Courtney Adeleye is an American entrepreneur and the CEO and founder of Mane Choice, a hair care products company.[1] Her initial investment was $500 and the company, as of 2018, has $25 million in sales.[2]
Background and career
Adeleye was raised in
Detroit,
Michigan.[3] While she was studying nursing at the
University of Michigan, she started to experiment with hair care products for herself. She started a
YouTube channel that soon grew to have 100,000 members.[citation needed] Her products are now found in over 20,000 retail stores and include more than 90 hair treatments[4] and vitamins.[5][6] She has featured in
Entrepreneur magazine[7] and on other outlets as a self-made entrepreneur to watch.[8] The Mane Choice was acquired by MAV Beauty Brands in 2019.[9]
Philanthropy
She launched Pay My Bill, in which she pays off a bill for one of her
Instagram followers each month. She has paid off more than 150 bills to date.[2] She also helped during
Hurricane Harvey in
Texas by putting people up in hotels.[3] In August 2018, she received press from many outlets for presenting her daughter’s teacher with a new car.[10]
Awards
Adeleye's awards include the 2017 Stevie Silver Winner for Women in Business, 2017 CurlBOX Award, and the Fall 2017 Beauty O-Ward by
O Magazine.[4]