Madam C. J. Walker

Biography

Born to formerly enslaved parents, she developed hair-care products for Black women and built a sales force of thousands of trained agents. Recognized as one of the first American women to become a self-made millionaire.

Starting point: Started selling hair products door to door around 1905.

The lesson

Summary: serve a group the market ignores, and grow by training others to sell for you.

How it helps you

A network of local sellers can spread your product faster than advertising.

Practical steps

1. Name a customer group poorly served nearby.
2. Create a product made for them.
3. Recruit 2–3 people to sell it on commission.
4. Train them and share profits fairly.

Sources

• Britannica: Madam C. J. Walker