Meet Dr. Robyn Joppy | Dr. Robyn| Visionary & Founder

We had the good fortune of connecting with Dr. Robyn Joppy and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Dr. Robyn, how does your business help the community?
I am Dr. Robyn S. Joppy, visionary of International Shades of Beauty (ISOB) Hair and Beauty Trade Show and the Founder and President of Pearls Management, a business management company. The vision to start ISOB came to me in November 2018 while I was in Dubai. I was traveling from the USA to Dubai to attend a board meeting (I am a founding member) and conference. Before leaving the USA, I had to purchase products for my extremely sensitive skin. Upon going through security at the airport in New York, my products that I inadvertently removed from my checked luggage to carry on bag, were confiscated due to exceeding size limits. Upon arrival in Dubai, I went on a mission to replace the products for my skin-type when I stumbled onto products that had skin whitening chemicals which can be extremely harmful. This is where my passion and ultimately my purpose began.

How does my business help the community or the world? I am glad you asked so let me tell you! When I tried to find quality products for my skin-type, I could not find one that sufficed. In a country that basically has everything, there was nothing acceptable for my skin or hair. Subsequently, ISOB was created to add diversity and representation of all people, in addition to diversity in quality products and services, and accessibility and availability of those quality products and services. After speaking with several expatriates working in the hair and beauty industry in Dubai, I realized more education in the hair and beauty industry was/is necessary. Many stylists in Dubai, like other countries, learn hair and beauty techniques from social media influencers on YouTube and other social media platforms; this is not always ideal. Additionally, this revelation, along with the understanding there may be a disparity in representation, led to the establishment of ISOB.

ISOB was founded on 3 principles:1. Education 2. Integrity 3. Economic Development for Empowerment (Provides an opportunity for people to showcase their products and services in the marketplace). Moreover, ISOB’s platform is helping the world by bringing together the crème de la crème master educators in hair, makeup, fashion, wellness, and business from around the world to share the latest tips, tools, and techniques in their respective industries.

As the vision began to expand, I thought about the term beauty and how others relate to it.
Many people, especially women and girls, have literally died trying to become the world’s definition of
beauty. They have a procedure(s) to enhance or improve what they consider an
imperfection. I am not against plastic surgery or anyone who desires to “correct” something on their body to make them happy. The problem arises when people solicit doctors or other “professionals” who are not board certified and have surgery and procedures in places that are not equipped to handle emergency situations or by a Board Certified licensed professional.

It is my hope that ISOB will continue to help the world/others to redefine real beauty so they become empowered to write their own definition, provide a platform that always promotes inclusion and representation of all shades, textures, tones, ethnicities, cultures, especially people of color, and promote amazing people along with their products and or services.

My definition of real beauty is: “It emanates deep from within, the reflection and representation of one’s inner being. Real beauty shows up in the color of love which is connected to a person’s heart and soul. Both real beauty and true love represent all colors, ethnicities, and races. Real beauty is being comfortable in your skin and embracing every other human being’s inner beauty while accepting their out beauty.” Dr. Robyn S. Joppy

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I am a serial entrepreneur, the Visionary and CEO of One Accord Consulting Firm (helps organizations/companies develop and implement robust compliance and integrity programs), Pearls Management, (business management and global event-planning company), Project-Cultivate, Inc. (non-profit organization serving girls around the world), and International Shades of Beauty (ISOB) which is an international hair, beauty, fashion, and wellness tradeshow. Additionally, I am an award-winning International Compliance and Integrity Expert, award-winning International Speaker, and Best-Selling Author.

To assure I am able to help my clients actualize their goals and success, I am a staunch advocate of education and believe experience and continuous learning are two critical factors needed to achieve your highest potential. Additionally, I graduated from Drexel University, George Washington University, Pennsylvania State University, and Syracuse University.

My career started in Corporate America and I rose through the ranks while holding various positions in Public Relations and Professional Services, National Marketing, Business Management, and as an Officer and Vice President of Compliance and Integrity in an International Human Services Organization. As a result of my commitment to serving with excellence, I remain current on cutting-edge techniques and knowledge in different fields including hair and beauty industry, human resources development and administration, mentoring and coaching, compliance education and training, financial projections, financial audits, bill management and cash flow analysis, merchandise tracking and analysis, international tour budgeting, insurance requirements, performance contract negotiations, and the development of procedures, policies, and standards in line with the provision of premium service delivery to my clients.

Many would say me entry into the entertainment industry reads like a fairytale. I received a request to manage my first client through the power of social media and a strong reputation for an uncompromising sense of integrity and ethics; the rest they say is history. I am the author of the best-selling book “Integrity Matters Be your Word! Building A Sustainable Compliance & Integrity Program That Works;” my latest e-book is titled “Mirror Mirror: A Guide To Improving Body Image.”

In addition to receiving several awards, some accolades include but are not limited to being featured in OTC Beauty Magazine, Society of Corporate Compliance and Ethics Magazine, making history with ISOB as the largest and first-of-its-kind virtual hair, beauty, fashion, and wellness, tradeshow in 2020, guest on several podcasts, and host of the weekly (currently on hiatus) program “Sunday Live With Dr. Robyn.”

Was it easy? My story has always been nothing worthwhile comes easy for me! I learned early in my life, if you want something, you must work for it and be willing to do whatever it takes to achieve it. My parents taught me that failure is never an option. Additionally, they instilled a believe system that was and remains in effect to this very day: faith over fear and all things are possible for those who believe in God and themselves. If you think you can, you can. I may not know all of the answers; however, there are people who have what I need; it is up to me to find those people and ask.

Whether it’s consulting with corporate clients, serving girls around the world through my non-profit, delivering keynote speeches, or writing books, I believe integrity matters and must be at the heart of everything one does. Moreover, I firmly believe “Just because it is legal does not make it ethical.” I unapologetically live by the credo: Integrity Matters; always be your word.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
There are too many places! For Food: C & S Seafood & Oyster Bar, The Optimist, and Bar Vegan. Drinks, I love Bar Vegan and St. Regis.

My best friends and I love going to the spa so we would definitely have a few spa days at Massage Infinity. A trip to get our hair, nails, and facial at my Atlanta-based hair stylist’s salon and that is Salon Penna’e in Buckhead.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
There are many people who have contributed to my overall success in starting and cultivating International Shades of Beauty (ISOB). First and foremost, my late mother, Amanda E. Hodge-Joppy, always told me to dream and “make sure they are big dreams.” My late father, Robert L. Joppy, always encouraged me to follow my dreams and made sacrifices to assure I had what I needed. My biological sisters, Shelley D. and Toyia L. are my number 1 fans and biggest supporters on many levels.

I have been blessed to have great business mentors and friends such as Mr. Lafayette G. Jones, Urban Call Briefs and SMSI, Dr. Joe L. Dudley Sr., Dudley Products, Inc., Wendy L. Alexander, Global Success Society & Inspiring Decisions, and every master educator, speaker, and panelist who have joined me on the ISOB Platform since the launch in Dubai, November 2019.

I can’t forget my Brand Manager, Ms. Jodi-Kay Edwards, Alignment is The New Hustle and Co-founder of Behind the Scenes Agency; she is top tier!

Website: www.internationalshadesofbeauty.com www.oneaccordconsultingfirm.com. www.pearlsmanagement.com. www.project-cultivate.com

Instagram: @intshadesbeauty

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/globalupdates/

Twitter: @Dr_RobynJoppy @IntShadesBeauty

Facebook: Robyn S. Joppy

Image Credits
The photos with the gold gown and black & gold chair, credit photographer: Red Patch Studios The photos with me wearing the brown outfit and black, credit photographer: Jackson Visuals Photo of me wearing black & white gown, credit photographer: Leo Marshall