Meet Trinity Mouzon Wofford, The Only Black Woman at the Helm of a Major Wellness Brand
In 2020, the Black-owned wellness company Golde made five times the amount of revenue that it did in 2019. In the month of June alone, the company saw more sales than in the entirely of 2019. CEO and co-founder Trinity Mouzon Wofford (the youngest Black woman to launch a business at Sephora) started the brand with her high-school sweetheart Issey Kobori in 2017. Their goal: to make the buzzy world of wellness more accessible and fun for the next generation of consumers.
Driven by the lockdown, the increased interest in self-care, and the growing movement to support Black-owned businesses following the murder of George Floyd, Golde’s growth has been “nothing short of an explosion,” Mouzon Wofford says.
Kourtney Kardashian and Beyoncé featured the brand’s Clean Greens mask. In August, the company appeared on the Today show and had its biggest sales day ever.
Business continues to thrive, with Golde now launching at Target with Super-Ades, a collection of beverage powders for $15 and under containing super-ingredients like probiotics, magnesium, blueberries, and pineapples that you can easily mix with water. The brand’s masks can be found at the national retailer now too. In her interview with The Cut, Mouzon Wofford talked about going to bed at 9 p.m., the power of being told no, and where wellness should go from here.
What’s the wildest luxury beauty experience you’ve ever had?
I have to be honest. I’m not a very splurge-y person at all. I’m remarkably simple with my routine.
What, in your opinion, is the best affordable beauty product or products, and why?
I like anything with simple, natural ingredients that work. So often you don’t have to pay a premium for those. Things such as raw African shea butter you can get at beauty supply stores. It comes in a big yellow tub. It is so good for breakouts and you put it on skin irritations. It’s not expensive, and that container will last you half your life. I love that. It’s nice to have a mix of old staples like that mixed in with the more innovative products coming out today.
Has the way you think about beauty changed during the pandemic? How so?
I have come to appreciate my beauty and wellness routines on a deeper level. We’ve seen that a lot from our community. Folks are spending more time at home, so there is a real need to build rituals and moments that feel like an anchor for what is a stressful and unpredictable time. There is also a large role for communities in beauty and wellness, and that’s what we’ve been focused on at Golde — not just with our Instagram, but with our brand-ambassador program and scaling that out. We have 100 members and just about a thousand excited to join. During a time like this when we feel disconnected, it’s an opportunity for connection and relationships.
We want to break down the barriers around wellness. Wellness can feel a bit overwhelming and exclusive, but when you see people that you relate to sharing their everyday tips, it demystifies the concept. Diverse voices in the wellness space — that’s something we could all use more of today.
Where would you like to see the beauty industry go from here?
More inclusivity. I am the only Black woman at the helm of a major brand in the wellness space. There is a real opportunity to go beyond having more representation with models and influencers that you’re using. There can be a deeper level of progress with diverse folks in leadership positions, building brands they want to see in the world.