Nancy Twine began her career in finance after turning an internship into a full-time job at Goldman Sachs. However, her passion for creating natural hair and beauty products, inspired by her grandmother, led her to leave the corporate world and start her own brand. As the founder of Briogeo, a plant-powered haircare line available nationwide, Nancy Twine is recognized as the youngest African-American woman to launch a line at Sephora. In this interview, Nancy shares insights on starting a business, how her upbringing influences her work, and her love for cookies and cream ice cream.
Name: Nancy Twine
Age: 31
Location: NYC
Current Title/Company: Founder & CEO of Briogeo
Education: University of Virginia – McIntire Undergraduate Business School
What was your first job and how did you land it?
My first full-time job was at Goldman Sachs where I worked in the Commodities Sales Division. I landed the job there through an internship the previous summer.
You used to work as a VP at Goldman Sachs. How did the high-stakes world of Wall Street prepare you for going out on your own?
Working at Goldman Sachs equipped me with essential skills like creating spreadsheets, presentations, and managing clients. It also provided me with strategic skills to problem solve, grow a business, and overcome challenges.
What did you enjoy about working in finance? What made you know it was time for you to leave?
I appreciated the daily challenges and working with intelligent colleagues who encouraged innovative thinking. After seven years in the same role, I felt it was time for a change.
What made you want to develop a line of haircare?
Having a family background in creating natural products and noticing the increasing demand for natural beauty alternatives, I saw an opportunity to delve into natural product development while still in finance.
Walk us through the process of developing a line of haircare. Where did you start?
Researching the market, evaluating competitors, and existing products were initial steps. Recognizing the underserved natural hair care market, I collaborated with experts to formulate the first set of products. Securing retail distribution and networking at trade shows followed this.
Your grandmother worked in creating her own haircare recipes with products found in her own kitchen. Did you use her recipes? How did she inspire you?
While I didn’t use my family’s recipes due to the need for advanced formulas, my family’s spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship inspired Briogeo’s development. Access to modern natural ingredients during product formulation elevated our product performance.
