Jasmine Lawrence has managed to create an amazing hair product line called EDEN BodyWorks, travel to Europe, work with one of the most innovative companies in the world, and get accepted to a master’s study program – all before her 25th birthday. We spoke to the entrepreneurial engineer and Power Day speaker about her personal drive, the need for balance and the art of networking.
Name: Jasmine Lawrence
Location: Seattle, Washington
Personal Style in three words: Casual, Functional, Fun
Favorite Designer(s): Calvin Klein they, have great jeans that always seem to fit me. Converse are my favorite shoes because of the versatility that they have. I always buy Merona, they know how to cut dresses that accentuate your femininity, they make really cute casual clothing that I can layer.
Must Have Accessories: I like to always be wearing some type of small pendant, and I alternate between my high school and college class rings.
You founded your company at a remarkably young age what do you attribute your drive to?
I think I attribute it to understanding how it feels to be empowered by something. When I figured out that I could be in control of what products I use and what the ingredients are that really empowered me to do something for myself. Then when I started talking to other people about what I was doing I learned that it wasn’t just about me and that there were other lives that could be touched by the work that I was doing. So it started off with me feeling really empowered and feeling that I could make a difference and wanting to share that with other people that I met so that they could feel the same way that I did.
Who has been your biggest supporter during your career?
I would say definitely my parents. They put up with a lot. They supported me with a loan in the very, very beginning. They gave me professional advice, in terms of how to communicate with people, how to grow a business, how to be disciplined, all those things. They’ve been through everything with me.
Learn more about Jasmine’s career journey below.
What did you gain specifically from the NFTE BizCamp program that you still utilize in your day to day business activities?
We learned a lot about how to start a small business but doing a pretty thorough market analysis and doing a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis those two things really helped a lot.
What was the inspiration for the #EdenRealBeauties campaign?
It was inspired by all of the hair stories that we’d gotten over the year. I was always curious to know how these products were impacting peoples’ lives. Our hair stories came in and we saw such a diverse group of people and we really just wanted to highlight and share some of the stories. There’s a lot of different types. We wanted there to be somewhere relatable for these men and women to go to understand how is this going to going to work for me and see that in a beautiful and practical way.
How do you manage your time effectively?
I keep a pretty up to date calendar. My team, my family, and my friends know if it’s not on my calendar its not happening. I’m very strict about the balance that I have between work and school and my personal time. I understand that there are a lot of sacrifices that need to be made from time to time but there’s a lot to be said about spending time with yourself and refreshing. I try to make sure I’m not too packed full so I have time to breathe.
What’s been the biggest setback or obstacle on your career path?
The biggest challenge is being torn between two industries. I love EDEN BodyWorks and I love what I’m able to do there but I’ve always wanted to be an engineer. Right now I’m at the beginning of a career in engineering at Microsoft. Working after work and also being in grad school and pursuing a degree that compliments both doesn’t really push me more towards one industry or the other. The struggle is balancing two loves.
What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned in your career so far?
There’s definitely an art to following up with people and taking advantage of an opportunity. It might be weeks until someone follows up with you but being persistent and not being naggy and the words that you use make a difference. In the very beginning it was very crucial. The connections I made, how I grew my network and how I communicated my passion to other people enabled them to support me in different ways.
What three pieces of advice would you give to aspiring beauty entrepreneurs?
- Do a lot of research.
- Find their own space that makes them unique. Make their own niche that makes them successful as opposed to what’s been shown to be successful.
- Find something that can really keep them driven that isn’t just the money they can make.
What are your current career goals?
I might get a doctorate or a second masters in education. I don’t feel like I’m done learning. I don’t feel like I’ll ever be done learning but I might be done in the traditional sense one day. With EDEN I want to keep growing and nurturing it. There a few things I think we can improve on and grow and I feel like I have a really great team that is going to enable that. I used to say a job title that I wanted but there’s so many things in the last year or two that have come alive for me.
What’s in your handbag right now?
I have a tiny purse and inside that purse is a wristlet. It’s hot pink with polka dots so I don’t lose it because I’ve definitely lost my wallet way too many times. There’s sweet mint orbit gum, Bobby pins, a Master Lock-it’s red my favorite color, a bunch of black and brown hair ties, Burt’s Bees ultra conditioning lip balm, Mac Ruby Woo lipstick and invite cards to my church that I go to. I also have some Euros from my last trip to Europe this summer. I went to Cologne and I went to Paris. I have hand lotion that I grabbed at a convenience store in Paris in here too.
Listen to Jasmine Lawrence talk about her experiences as an entrepreneur with other powerful women at Saturday’s Power Day event. Tickets are still available below!