Entrepreneurial Appetite

From Academia and Entrepreneurship: Dr. Natalie Mitchell's Journey with N'sentials

• Langston Clark and Natalie Mitchell • Season 6 • Episode 8

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What if you wanted to transition from academia to entrepreneurship? Dr. Natalie Mitchell reveals how she navigated her journey from a career in academia to launching her venture, N’sentials, while leveraging her academic background to inform her entrepreneurial pursuits. Her path challenges conventional career trajectories, demonstrating the power of understanding consumer behavior and applying academic theories to real-world scenarios. Through her story, we gain valuable insights into the intersection of theory and practice, and how this synergy has shaped her business.

Join us as Dr. Mitchell shares her passion for sustainability and functionality through her brand, N'sentials, which empowers women by offering garments that blend comfort and elegance. Learn about innovative products like bra travel cases designed to address everyday challenges and discover how N'sentials supports breast cancer awareness. Dr. Mitchell’s commitment to social entrepreneurship shines through her collaborations to assist women managing prostheses, showcasing a thoughtful fusion of practicality and purpose in her designs.

Transitioning from academia to entrepreneurship requires resilience, and Dr. Mitchell highlights the importance of building supportive networks to thrive on this path. She shares her experiences overcoming funding challenges as a Black woman entrepreneur and emphasizes the value of cultivating strong relationships with financial institutions. Through partnerships with community organizations, N'sentials not only creates a local impact but also establishes a foundation for broader influence. Her strategic insights and personal anecdotes provide a roadmap for those seeking to channel their passions into a rewarding entrepreneurial journey.

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Langston Clark:

Hey everyone, thank you again for your support of Entrepreneurial Appetite. Beginning this season, we are inviting our listeners to support the show through our Patreon website. The founding 55 patrons will get live access to our monthly discussions for only $5 a month. Your support will help us hire an intern or freelancer to help with the production of the show. Of course, you can also support us by giving us five stars, leaving a positive comment or sharing the show with a few friends. Thank you for your continued support. What's up everybody?

Langston Clark:

Once again, this is Dr Langston Clark, the founder and organizer of Entrepreneurial Appetite, a series of events dedicated to building community, promoting intellectualism and supporting Black businesses. And today I have my very special friend, dr Natalie Mitchell, who we go back all the way to UT Austin and we were not in the same doc program, but we were in grad school in separate doc programs. At the same time I had a really I would say, like looking back, a really inspiring community of developing Black academics. And, thinking back, I sometimes take for granted that all my friends from adulthood, pretty much after undergrad, all had PhDs everybody, and so to me we're the norm for what it means to be Black, and so it's just, and this is a side note to what we're talking about, because I'm an education scholar. We hear all these stats about Black people can't read and this, that and the third Like I've never met a Black Person who couldn't read, ever in my life, ever, you know. It's reflecting on how grateful I am for the community that we've had and that you've been a part of that community with me. But still we're still regular black folks. We will go out to happy hours, joke, laugh, make funny until every now and then not take it too personally and just really have a good time.

Langston Clark:

And so, natalie, it's an honor to have you here to talk about your company, essentials. And before we get into the story of Essentials, I want you to tell us your story. So, like you know, oftentimes we talk about people getting their PhDs. They're going to go work in academia, they're going to go do research for some other corporation and things like that. But you've, you've branched out. You still have your foot one foot, in academia, in higher ed, but you also have this other venture. So just just talk about how you became who you are and then we'll talk a little bit about Incentials and how you developed that.

Natalie Mitchell:

Yeah, so I'll share. First off, thank you so much, dr Clark, for having me on board. It's great to connect with you again and, as you know, being in academia and hook'em horns, ut Austin just joined the SEC, so really excited about that in football sports across the board. But I'll share more about my background. I will say this is not my first entrepreneurial endeavor. I actually started as a junior in college, at University of Florida at age 21, where I launched my first business, and it was an event planning public relations company. Literally, I was learning in the classroom. I took what I was learning and did it in practice, organizing a host of events in Jacksonville from Gainesville in Florida, and so that was always in the back of my mind, although I graduated from college and I started my career with the railroad, at CSX and then with the grassroot a couple of times.

Natalie Mitchell:

And for me, one thing that's universal across the board, which prompted me to get the PhD in advertising, was a burning question just trying to understand why do people do what they do, and I will say the development of Essentials and becoming a business owner was kind of anchored on the same thing. So, as we know, academia is very rigorous and it is a very unique space. Many people outside of it wouldn't understand what actually goes on, from the graduate training process into all the major steps and then getting your tenure position as a faculty member. Typically, you're expected to do one track, which is to be fully committed to academia, and I would like to say that I knew when I started my PhD program at UT Austin that I was an atypical academic because I came in as being a former entrepreneur A, b, I'd worked for two major corporations, so I had the real life practical experience of work and for me, I want to apply that and extend it further with research. But I will say I believe in myself. I don't let others tell me who I am. I know who I am and I'm very confident in who I am and, with that being said, that's the mindset that I had during my PhD program and even entering academia as a college professor. I am capable of chewing gum and walking at the same time, contrary to belief, because that is not encouraged. You're encouraged to. You know, be committed to research and I definitely was.

Natalie Mitchell:

I enjoyed research. I enjoyed the joy of asking big questions, getting paid to actually do research. I went to New Orleans because I was doing research on consumer culture, with funerals and second line funerals in New Orleans is an amazing experience. I got a chance to get paid to do what I love doing asking those questions and talking directly to the people. However, I realized that I'm capable of doing other things.

Natalie Mitchell:

So when I made the decision to transition from higher ed back to industry, the impetus of that was anchored on my business that I had began developing in the FEC stages, needing to be closer to industry because the world, dramatically, is different than higher ed.

Natalie Mitchell:

It moves at a much accelerated pace. There's a lot of these tools, systems and processes that are frequently used and I needed to have a foot in both worlds. And I was able to maintain that because at every institution where I taught, I always had a project and partnered with a local PR or advertising agency to have guest speakers to come in, along with assigning a project where students would work along real world work. So I wanted students to get to understand that this is theory in class but this is how you implement it in practice. So that was me bringing my professional skill set and my background into the classroom and understanding how you do this in the real world. So that's always been a part of my repertoire as a college professor and it was just a natural transition for me to continue on that path and working in industry and then developing and building my brand Essentials.

Langston Clark:

So talk a little bit about what Essentials is, but also give us a little bit about how your training as an academic, along with your prior experiences in entrepreneurship, combined, maybe helped or hindered your transition into this entrepreneurial project.

Natalie Mitchell:

Sure. So Incentrals is a brand name that combines two words intimate, essentials. So Incentrals is a health and fashion intimate apparel line. When many people hear the word intimate apparel or lingerie, their mind directly goes to a space that begins with the letter S and it's a three-letter word and that is not the focal point. Just for the record, when thinking about lingerie, typically it's referred to as minute wear, Meaning it comes on and it comes off. It's worn for special occasions and for the appeal of others. I like to say that that is factual. That's my cousin. They operate in that lane, but Essentials is an intimate Essentials brand, meaning that the garments that women wear daily bras and pants. So these are essential items and it's the most important item. The first layer that you put on your body is the first and most important layer that you put on your body, because it's going to determine your comfort and support and how other layers of clothing will fit on your body. So this is the reason why the brand name is called Ncentral's, because it's intimate essentials. These are focusing on things that you I won't say you need to have, but most people wear undergarments daily. So that's the story behind the brand name. And, yeah, so time is moving, because we're almost in 2025 by the time this is released.

Natalie Mitchell:

But I was making adjustments across my lifestyle and I first started with food wanting to eat healthier. You know healthier food items that would be. You know that's sustainable, but also that would taste good, but for me I need to check both boxes. Sustainable, but also that we taste good, but for me I need to check both boxes. And me wanting to check both boxes in my personal life flows over into the business life and I would consider myself a dual, a person with duality. As I said earlier, I knew I was an atypical academic because I was professional, had been in business and now an academic. The same thing here with the lifestyle. So if I'm going to eat food that's sustainable and healthy, it has to taste good. I'm not giving up the hedonic pleasure of good food tasting good, right? So what are we doing here if it doesn't taste good, right?

Natalie Mitchell:

So I went from food then to personal care, beauty products for my face so sustainable, but also it was functional, but it left my skin looking and feeling the way that I needed it to. Shipped it from that product category to bed and bath linen and I found some brands that were sustainable, that also offered other performance benefits, and so it did good for the community, for the environment and also felt good on my body. You know bath towels and bed linen the next product category after food, face, bed and bath linen happened to be intimate apparel. And when I began sourcing some brands that offered the functional benefits of sustainability and sustainability is a broad concept or construction I say there were very few that were also sophisticated and pretty. Again, I have to check both boxes. So one of the slogans for essentials is pretty on purpose, so with the intent that the brand and the products are intentional with having a function, but they still have to be pretty. So there's prettiness but also there's this level of functionality that's anchored on it. So I'm checking both boxes and there weren't really many brands that fit that category.

Natalie Mitchell:

So I began sourcing sustainability consultants and then began having further talks, was able to secure a design consultant and from there just kind of the brand evolved with the intent of providing women with the opportunity to have functionality. So I took a sourcing trip to Paris and that helped me to kind of look at different fabrics and along the way I went to a lingerie trade show and the fabrics that we're using for this particular garment line offers moisture wicking, meaning that there's breathability and moisture management, and that is a key issue for women particularly. You know, I live in Florida where the climate is pretty humid, so the intent is that minimizing the excess moisture obviously leaves the body feeling more comfortable and gets greater wear of the garments and reduces the level of wear and tear. Also sustainable with less dye, or should I say no dye, and then the materials are recyclable. So I was able to kind of look at this whole process.

Natalie Mitchell:

So there are so many different benefits that are involved in these particular garments that are in development, and this allows for women to wear a garment where they can feel comfortable and be confident in their appearance because of the comfort they're getting from the moisture wicking. And then also there's what I call a slice of joy that the world doesn't know about, but you know because you're wearing it, because it's pretty, and so I'm going on a tangent here. But there was a series of songs that were playing in my head and I will play, as I was writing out the brand development for Essentials, and one of the songs was Good Morning, Gorgeous, and essentially that's marriage, divided song. And that is what I want women to feel when they put on the garments in the morning, their first layer, they can look at themselves and say good morning, gorgeous, before they're waiting for the validation of someone else, and they can carry that with them throughout the day.

Langston Clark:

So let's talk about cause. I know you have some of the product with you. Do you want to talk about some of the different products that you have and explain them for the audience?

Natalie Mitchell:

Yes. So the Intimate line is in development. We've pivoted into an accessory product line that includes both bra travel cases and candles. So today I can share with you some of our bra travel cases, and it's a very unique product.

Natalie Mitchell:

The intent is that many women have challenges in folding their bras, and bras are not cheap. For the fellows that are out there, men and women, bras are not cheap. They are very expensive, primarily because of the materials and there's several different parts to a bra and because of the variation in sizes from cup sizes to bra sizes. There's so many different variations in it that it's a very complicated. It's the most complicated article of clothing to design, which contributes to the price point. We tag on the materials, the labor, the cut, et cetera, et cetera. So with the investment that women make in bras and when traveling, it's difficult to pack them without destroying them.

Natalie Mitchell:

The bra travel case provides a solution so that women don't just fold their bras and just shove it in their suitcase. They can store them in a case like this, where there's a molded cup, and they can drop their bras inside here, where it would fit nicely to protect them. There's also a mesh pocket that allows for other storage, like undergarmentsgarments, stockings, panties. It's a multi-use product. You can also use it to store toiletry items, so toothpaste, deodorant, contact lenses, and then Friday nights, I use it to keep a bunch of purse, if you're daring. So it's multi-use and, as I shared earlier, essentials is a health and fashion brand and there's just more than one use for it. So this came off a breast cancer awareness campaign back in October, and so we're now seeing where customers are buying it, when they can store their prosthesis in here as well as they're going through the process of getting fitted for an implant. So many women who are in that particular space may have more than one prosthesis, so they have one they wear every day and then another that they may use when they're running if they're active. So, anyhow, this product is multi-use. We have a couple of different styles. So this is our new holiday style, the Iceland, which is satin, with black lace and white bow. Then we have our classic chic, which is nice for business events. That's similar one we had. Here is the Princeton and Lake.

Natalie Mitchell:

Yes, so it's all a process, and I do want to go back to a question you posted earlier that I didn't address, and that is how did the PhD program prepare me for entrepreneurship and, as you know, during the training, as well as with the PhD I'm sorry the academic process of being a tenure. It's a latent gratification, even with the publication of journal articles. So I was a short distance runner, I ran track, I talk fast, but the PhD program was slow you down where you know you're going to read these journal articles. You got to figure this out. You can come up with these different constructs, go through all the many steps and I will say entrepreneurship is a similar process.

Natalie Mitchell:

It is not a sprint by any means. It is truly a marathon and you have to have staying power, you have to be committed and I remember my advisor, phd advisor, telling me you need to be prepared to go to bed with your research idea, your research topic. The same way a couple does because they're committed to each other. The same thing with your business. It's not going to pop off today. You're going to be upset, sad, all the other jazz. But I would say that being a PhD, or having a PhD, and understanding latent gratification and the importance of having stamina, moving the needle a little bit each day, has prepared me to be successful mentally, because it's very taxing mentally to be an entrepreneur and to continue on this process.

Langston Clark:

Yeah, and at times, at times lonely, because we don't always see the support that we need. And so, speaking of this loneliness, I was wondering if you could talk about community and support and how have you found that? Or maybe how have you struggled with that? How have you found people to support what you're doing? Because, much like you know, when you get to that dissertation process, you know you're not in class anymore, you're not like hitting up somebody else to bounce ideas and things like that. In the same way, it's just you and the dissertation, or you and a comprehensive exam. And so talk a little bit about how you have dealt with those times as an entrepreneur where it feels like the comprehensive exam works issue or it feels like the dissertation is just you. But maybe you've been able to find community and support for what it is that you're trying to do with essentials.

Natalie Mitchell:

Yes, that is a great question and, looking at the parallels between the two, the PhD process is very isolating, but I will say, being a business owner, I haven't found as much isolating times, and part of it because there's just a lot of work that I've been working on and I've kind of built community, and it hasn't been always intentional. I've been very blessed. Let me just start with this. I am very blessed and I give all the credit and glory to God. And I said it because I'll start with my family support.

Natalie Mitchell:

I come from family members that have traditional mindsets about what career looks like. They came of age during Jim Crow South. You go to college, you get you a good degree, work for 30 years and you retire. Now my parents are up in age. They're 70, 80 years old. They're singing a whole different sheet of music. They're right on the same page and the same line with me today and they realize and see the value for that. And not just that, but my aunts, uncles, companions and all that jazz. So having that support system has been helpful. But these are people who've known you since the beginning of your life.

Langston Clark:

Yeah.

Natalie Mitchell:

And they actually believe and would do everything they can to support you. And I would say, outside of that I talk to so many people like my hairstylist has been self-employed. Shout out to Keisha my hairstylist has been self-employed well over 10 years and you know we're thinking about transitioning from work. Is it a good time to leave your job? These are people that you talk to to find out what does it take to sustain your lifestyle. What did you have to do? How did you make a decision?

Natalie Mitchell:

Talking to my bankers I bank with two different banks and every time I walk in there they are embracing me with so many encouraging words and they always refer me to another program, another process or a reference to help me either get funding, someone that can open the door for an investor, or even to join a business education program. So and then I've been in several other programs here in the city of Jacksonville with women at work. Bank of America has an entrepreneurship program with for women that's taught through Cornell University, and these networks have been very helpful in connecting with other people, and we call each other business besties or business buddies. And so just recently I, along with some other ladies, were invited for a holiday news segment for the local news station here in Jacksonville, and most of us knew each other because we were involved with chamber events or some other business program and we, you know you develop a rapport. You know being ethical, doing good work and being supportive of others has led me to be invited for other opportunities.

Natalie Mitchell:

So I would say that I haven't been lonely in this process and I have a mouthpiece, I guess I will say I talk a lot, so meaning that I'm not afraid to ask for help.

Natalie Mitchell:

I'm smart enough to know to put more people around me that know more than I do, so I'm constantly asking questions. People have been very forthright and very generous with their time and answering the questions that I have. You know, like I talked about funding, even things about, you know, finding the right CPA. You know filing taxes, paying quarterly taxes throughout the year, marketing techniques I work in marketing, but there's always something new and shifting along the way. And so I would just say you know, between family and being a part of different business organizations through the Chamber of Commerce I'm a member of the Chamber of the Professional Women's Council, also the Women Business Owners of Northeast Florida, and it's been just an incredible opportunity in building networks. So I would encourage entrepreneurs do not try this on your own. Even if you're a solopreneur, you need to build a network and you can do that not just intentionally, but just joining organizations and being willing to share and not just receive from others.

Langston Clark:

Talk a little bit more about how you were able to build your relationship with the bank.

Natalie Mitchell:

Yes, my process in establishing a relationship with a bank has been through past experiences. So one bank in particular, bank of America. I've been banking with them personally for quite some time and by default it was easier for me to continue having a relationship with Bank of America by way of adding on a business account and from there I've had a great relationship with the banker and also other programs that's been associated with the bank. I've also established another relationship by way of a different bank, td Bank, and I became engaged with that bank by way of my financial advisor. So this is the reason why having resourceful advisory board members who can share resources on insights and make referrals is helpful. So my advisory board member introduced me to a banker about a particular program and from there the process was approved and I've been working with TD Bank as well, and the banker there has been exceptionally sweet, sharp and also informative, ensuring a host of resources that's both educational and then also financial to help the business move forward. So having relationships with banks is helpful and in some cases there are banks that at the time were not able to provide support that I needed. But I am connected with all of them, all of my advisory board members and bankers on LinkedIn and I continue to share my story because it's important for people to see what you're doing.

Natalie Mitchell:

And one thing that I will say about money in general whether you're five years old or you're an adult, being a good steward of your money, especially as a founder, is important because it demonstrates your ability to make wise decisions and to use your money judiciously and making a greater impact. So if there's any type of funding, you're receiving a grant, a loan or some type of investment being able to showcase how you've used that money to drive sales, build traction and sharing your brand story on a continual basis. So for me, that has been my relationships with banks. It's been helpful and I will continue to share my story online. I've gotten applause from several bankers that I've worked with or met along the way. That sees the continual impact and investment I've made personally in my brand on my own dime.

Langston Clark:

You know it's interesting. Something that I've noticed in the past few interviews is that a lot of Black entrepreneurs are finding community and building social capital and that doesn't seem just based upon you know what I have access to here in the podcast. It doesn't seem as much that gaining requisite social capital is as much an issue, but we still see issues with gaining capital in terms of investment in business and you talk about you building relationships with bankers and things like that. Can you tell us a little bit about how you've navigated getting external funding for Essentials?

Natalie Mitchell:

Yes. So to your point. It's been said that Black people, black women in particular, who are the fastest growing entrepreneurs in the US for a series of reasons that we are all very familiar with, are over advised, meaning that they're in all these programs like I just mentioned. They've gotten enough advice. They need money, they need a check, they need a. You know they need a check and that's where the gap is that we're all familiar with. There.

Natalie Mitchell:

Black entrepreneurs, in particular Black women entrepreneurs, are underfunded and it's a continual issue, and the road to secure funding is very challenging because we have to demonstrate our worth and that you have a justifiable product where others make this, have a concept, and they get you know a $20 million startup, you know C-day funding round with their business endeavor. So, as for me, I've done grassroots, which I don't always recommend, but I've invested a heck of a lot of money personally. I mean I think I'm upwards now at about 70 grand over the last couple of years and being allocated to hiring top tier talent, and I'll just share this really quickly. It's not tied to the question, but on my advisory board I have a former Victoria's Secret executive who's guided the design process, and then I also have a former Rafa Ren production consultant who's also worked in men's and women's underwear, and so they are top notch. But making the investment in expert advice was needed for me to help build the brand. Advice was needed for me to help build the brand. So funding is something that is obviously needed to sustain to operate the company. So I've done self-funding Also.

Natalie Mitchell:

I have sought out funding and it's a challenge because recently I got a lot of credit, which I am so grateful to TD Bank shout out to them, but as a reflection of my sales from the previous year. So the amount of money that I was requesting, that I needed to execute, to invest in marketing, more marketing, buy more inventory I was not able to get because I didn't generate those sales the year before. And from a practical standpoint, if I asked you $400,000, you're going to know well how are you going to spend it and how have you been a good steward of your funding previously. That's a valid question, but there are other founders that are not presented with that question and are able to get you know a couple of million dollars. So there's always this up here, a battle of proving your worth, your value that you can maintain and be successful at that. I've applied for, you know, tons of grants, other grants I was just awarded a grant recently. It was a reimbursement.

Natalie Mitchell:

So and then when you talk about investors, I have been in contact with a few but there's been kind of like a challenge in demonstrating attraction to show that your brand is a viable option. And it's not lost on me that there's some other visible factors that impact one's decision. My identity Black, I'm a woman, I'm a younger parent and some people see fashion as very frivolous and that's why I lead with the functionality of the brand. Like people see this, they laugh. I mean they may look, oh, that's like breast, it's like is it a bra? But functional product. Panties and underwear are functional items. Hanes Airways has been selling undergarments for many years.

Natalie Mitchell:

So, to answer your question, I am now actually met with my mentor today to talk about revising my pitch. So I'm preparing to do another round of participating in pitch competitions, attending conferences, better desire for startups where there are investors present in the world that are interested in my industry, and also just doing some outreach through angel investors as well. So it is challenging and I will say I took a pause on fundraising in that way with investors and now I have more traction not big sales, but just more traction the fact that I pivoted from one thing to another. I've launched several products and I made a huge investment in kind of operating the business going forward. So that's my plan as I enter into 2025 to connect with more investors.

Langston Clark:

Can you give us a few more insights into how and why you establish your advisory board?

Natalie Mitchell:

Yes, having an advisory board is very important for startup companies so that the founder is making calculated strategic decisions based upon the expertise of knowledgeable individuals.

Natalie Mitchell:

So my process in establishing an advisory board was based upon expertise, likability and years of experience.

Natalie Mitchell:

So one of my advisory board members is a former Victoria's Secret design expert for women's apparel, obviously, and so she has great experience, and she also has transitioned to now working with emerging brands and helping build their brand and launching that.

Natalie Mitchell:

So that's been a great asset. And similarly, I was referred to my next advisory board member by way of her, and this individual or board member is an expert as well with production and sourcing globally, and so she's a former Ralph Lauren executive that's worked with both women and men's lingerie. So having those two experts by guidance on the development of the intimate line has been resourceful. And then also I have a financial advisor who assists with both my personal and business finances and basically helping me set the company up to be successful when they pay out for retirement. So my process in establishing the advisory board has been through conversations, expertise, understanding their working style and likability, and the most important thing for me has been an individual that believes in the brand and sees it the way that I see it, and is willing to take on the responsibility of helping bring the guidance to the organization and making it be successful.

Langston Clark:

You know it's interesting. I want to backtrack a little bit, because you were talking about some sustainable lifestyle changes you were making and it seemed like sustainability and health was becoming a value that you are actualizing your life and is very much connected to the business. And going back to the bag, part of what prompted me to reach out to ask you to be on the podcast was this was it was October, so it was Breast Cancer Awareness Month and you briefly mentioned this. But talk about how philanthropy or giving back or maybe social entrepreneurship is an indebted value in what it is that you're doing, in the partnerships that you had during Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Natalie Mitchell:

Yes. So Essentials is a health and fashion brand and the work that we do is intended to support also women and girls, and so we have partnered with the Donna Foundation, which is a foundation that advocates for breast cancer awareness and raises funding for resources for those going through the process here in Jacksonville, florida. It's named after Donna Deegan, who was a former journalist and also breast cancer survivor, who today is our sitting mayor Lovely woman. So I engage in a partnership with them, and it's not just for breast cancer awareness because it is one month. It's a month that observers takes place, but women are going through the process throughout the entire year and it's a very grueling challenge. And so the partnership that I engaged with the Donna Foundation involved each purchase made. A percentage of sales would go back to the organization. That is one way that we've been able to contribute and support that cause. And then also I participated with the Pink Queen Bee Foundation, which supports African-American women in the Jacksonville area with breast cancer awareness.

Natalie Mitchell:

So, as you may know, like cancer is a very aggressive, cruel disease. Yes, aside from the physical deterioration to the body, the mental strain is unbelievable. Then the financial strain is worse. I mean it's mental, physical and financially it is just a huge ugly monster. And in doing my research and partnering and having conversations with these different organizations, I was just hearing about so many people not getting coverage and we saw what just happened recently last Monday, the CEO of UnitedHealth being murdered, and that is, people are dying along the way because their health insurance doesn't cover certain procedures and that is very troubling. So have these nonprofit organizations that are raising funds, are providing funding to help people buy groceries, to pay for rent, to provide transportation. Some people lose their spouses because they don't want to be bothered with the process.

Natalie Mitchell:

I mean there's just so many different layers that are added on to the health issues along the way. So supporting breast cancer awareness is near and dear to my heart, just as a human being. Plus, now I'm of age, and then African-Americans women are affected at a much higher rate. The mortality rate is much higher for a number of reasons. We know healthcare disparities within the medical industry when it comes down to Black women. One example is that I know a woman who had a mammogram and there were no indications of cancer. She started having problems with her breasts. The doctors would not provide another mammogram for her because she already had one.

Langston Clark:

Yeah.

Natalie Mitchell:

And nothing was detected. So during that time period she kept fighting back and forth for six months. Now she has stage four cancer. So my point is that healthcare is so important but there's disparities that occur. That slows the process down for getting treatment and increases the greater risk for a potential fatality. So, anyhow, supporting breast cancer awareness in these organizations in any way, shape or form has been helpful. So I was able to donate a bra case, a pink one, to the organization that also is integrated with the plural arrangements, and then, also because of the psychological challenges, I also sold breast cancer baskets, care packages. So it included the pink bra case along with personal care items.

Natalie Mitchell:

So the cancer in the body really dries out the skin. It makes it very brittle. So having lotions and creams and lip balm adds moisture back to the body to retain its moisture level, in addition to different stats that are of interest. So as women are losing their hair, are losing their breasts, they lose their femininity, they may feel like they're losing their femininity, their beauty, they lose themselves. So the broad cases have been a dose of a pick me up to revitalize them along their way and making them feel good about themselves. So it was a perfect kind of alignment and support of that way, and this is something that we're offering year round, not just for breast cancer awareness.

Langston Clark:

So it's it's interesting that you bring this up. What I want you to talk about is the strategy or the reason why an entrepreneur should start local and really think about building their network, building their impact locally and then using that as a stepping stone to bridge out and become a larger, broader, more recognized brand nationally or internationally.

Natalie Mitchell:

That's a good question, because I'm actively doing that, while also seeking national attention. But, to your point, it is important to establish who you are in your own community and I believe in telling my story. So I'm not shy, I'm confident in my brand, I'm confident in myself and this is why I go out and join a lot of I don't want to say I join organizations, but also networking, and in doing so, like I did a presentation at the Chamber of Commerce, the Professional Women's Council, about bra fit, not just for the sake of bra fitting, but it also adds to your posture to make sure you're in the right bra size. And then at the close, I was explaining that I was interested in connecting with breast cancer organizations and that led me to be connected with the Donna Foundation. Someone saw me there and at the Donna Foundation as a client. From there I was able to pitch, to get onto TV about the work that we were doing, and so when I came into the studio I was able to talk about. I just participated in the fundraiser with the Donna Foundation, along with the Donna K race marathon and then the other elements.

Natalie Mitchell:

So my point is is that, being committed to the work that you do and, granted, we all want to make it on national TV, we want to be an international brand, but you want to make sure that your community sees what you're doing and letting them know, because there's value. That's here that you can really capitalize on. And so, when you're talking to investors, you may not have millions of dollars in sales, but you have traction, and traction can be the number of followers that you have on social media. It can also be media appearances and right now I've had two back to back on two different networks because it shows that you are able to get the attention of others and they see value of what you're offering with your product. And especially in my case, brenda, I do want to make sales, but there's a story behind it that benefits women and helps solve a problem that they're experiencing.

Natalie Mitchell:

So, starting local and sharing your story, getting on podcasts, creating your own podcast we talked about that earlier. Creating your own podcast, broadcasting your story on social media All of these things are important because it does take notice. I got an invite today to participate in a breast cancer awareness fashion show and when I got the email, I don't know this person. Someone has told her about me or she's seen the product. And that's only because I've been out in the community going to events, networking and supporting others. So it is so important to all because as you begin to pitch to larger networks, you can show hey, I was on this station and I've done this. I was able to make an impact in the community and support a nonprofit organization here and then I did XYZ. So you're constantly building out the foundation with this house. Where it becomes indisputable, they don't have a choice but to call you on their show.

Langston Clark:

So, natalie, let me ask you this question Do you still you still have one foot in academia, just a little toe? Okay, I bring that up because I think that there are. I know that there are people who have more than just a little toe in academia. Right, they're going to have both feet in. They might be trying to sneak one foot out, and so what advice could you give to someone who is on got their terminal degree and they are feeling the itch to do something outside of academia? What sort of advice or insights could you give them on maybe keeping a toe in still doing your own thing or just making the total leap to get out to do something different?

Natalie Mitchell:

I would encourage them first to do some soul searching to understand their end goal. Anything that you're pursuing, you need to understand what is your end goal, what is the expected outcome that you desire? If you're wanting to get tenure and I know several people in academia love seeing their name in print in an academic peer-reviewed journal then that sounds like you're still interested in that world. Okay, so how can you still keep that and maintain that area and then kind of explore other opportunities? And if we don't know what those opportunities are, you know, continue to do some soul searching and develop a strategy to understand. Okay, if I'm exploring this like, how much more time is this going to add to my schedule? What benefits will I gain from a research perspective If I'm in the classroom, do I have a chance to collect data that could benefit some of the work that I'm exploring from a business venture?

Natalie Mitchell:

I'm going back to being a PhD student and I remember my advisor telling me every single class assignment from day one year one needs to be tied to your research topic. Do not deviate from that, and so I believe in applying the same strategy. So if you're interested in research I mean you have a research focus and you're an academic and you have a business that you're exploring, how can you make sense where you can benefit both at the same time, gradually, and do it in an ethical manner? I believe in doing everything ethically, so I would definitely recommend that if you're planning to do the big leap, you need to do your research. So before I transitioned, I did a lot of informational meetings with executives that were CMOs at different corporations. I saved a lot of money. That was important as well. You want to save money. You may want to spend time, you know, doing some job shadowing to understand what does it look like to be an entrepreneur, or even what does it look like to be an employee in today's industry, which is very different from higher ed.

Langston Clark:

Very different.

Natalie Mitchell:

When you're a professor, you are self-managed, that's right.

Natalie Mitchell:

You different when you're a professor. You're, you are self managed, you know. If you go to meetings a couple of times a month back in industry, you're working every day, you know, versus going to campus maybe two or three days a week. So for me, having those conversations and kind of shadowing others was helpful. So again, I recommend doing soul searching to understand who you are and what you want to do, saving money. It's good, whether you're doing a business idea or you're planning to, just to make the leap and then also tapping into your network to kind of explore what that looks like. And all universities have a business school. You can get a lot of free resources from the business school that typically are connected to the Small Business Development Center. Every university in most cases has some type of incubator program, if not there in the community. Every university in most cases has some type of incubator program if not there in the community. So you can just start tipping out taking classes that are offered by them at SBDC and also score for free.

Langston Clark:

Natalie, thank you for joining us on this episode of Entrepreneur Appetite and, as I told you before we got started, this podcast has origins as a book club, so I was just wondering if you could share with the audience a book that maybe you've read or are currently reading, that has inspired your journey as an entrepreneur.

Natalie Mitchell:

So I would recommend a masterclass. I know a lot of people are familiar with masterclass podcasts and I've been listening to those because it's very helpful. When you of Spanx so she's in the same product category and I knew about her in the brand, but I didn't realize the similarities. She's from Clearwater, florida, and she's with the FSU, so I'm with the UF, I'm from Florida, and it's been so resourceful and hearing the same type conversations. As far as coming up with the concept, the idea how to source and partner with and identify the right production partners, have the mental stamina.

Natalie Mitchell:

These are all key tips that have been helpful in working on my brand, and I found that listening to the podcast has been easier for me just to go back to another episode and replay it, because today I need extra encouragement. Okay, what does Sarah say about this? Okay, let me follow up on that. So I strongly recommend her. I mean, there are other masterclasses that you can listen to, but that's the one that I appreciate and I would encourage others to find podcasts that are related to your industry. That's helpful.

Langston Clark:

Real quick, before we sign off, tell us where we can find more information out about you and Essentials.

Natalie Mitchell:

Yeah, so you can find information about myself and Essentials at Essentialscom. We're also on Facebook, linkedin and Instagram and TikTok and LinkedIn, and, of course myself, natalie, I'm on LinkedIn as well, so I do encourage you to check out the brand. We have some pretty holiday styles that are sold year round, and also I'm looking to connect professionally to learn more about the brand, so I hope you can check us out. Thank you so much, dr Clark.

Langston Clark:

All right, dr Mitchell. Thank you for joining us on the show. Thank you for joining this edition of Entrepreneurial Appetite. If you liked the episode, you can support the show by becoming one of our founding 55 patrons, which gives you access to our live discussions and bonus materials, or you can subscribe to the show. Give us five stars and leave a comment.