Passion into profit: The emergence of the female entrepreneur

Tempis Askew | Staff Writer

Madame C.J. Walker, Sheila Johnson and Oprah Winfrey are female entrepreneurs who have contributed to the success of one demographic of the 21st century: the black female entrepreneur.

Now more than ever, women of color are turning hobbies, skills and talents into lucrative careers that have granted them entrepreneurial awareness, economic growth and financial profitability.

Aryn Dixon, an Old Dominion University senior, has taken her passion for arts and crafts and turned it into a lucrative business that has built clientele throughout the Hampton Roads area.

Dixon was asked to customize bottles with glitter and rhinestones for a birthday party. This request quickly turned from a favor into a business venture.

Dixon’s business, Bottle Beauties, launched in 2017 as a remote mobile service that customized collectibles such as cups, bottles and glassware. The personalized touch added to each custom piece quickly became a desirable accent that contributed to the growth and success of Bottle Beauties. As clientele quickly grew, the demand for custom products heightened and the requests for additional custom products expanded.

Now offering custom T-shirts, personalized home décor items and embellished ornaments, Bottle Beauties has turned a hobby into a branded business for Dixon. With an expanding social media presence, Dixon can be found on Instagram at @bottlebeautiesva.

She is currently planning a pop-up shop event with Verge & Vintage Web Boutique to showcase the new custom additions that will be added to the expansion of her brand.

Verge & Vintage Web boutique is an online-based women’s retail hub that showcases denim, shoes and cosmetics. It was created with the vision of offering trendy yet affordable fashion to the masses. All products sold at the boutique are under $50 — perfect for college students on a budget.

Verge & Vintage Web Boutique will launch online April 1 online at vergeandvintage.com. Collectively, Dixon of Bottle Beauties and Askew of Verge & Vintage will partner in various pop-up shops and vendorships throughout Hampton Roads during the late spring and early summer.