really just wake up the next day
like just exciting and hungry to keep going because I mean,
I'm really driving impact, right, and that's what I'm big.
I'm big on impact, and we really are impacting people
and impacting men because one I will tell you, when
(08:54):
men wear these products, they get an extra like pep
and extra piece of confidence, right because one the smell amazing.
But also we promote confidence within our company too, Right,
We're big on community, so when they wear these products,
they automatically feel a lot more confident. And the fact
that we were able to empower men right with our
personal care products is everything. So, you know, knowing that
we can just honestly, knowing that I'm just impact the
(09:15):
men on the daily is just the most gratifying part
of running this company.
Speaker 2 (09:19):
That's definitely a beautiful thing.
Speaker 1 (09:20):
And I could tell he's telling the truth everybody who's listening,
because I mean, you're just such a people person. I mean,
you came in here, you're smiling, and you can tell
that you're very excited about what you do. So I
just love that. Congratulations to you with everything that you do.
So not only that, what impact do you want to
leave on your community?
Speaker 3 (09:40):
Oh?
Speaker 4 (09:40):
Man, what impact do I want to leave on my community?
I'll say this, I say this a lot, but I
think that it's important to say and to note, right,
I didn't have an entrepreneur as a father.
Speaker 3 (09:51):
I didn't have an entreprene as a mother. Right.
Speaker 4 (09:53):
I had two extremely hard working, middle middle class parents, right,
who worked hard every day, had not nine to fives
and grind it.
Speaker 3 (10:01):
But they were never entrepreneurs. Right.
Speaker 4 (10:03):
My father owned real estate, though, what I will say,
and he he instilled it in me. So I owned properties,
but they weren't. They didn't have their own companies or
their own businesses. So I knew I always wanted to
be an entrepreneur and I always wanted to create something.
I just didn't know how and I just didn't know when.
So then during COVID, actually during the pandemic was when
(10:24):
you know, I had so much idle time and I
just started researching, googling, youtubing, and then that's when I
created the first company, which is in twenty twenty, which
is King's Frowning. And and truly I didn't have I
did not have a figure to look up to when
it came down to that, right, I didn't see anybody
doing it. So I did not know how to or
I didn't know or I did not know that I
could be it. But I just I just pressed go
(10:46):
and I just went. So the biggest piece of advice
that I will say, and where I'm trying to get
with this story is although I didn't have anybody that
that was a doing that surround me in my circle. Right,
I created my own path in my own lane. I
taught myself right, I went on YouTube.
Speaker 3 (11:02):
I googled it.
Speaker 4 (11:03):
I'd refuse to allow my circumstances and my lack of
resources to prevent me from creating right. So I created
myself and I found my own resources through those different gaps.
So you know, that's my biggest story that I like
to say is, you know, sometimes you might think that
somebody has a dad who was an entrepreneur an uncle,
and most.
Speaker 3 (11:23):
Times they do. Yeah, honestly, most times they do.
Speaker 4 (11:26):
But I didn't have that, and I've been able to
create really amazing companies right without those resources. Now they're here,
right because now I've been able to get my name
out there, I've been able to direct outreach different people.
I've reached out to people for resources, have created informal mentors.
But early on I didn't have any of that, and
I still created so Pressco even without having resources.
Speaker 1 (11:48):
Around you hashtag, I created it myself. That's what Daryl
is absolutely, Yes, how important is it to share with
others because you know, I see you on social media,
You're always giving advice, You're always You're not a gatekeeper whatsoever.
Speaker 2 (12:02):
So why is that? Why is it important to you
to you know, just share your experiences.
Speaker 4 (12:06):
That's how we grow, you know, as a as a
community within our culture, right, I mean, we have to
really stick together, especially knowing historically and systemically where we
stand as people as black people.
Speaker 3 (12:19):
Right.
Speaker 4 (12:20):
So I think more than anything, we can't gay keep
right we It cost us nothing. It costs me nothing
to give some game to somebody else, right, we were.
I was on the panel the other day. I was
talking to reesea Luster from the Luster Products, that the
legacy family, right, that's the mecca of black products, right,
Luster Products, And she was talking about how, you know,
(12:42):
working with Mayel.
Speaker 3 (12:43):
Like they all they were. This was back, This was
back early.
Speaker 4 (12:47):
In the early days of Mayo when they were going
to trade shows and Melvin and moniquely there they were
sending these things up and you know this was Luster,
right and Mayel. They were still growing, but neither one
of them were. They weren't competing. They were in the
same space, but they weren't competing, right, They just seen
each other as fellow black people wanting to see each
other succeed and same thing. I mean, even Resa and
(13:10):
her team they connect us with like brokers that help
them grow, right, And you know, I just I look
at that and it's just a testament to the kind
of people who we are and who everybody should be
and right, and that's just how I move as well.
It costs you nothing to really uplift people, because you know,
that's what our counterpart to do. Very true, So we
absolutely need to do it for ourselves. We need to
create legacy. And how do we do that. We create resources.
(13:33):
We lay out the field for people behind us, right
next to us, in front of us. And that is
the only way that we can succeed and continue to
grow as people, is if we really help each other out,
you know, whether it's informal mentorship, I mean resources, connections, yes,
all those teens can look totally different. And it's not
always monetary. It could be just intellectual capital. But it's
important for us to grow. And again, it costs you
(13:53):
nothing to uplift the person right.
Speaker 3 (13:55):
Next to you.
Speaker 1 (13:56):
Yes, I mean there's enough room in space for everyone
to eat, you know, as they say, And we used
to do it back in the day. Black people were
here for each other when it came to businesses like hey,
you do this.
Speaker 2 (14:06):
I do that.
Speaker 1 (14:07):
Let's come together, let's do this. So I think that
that's what you're doing. And you know, that's so good
that you're doing it in this day and age where
there is a lot of gatekeeping.
Speaker 4 (14:15):
Oh my gosh, it is and I just I hate
the crab and embarrel mentality. I really do. We got
to do better as people. But I mean, honestly, it
starts with this. It starts with us. It starts showing that,
like you can meet certain positions and show people that
it does not affect you, it costs you nothing.
Speaker 3 (14:32):
And then it's representation.
Speaker 4 (14:33):
Hopefully you know, as the people, we continue to grow
and we shift out of that. But I see it happening. Yeah,
for sure, I think it's happening right now too.
Speaker 2 (14:41):
It is.
Speaker 3 (14:41):
That's what it's about.
Speaker 2 (14:42):
Paying it for it.
Speaker 1 (14:43):
Yes, it always helps, it never hinders. So you know,
we are really black here. We support and highlight a
lot of black owned businesses from CEOs entrepreneurs who are
here from Chicago.
Speaker 2 (14:54):
So to you, what does it mean to be brilliantly black?
Speaker 3 (14:59):
Oh? Man black? That's that's beautiful. What I'm just saying.
Speaker 4 (15:04):
That's you to hear those two words put together, it's
just so beautiful.
Speaker 3 (15:08):
I mean, being brilliantly black.
Speaker 4 (15:10):
I mean I think when I hear that, I think
of innovation, I think of greatness. I mean, I think
being in black alone is something beautiful, awesome, special, amazing.
I think of all these positive, great things about that.
But then adding brilliantly to it is everything. So I mean,
(15:30):
I just I think of just resilience, innovation, so many,
so many different things that that honestly, it can come
to my mind. But I mean, brilliantly black is I
think it's simple. It's dopeness innovation.
Speaker 2 (15:44):
Yeah, clap it.
Speaker 4 (15:45):
Up, Yeah, thank you.
Speaker 2 (15:48):
No, it is dopeness, it really is.
Speaker 1 (15:50):
And I mean we wouldn't be where we are without
a lot of black entrepreneurs, inventors and more so, congratulations
to you for adding on to that.
Speaker 2 (16:00):
That is a major deal.
Speaker 1 (16:02):
So you know, I wish you nothing but the best
with your business. I mean, you're doing your things, so
I love to see it. And listen, we're here about
the product. So where can we find these products? When
I find a man, I'm gonna go ahead and get him.
So okay, yes, yes, so where can we find you?
Social media? I saw that you're on TikTok shop. That's
a big thing. Yes, so let's give it all.
Speaker 4 (16:23):
Okay, So you can find me personally at I Am
Darryl Spencer d A r R e L L.
Speaker 3 (16:28):
Spencer.
Speaker 4 (16:29):
Then for our products and our company, you can find
us on Instagram at Crowned dot skin, and you can
get our products online at crowned skin dot com. And
we are on TikTok shop. Make sure you order our
official storefront. It's Crowned Skin. You'll see it there. Also
we're on Amazon as well, but make sure that on
Amazon and TikTok shop you find our official storefront. You
(16:49):
can see it by basically going to the brand name
and it shows you it's crown Skin.
Speaker 2 (16:53):
And there you go. We'll be shopping.
Speaker 3 (16:55):
Oh, appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (16:56):
Thank you so much for joining us. And you are
really black.
Speaker 3 (17:00):
Thank you, thank you you my girl, Danny d
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