Meet Yark Beyan | Self-Care Advocate & Community Organizer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Yark Beyan and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Yark, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?
My approach to work-life balance has changed over the years. When we launched African Grow n’ Glow I was a freshman entering college. I juggled several activities in addition to my schooling and business. I packed my schedule with extracurriculars because I felt it was the best way to stand out and be successful. This hectic schedule caused me a lot of stress from being overwhelmed with limited free time. Over the years, my viewpoint has changed. I now believe in focusing on one or two important things and excelling at those. That focus is now my business and community activism. Being focused on these two things has allowed me to prioritize my mental health and make room for more leisure activities such as traveling, hiking, and reading. The evolution of my approach to work-life balance has also driven the evolution, growth, and messaging of my business. African Grow n’ Glow is more than a skin and haircare business it’ s a holistic wellness brand which aims to help my community prioritize and elevate their well-being through routine self-care practices.

What should our readers know about your business?
African Grow n’ Glow is a holistic wellness brand founded in the Fall of 2016. We are 100% women and Liberian-owned. We center our communities at the heart of everything that we do. Our company addresses deficiencies in the beauty industry which continues to under-serve people of color. We make African Grow n’ Glow products with all-natural ingredients and have a zero chemical policy! The key ingredient in many of our products, African Shea Butter, is ethically sourced from West Africa.

African Grow n’ Glow is empowerment-focused. We want to contribute not only to the physical aspects of the beauty industry but also total mind and body growth and glow. We do this by prioritizing health and wellness through all of our messaging. We’ve created a community around our brand, and share wellness tips and reminders with our AGG family, reminding them to incorporate self-care into their weekly routines with series like Wellness Wednesdays and Self-Care Sundays.

Running a business is certainly not easy! It’s a daily, weekly, and monthly road of trials and errors. What’s most important is that you learn from your mistakes, stay consistent, take risks, and continue to be authentic to the folks you hope to serve, and the issues you wish to address through your business. Once you know your “why?” and the heart behind your business, the rest comes more easily.

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?
I’m currently located in Staten Island, New York and so there is much to see, eat and experience in NYC! Some of my favorite places to eat in the city are Accra Restaurant in Harlem, Sea Thai in Brooklyn and Sofia’s Taqueria in Staten Island. We would take the Staten Island Ferry ride to see a beautiful view of the Hudson and NYC skyline and visit the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens or Snug Harbor Cultural center during the day, and West Side Comedy Club for some late night laughs and drinks.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
African Grow n’ Glow would not be the brand it is today without the support of family, friends, and community. From its inception, we’ve received a huge pouring of love and we could not be more appreciative. I would like to shout out my older sister and business partner Joann who jumped in head first with me when I first shared the idea of starting the business. I would also like to shout out the Stony Brook University community and Small Business Development Center for their outpouring of love and opportunities when I first launched the business on campus. They provided me with so many opportunities to vend, receive funding, and mentors to help scale our business. And lastly, a special shout out to my parents Yark and Elizabeth Beyan for instilling a go-getter attitude. It truly takes a village!

Website: www.africangrowglow.com

Instagram: @africangrow_glow

Facebook: @africangrow_glow