About
Meet the Founder, Mi'Kael Reed, M.Ed.
My name is Mi'Kael "Kael" Reed, M.Ed. I am the founder of SheaButtaShawty, LLC., a skin care brand that teaches the power of self-care as a bridge to healing.
As a child I struggled with allergies which impacted my skin's moisture. I spent a great deal of time looking for moisturizers with ingredients that wouldn't irritate my skin, and provided lasting moisture. I invested so much time and energy searching for products that eventually it simply made sense to create my own combinations.
The years passed, and I slowly began to notice a shift in my skin care routine as I grew stronger along my spiritual journey. The more in-tune I became with my energy, the more these moments felt beautiful, sacred....and absolutely necessary!
I would chant affirmations to myself as I applied the products, speaking aloud:
"YOU ARE LOVED, YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL, YOU ARE WORTHY."
This simple routine grew into a powerful ritual that I incorporated into my product presentation and overall purpose of the SheaButtaShawty brand. I began test marketing in December of 2019 and did a soft launch in March of 2020.
By December of 2020 I could no longer ignore the voice in my head telling me to “GIVE IT ALL YOU’VE GOT!” So when we returned from holiday break I took a leap of faith, and resigned from my decade-long career as an educator...and began pouring every bit of soul, sweat, and energy into SheaButtaShawty Self-Care Brand...
We were three months into the pandemic and I hadn't found the strength to leave my bed for several days. We had recently been informed that the baby we were expecting had stopped developing at nine weeks, and that a miscarriage was inevitable. On this particular day I was heavily questioning my existence and my ability to overcome this experience....
That's when it happened! The courier knocked on my door and handed me a package that shifted my perspective. The box was beautifully wrapped and filled with trinkets that immediately gave me purpose and inspiration.
My big sister had unknowingly gifted me everything I needed to begin my journey to healing. I was so moved by what this package did for me; From the mini succulent plant, to the aromatherapy candle, every single item was packed with meaning, and I knew in that moment there was power in this concept!
It didn't take long for me to merge the packaging experience with the Self-Care movement we were already creating at SheaButtaShawty. I decided at that moment that teaching the power of self-care as a bridge to healing would be my purpose in this life!
WHERE WE ARE NOW.
On January 1, 2021, we re-launched our e-commerce shop which is gaining momentum and increasing in sales on a daily basis. We are licensed vendors in the state of Georgia and host weekly Pop-Up Shops in Atlanta, GA and surrounding areas.
We are enrolled in The Jefferson Effect: Entrepreneurs Development Course and were the first place winners of the Pitch Deck Competition in November of 2020. This program provides an ecosystem of thriving business owners with similar goals and has been paramount to our growth as a brand.
We are partnering with the first and only Black-owned Beauty Supply in Roswell, GA in order to make our goal of accessibility a reality! We recently launched a professional display with 5 products from “The Complete Collection” by SheaButtaShawty.
We have applied (and been passed up) for multiple grants, but have not allowed our spirit of tenacity to waver! We are confident that in due season all things will align so that we can strengthen our brand presence and make our products more accessible to any and everyone with a need.