The 8 Women Who Inspired Me This Year (And Why I Needed Them)
I’m ending the year with a list of women entrepreneurs, executives, founders, and artists who inspired me while building Triple Eight Creative.
Some of them I met in real life. Some of them I’ve watched from the sidelines. Some of them created work that made me pause and say, okay, I’m not crazy for wanting more.
I’ve spent most of this year feeling isolated and unseen by my community. Growing a business in public is hard. People witness the mistakes. They witness the gaps. They witness the moments you are trying to hold it together with lashes on and a to-do list that never ends.
This list is my reminder that community can be built. That clarity can be created. That confidence can be practiced. And that watching other women build boldly helps me step into 2026 ready to create the kind of space I wish I had this year.
1. Puno, Founder of I Love Creatives
I met Puno and her Creative Director, Mindy, at Squarespace Circle Day after listening to one of the most inspiring talks I’ve heard all year. The way they spoke about growing I Love Creatives felt honest, intentional, and real. During their presentation, I literally said to myself, I need to work with them.
We ended up having a great night after Circle Day, celebrating connections and talking about big ideas. Since then, I’ve been inspired to use more motion in my Squarespace designs and to push my visuals further. Their work is part of why I’m building templates for beauty professionals in 2026. I want artists to have design tools that look elevated and actually feel like them.
IG: @ilovecreatives
IG: @punodostres
IG: @mindy_mn
2. Lyric Christian, MAC Pro and Mind Candy Beauty
Lyric has been someone I’ve worked with for a while, but this year it clicked differently. I attended her first Mind Candy Beauty event and saw how deep her love for the beauty industry really goes. The event centered on beauty rituals and the ways Black women have shaped the beauty conversation, not just participated in it.
Watching Lyric’s year has been inspiring. From conversations with gamechangers like Danessa Myricks and Melissa Butler to speaking at Spelman, she has been building with purpose. I’m excited to see what she does next because she is not just hosting events. She’s setting a standard.
IG: @mindcandybeauty
IG: @danessa_myricks
IG: @melissarbutler
3. Starr Blackshere, Founder of Blackshere Beauty Lounge
Mind Candy Beauty’s event was hosted at Blackshere Beauty Lounge, and the space felt like a real escape. Starr created a studio that doesn’t feel chaotic or rushed. It feels like a reset. That matters.
Blackshere Beauty offers brows, lashes, makeup, and hair. We didn’t collaborate in 2025, but I already know 2026 is going to be the year we build something together. Until then, if you’re in Brooklyn, go support her and tell her we sent you.
4. Adriane Jefferson, Founder of Disrpt Agency
I met Adriane at Cocktail Bedstuy during a personal chaos moment, and she looked at me like, “Girl, stand up.” She bought a round of shots, told me to leave the nonsense where it was, and I’ve been a fan ever since.
Turns out she’s also the founder of Disrpt Agency, a PR agency that has worked with beauty brands like Camille Rose and has been part of major cultural projects. Adriane tells stories in a way that feels fresh, smart, and specific. And being acquired by Dolphin Entertainment this year is a major move. I love watching women win loudly.
IG: @disrpt_agency
IG: @whocaresaj
5. Britty Whitfield (Morrison), Celebrity Makeup Artist, Groomer and Co Founder of WTF Dumbo Studio
Britty is one of those artists I’ve admired since the MAC days. I’ve had the pleasure of working with her on set, and her technique is always precise, polished, and intentional. Her work has been seen everywhere, with clients like Joan Smalls, Tinashe, and more. That kind of growth from retail artist to sought-after talent is never an accident. It’s discipline.
What inspires me most is watching her juggle motherhood, artistry, and building her brand with her family. It’s not easy, and she makes it look graceful without pretending it’s effortless. That matters to me as a mom and as a founder.
IG: @brittywhitfield
IG: @wtfdumbostudio
6. Jo Wong, Founder of Let’s Grow BFF
Jo is one of the first people who genuinely saw me as a founder and created space for me to grow. She invited me to the Sistas in Sales Conference, where I learned and connected in a way I really needed.
She also created Let’s Grow BFF, and being a founding member of that community has been one of the best things I did this year. Black women deserve rooms where our work is understood without a whole explanation. Jo built that. I’m grateful, and I’m excited to see where she takes it next.
IG: @whoisjowong
IG: @letsgrowbff
7. Nejla Renee, Founder of Nejla Renee Styling
Nejla is a client I met through teaching. She walked into MAC Pro Soho and I literally told her, you’re my model for this class. She came back, she followed me through locations, we did an event together, and even after I left MAC I kept watching her grow.
This year I’ve seen her expand her team and open a styling studio. She’s building experiences, not just outfits. She is consistent, client-focused, and clear about the world she’s creating. That’s the kind of founder energy I respect.
8. Me
I’d like to thank me. And I’m not joking.
Making it through this year was a fight. I left MAC. I took time away for mental health while navigating a breakup and one of the hardest depressive episodes I’ve lived through. I dealt with the stress of housing instability and still kept building a business with the tagline “Show Up Beautifully.”
I showed up anyway. To conferences. To networking events. To pitches. I sent over a hundred messages, asked for rooms, asked for meetings, asked for opportunities. Some were ignored. Some were a hard no. A lot of them made me feel like I was behind.
But I kept going.
Next year is not a reinvention. It’s honesty. It’s clarity. It’s showing the scars, not just the highlight reel. Because when the win comes, people should understand what it costs, and why it matters.
IG: @tripleeightcreative
Site: www.tripleeightcreative.com
Founder: www.tripleeightcreative.com/charde
Extra Shoutout: Emma Grede
I’ll be honest. It took me a minute to pay attention because I’m not a Kardashian girl, so I used to ignore anything in that orbit. I’m glad I got over that. Emma Grede’s podcast and interviews have been one of my biggest sources of motivation this year. The way she speaks about discipline, decision making, and building with intention has helped me get back into my own power.
Also, Tracee Ellis Ross remains an honorable mention forever.
IG: @EmmaGrede
IG: TraceeEllisRoss
