This Was Made By a Black Woman: Bethany Jennene of Taupe Coat

Who doesn't like having their nails done? But we all know that even the most popular nail polish brands contain some less than glamourous chemicals within their varnishes. How cool would it be if someone created a "healthy" brand of polishes?

Well, that has been created by the brand Taupe Coat. I found Taupe Coat on Instagram and have been following their sassy, smart, and sophisticated colors since. Some time ago, after having the opportunity to speak to their founder, Bethany Jennene, I knew I had to have this brand and this wonderful woman featured.

This time on This Was Made By A Black Woman, Bethany Jennene of Taupe Coat.


So about Taupe Coat: "We are Taupe Coat, a boutique nail polish brand that creates clean nail polish. All of our polish is paraben free, carcinogen free and vegan. We mix our shades in small batches and by hand in Southern California. We make nail polish for anyone who is trying to live their best life and wants their nails to look great while they’re at it. One of my favorite taglines is: Bold Nails are for Bosses. That’s what we do! We make polish for boss ladies."

When asked how did she became an entrepreneur, Bethany says "My day job is as an attorney. I practice civil law which has a well-deserved reputation for being stressful. Law firm life is not for the faint at heart. But I knew that I never wanted my identity as an attorney to consume my existence. So, I started making nail polish as a fun after work hobby."

But there were other reasons outside of just a fun hobby that compelled Bethany's brand. "Because of my personal health issues (I have Crohn’s Disease and spent several years battling it), I decided to only make low-toxin nail polish. As the years went on and I got better at making polish, I made the jump into entrepreneurship for the first time. I continue to practice law, but pretty much every hour I’m not in the office, I’m working on making Taupe Coat bigger and better. "

When asked what made her start your brand, Bethany shares "One of our sayings at Taupe Coat is that “We Are Polish with a Purpose.” Our goal is to use nail polish to make a positive impact on our community, and the communities of our customers. The whole reason I decided to stop making nail polish only for fun and to turn it into a business, was so that I could create a stream of income to use to donate to nonprofits and other causes I believed in. Giving back has always been something I’ve done basically my whole life. As I got older and took on more “adult” responsibilities, I found it hard to always have extra cash to donate. So, I started selling my polish so that I can could generate money that I could donate."

How does Taupe Coat give back? "Taupe Coat designates a Taupe Charity every quarter and we give a portion of our sales to that organization to support the work they do. Some orgs we have supported in the past are the Baltimore Hunger Project, Street Code, and Black Mama Bail Out Day. This is my favorite part of my business. The more Taupe Coat grows, the more we can give to others."

When asked what her favorite product from Taupe Coat is and why, Bethany says "We change out our shades periodically, so I feel like I have a favorite new shade every few months. Right now, Hoochie Mama is my favorite, it’s a neon pink that is perfect for summer beach days or day parties. Because I work in an office throughout the week, I love the weekends when I can wear my bright shades and maybe add some fun nail art too. Also, the name is pretty fun!"

When asked on what does black-owned/ woman-owned means to her, Bethany tells us "Being black-owned and women-owned means that I am creating a product that will support both communities of my primary identifies. As women and as black people, we have to reinvest in ourselves and support ourselves, because we know that we may not garner the same level of respect and support as others."

"I run my business with this in mind. All of the businesses I’ve contracted with (besides my bottle manufacturer) has been a woman-owned or black-owned business. My graphic design firm, my marketing firm, my photographer…all women-owned businesses. Because I believe that the only way we can rise is if we support each other."

Show your love and support to Taupe Coat and follow along here.