Increasing representation and empowering women one day at a time!
Melissa Butler, is a Detroit native who has skillfully and strategically launched a start-up beauty brand, The Lip Bar, into a nationwide phenomenon. Melissa obtained her Bachelor’s Degree in Business Finance from Florida A & M University before going on to work on Wall Street as a licensed stock broker. Her journey from stocks and bonds to beauty is one that she describes as natural, not because she loved makeup, but because she was frustrated with the industry and therefore created a solution. She wanted to create a brand that would be inclusive, non-toxic and easy to use so that everyone could see themselves as beautiful. “Everyone deserves to have representation. Without it, we are left seeking validation” she says. It was her belief in health and inclusion that lead her to make lipstick in her kitchen and develop the vegan line, The Lip Bar.
Since launch, Melissa and The Lip Bar have been seen on Shark Tank, and she has been featured in Forbes, Fast Company, Entrepreneur, Inc, Allure, Cosmopolitan and Essence Magazines. The Lip Bar is headquartered in Detroit and is proud to have a team of 100% women. Today The Lip Bar is sold in is flagship store located in Downtown Detroit, Target, Walmart and TheLipBar.com
While Melissa has already accomplished so much, she continues to take the beauty world by storm through innovation, integrity and passion. Her goal is to empower women everywhere of all ages, races and body types to be confident in their own skin by challenging traditional beauty standards through imagery, ingredients and affordable pricing.
Meet Melissa Butler:
Visionary Leader.
Melissa Butler is a Detroit Native, HBCU alum and The Founder and CEO of The Lip Bar. After leaving a successful career on Wall Street, she launched The Lip Bar with a mission to challenge industry norms and build products for people too often overlooked by the beauty industry. What began as a kitchen experiment evolved into an 8-figure company with national retail distribution, millions of units sold, and more than 2,000 retail doors.
Over the last decade, Melissa has raised $10 million in capital, built complex supply chains, launched multiple brands, and established herself as a respected voice in entrepreneurship. This year, she was named EY Entrepreneur of the Year recognized by her ability to scale while still being a servant leader to a team of beautiful, brilliant women.
Melissa is also an angel investor committed to supporting the next generation of founders. Her TEDx Talk, that seeks to empower women to be themselves and create their own standards of beauty has generated more than 3 million views. Her work has been featured by Vogue, The New York Times, Allure, Inc., and Essence.