Melissa Butler facts for kids

Melissa Butler is an amazing American entrepreneur. She created her own makeup company called The Lip Bar. This company makes cool vegan lipsticks and other beauty products. Melissa is famous for appearing on the TV show Shark Tank in 2015. Even though her idea was turned down on the show, she didn't give up! She worked hard and made her company a big success.

Her Early Life and Education

Melissa Butler grew up in Detroit, Michigan. She went to Cass Technical High School. After high school, she studied business finance at Florida A&M University. Later, she moved to New York City. There, she worked as an analyst at a big bank called Barclays.

Starting Her Own Business

While working at the bank, Melissa wasn't happy with her job. She also noticed something missing in the makeup world. It was hard to find affordable lipsticks that were both vegan and came in bright, fun colors.

The Idea for The Lip Bar

This problem gave Melissa an idea. In 2012, she started making her own vegan lipsticks. She made them right in her home in Brooklyn, New York. She sold them as a side job, which means she did it in her free time. In her first year, she earned $27,000 from selling her lipsticks!

Taking a Big Step

Two years later, Melissa decided to follow her dream. She quit her job at the bank. She moved back to her hometown of Detroit. Her goal was to work on The Lip Bar full-time. Between 2012 and 2015, her company earned $100,000. All of The Lip Bar products are vegan, which means they don't use animal products. They are also cruelty-free, meaning they are not tested on animals. Plus, they use natural ingredients.

Appearing on Shark Tank

In 2015, Melissa and her friend Rosco Spears went on the TV show Shark Tank. They wanted to get money for a mobile version of The Lip Bar. This would be like a makeup truck. However, all five judges on the show said no to their idea. The judges even called them "colorful cockroaches." They thought colorful lipsticks would not sell well.

Not Giving Up

Even though the judges were harsh, Melissa stayed positive. She told The Detroit News that the experience was "very cruel." But she also said, "it worked out in the end because we got tons of exposure." This means many people learned about The Lip Bar because of the show.

Success with Target

After Shark Tank, Melissa kept working hard. She used LinkedIn to find people who could help her sell her products in big stores. She finally connected with a buyer at Target. By 2018, The Lip Bar products were sold in hundreds of Target stores across the United States. This showed that Melissa's hard work and belief in her brand paid off!