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Cup of Ambition Podcast

Cup of Ambition Podcast S2[1]: Beauty Entrepreneur Dafina Smith of Covet & Mane Hair Extensions

Cup of Ambition Podcast
Cup of Ambition Podcast

Dafina Smith is the powerhouse CEO of Covet & Mane, a hair extension brand that's disrupting the entire industry. With their ethically sourced product and revolutionary business model, in just a year of business their brand has exploded onto the scene.

Dafina brings us through her career, from working with Outkast during the Hey Ya era to running her own iconic beauty shop in Atlanta to getting the idea for ethically sourced, sustainably made hair extensions and creating Covet & Mane. She tells us the challenges and rewards, the good and the bad, and what drives her each day.

00:03:45: What's Dafina's job? What is Covet & Mane?

00:09:54: What was her last 9-5 job? What has her career trajectory looked like - did she expect to end up in this place?

00:13:00: What did she go to school for?

00:14:51: What's the origin story of Covet & Mane?

00:18:49: What sets Covet & Mane apart? Why did she decide to build an ethically sourced beauty brand - why was that so important to her?

00:24:33: Dafina gives us a lesson in hair extension quality and color range, and tells us why she decided to invest in a higher-quality product from the start.

00:27:24: What are the rewards and challenges of Dafina's job? She gets really honest with us about the challenges of supply chain management.

00:30:53: What resources did she find that helped her learn the nitty gritty details of how to run a business?

00:35:51: What's Dafina's "Why?"

00:40:44: Dafina tells us about her philanthropy goals, empowering female entrepreneurs, and what's next for Covet & Mane.

00:47:31: What advice would Dafina give to her younger self? What are the biggest business mistakes she's made, and what did she learn from them?

00:58:34: How does she run a thriving business and manage home life as a mom of two young boys? What is her day-to-day like?

001:06:00: Listener Questions: What are her five year goals? How can someone apply to be a Covet & Mane stylist? What advice would she give to entrepreneurs of color?

01:13:00: Lightning Round

Cup of Ambition Podcast
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