Podcast 243: Meet the inspiring entrepreneur who is rebuilding the beauty industry from seed to shelf

Imagine a beauty brand that changes lives from the ground up—from the soil that nourishes its ingredients to the communities it revitalizes.

In this episode of Green Beauty Conversations, Lorraine Dallmeier welcomes Rahama Wright, the visionary founder of Shea Yeleena beauty brand built on social impact, sustainability and the power of community.

Rahama created Shea Yeleen with a powerful mission: to create fair-wage jobs for women-owned shea butter cooperatives in Ghana. Today, her work empowers hundreds, paying women five times the local wage and reshaping lives.

But Shea Yeleen goes beyond skin care. Rahama’s latest work, Yeleen Beautyprovides a common production facility for indie brands committed to ethical production and sustainable sourcing.

Hear this conversation now and discover how Rahama is setting new standards in the beauty industry.

“I believe every business should care about eradicating poverty in its supply chain. It’s not just about products. It’s about building stronger, self-sufficient communities.” — Rahama Wright

In this episode with Rahama Wright, you’ll hear:

• Rahama’s journey from Peace Corps to social entrepreneurship. Rahama’s time in rural West Africa inspired her to create Shea Yeleen, a skincare brand that empowers Ghanaian women with fair-wage jobs.
• The origin of the brand name. ‘Yeleen’ means ‘light and hope’ and reflects the brand’s commitment to tackling systemic poverty in the beauty supply chain.
• The challenges of building a transcontinental supply chain. Rahama shares how she overcame logistical and financial obstacles throughout her entrepreneurial journey.
• Her designs for Yeleen Beauty. Rahama has created a makerspace that offers a community production facility and support system for indie brands focused on ethical sourcing and sustainable production.
• Rahama’s vision for the beauty industry. Rahama supports a business model in which each brand prioritizes ethical practices and community empowerment.

Packaged essentials include:

• Empowering communities through fair wages. Shea Yeleen supports women in Ghana by providing five times the local minimum wage. This allows them to achieve financial independence and support their families.
• Bridging the gap between traditional manufacturing and modern business. Rahama has created a model that combines traditional shea butter processing with market demands. By establishing processing centers, training women and providing safe workplaces, it supports traditional methods while ensuring a high standard for international markets.
• Pioneering a shared makerspace for indie brands. Through Yeleen Beauty, Rahama supports underserved entrepreneurs by offering resources usually out of reach for smaller brands.
• Sustainability and ethical sourcing. Rahama advocates a holistic view of sustainability. This includes supporting the well-being of its producers and building long-term community resilience.
• Redefining success in beauty. Rahama advocates redefining competition and success in the beauty industry. By prioritizing social good over profit, it shows how business can have a positive impact on global issues.

Meet our guest – Rahama Wright, founder of Shea Yeleen

Rahama Wright is a social entrepreneur and founder of Shea Yeleen, a beauty brand that creates sustainable jobs for women-owned shea butter cooperatives in Ghana.

A former Peace Corps volunteer, Rahama founded Shea Yeleen with a mission to bring economic empowerment to rural communities.

It also recently launched Yeleen Beauty, a shared production facility in Washington, DC, designed to help indie beauty brands thrive with ethical sourcing.

Recognized internationally, Rahama’s work has been featured THE, The Oprah Magazine, The Washington Postand MSNBCand has spoken at prestigious platforms such as the United Nations and the Global Entrepreneurship Summit.

Learn more about Rahama Wright and Shea Yeleen:

Learn more about Yeleen Beauty:

Related Episodes:

Thank you for joining us on this episode of the Formula Botanica Green Beauty Conversations podcast. If you enjoyed listening, please share, subscribe and review this episode at Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Youtube so that more people can enjoy the show. Don’t forget to follow and connect with us at Facebook and Instagram.

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Lorraine Dallmeier is a biologist, certified environmentalist, and CEO of Formula Botanica, the award-winning online organic cosmetics school. Read more about Lorraine and the Formula Botanica team.