A Beautiful Business

As the owner of Be Minked Beauty (BMB), Britney Humphrey says her goal is to “make sure every individual we encounter feels beautiful within.” But that’s not her only goal. Humphrey also plans to become her own manufacturer, as well as open the first black-owned beauty supply store in Fort Wayne.

The Wayne High School alumna has been interested in becoming an entrepreneur since 2014 when she had her first business (House of Luxury) while at Indiana State University, selling hair extensions to students. After a short hiatus, in 2018 she began the journey back to the beauty industry launching Be Minked Beauty.

Although busy running BMB, Humphrey has already acted on one of her other goals and started the process of becoming her own manufacturer. She says doing so will create the autonomy and platform she needs to help other individuals in their journey toward entrepreneurship.

Meanwhile, at BMB Humphrey sells a wide range of products, including mink eyelashes, eyelash cleansers, cruelty-free cosmetic glitters, lipstick/lip gloss, frameless glasses, shades and hair extensions/wigs. She makes some of the products by hand and others are outsourced.

Humphrey will hold a ribbon cutting toward the end of summer 2020 when she adds another facet to her business, a vending machine at Glenbrook Mall. The machine will sell BMB’s products exclusively, Humphrey said, adding, “Be Minked Beauty is one of the first black-owned [beauty] companies in the Midwest to do such a thing.”

BMB also hosts “all types of events from birthday parties, to girls’ nights and even networking and leadership events for young African American entrepreneurs,” she said.

Aware of networking’s value for herself as well as others, Humphrey enrolled in the Build Institute Fort Wayne program, from which she graduated in 2019. Through the program’s classes, she augmented her business and community building skills. “I was [also] able to meet individuals within the community that could help me with potential business funding if needed,” she said.

Like many other business owners impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, Humphrey had to close her business—only a few weeks after opening BMB on February 29, 2020. She found it hard to stay motivated, but said, “I was able to manage and follow through with the help of my family and God, of course.”

BMB is open again, and Humphrey is focused on her plan for the future: opening the first black-owned beauty supply store in Fort Wayne. “Right now,” she said, “we spend our money in beauty supply stores, most of which do not give back to our community.” She added that a beauty supply company should be able “to educate people on their actual hair types and then be able to provide them with products that could help them.”

For entrepreneur Britney Humphrey, it sounds like a beautiful plan.

Be Minked Beauty is located at 3338 Mallard Cove Lane, Suite E, Fort Wayne, IN 46804, and online at BeMinkedBeauty.com.