Beauty entrepreneur Jackie Aina nearly gave away a large part of her company before making a decision that changed the future of her brand. The founder of FORVR Mood revealed that she almost signed away about 40% ownership of the company before choosing to build the business without outside investors.
Speaking on the Black Tech Green Money podcast, Aina shared that protecting ownership became one of the most important choices she made as an entrepreneur. Alongside her husband and co-founder, Denis Asamoah, she invested in the company herself and kept control of the beauty brand’s direction.
Today, FORVR Mood has grown from a candle company into a successful lifestyle brand with products sold through major retailers like Sephora. The journey has become an example of how ownership and patience can help entrepreneurs build long-term wealth.
Jackie Aina Chose Ownership Over Giving Away 40% of FORVR Mood
Aina explained that the company faced a major decision during its early days. Before the brand had proven its business model, outside investment offers could have resulted in her losing a significant share of the company.
“When we first started, we almost gave away like 40% of our company,” Aina said. “Thank God we didn’t.”
Instead of accepting the deal, Aina and Asamoah decided to bootstrap FORVR Mood. They used their own resources to launch the company in 2020 and focused on building a strong foundation before seeking outside funding.
Their decision allowed them to maintain more control over the brand. It also gave them more power when considering future investment opportunities.
FORVR Mood Grew From Candles Into a Beauty and Lifestyle Brand
FORVR Mood started with candles before expanding into fragrances and other lifestyle products. The brand quickly gained attention from customers who connected with its message and products.
The company launched with a waitlist of more than 45,000 people. Its first inventory sold out within hours, showing strong demand from the beginning.
By late 2022, FORVR Mood had reached more than 100,000 customer orders. The brand later expanded its retail presence, with products becoming available through Sephora.
Asamoah explained that building success before raising money helped the company avoid giving away too much ownership too early.
“If you’re going into a business with an investor, you’ve got no track record, no sales records, you’re literally giving up a lot of your business to begin with,” he said.
Jackie Aina Turned Her Influence Into Business Ownership
Before becoming a beauty founder, Aina built a powerful career as a content creator. She became one of YouTube’s most recognized beauty voices and worked with major companies through brand partnerships.
However, she realized that she had helped other businesses grow through her influence. That experience encouraged her to create something she fully owned.
“I had made millions for brands that I’ve collaborated with, brands that I’ve posted about, brands that I’ve advertised on my platform,” Aina said.
“If I’m capable of doing that for them, why not bet on me and do that for myself?”
Her decision reflects a larger shift among many entrepreneurs who are choosing ownership and independence over quick funding opportunities.
Building FORVR Mood Came With Challenges and Lessons
Although FORVR Mood has found success, Aina said building the company was not easy. The business faced challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, including supply chain problems and difficulties managing inventory.
The entrepreneur admitted that some mistakes helped her become a stronger business leader. Instead of allowing challenges to stop the company, she used them as learning experiences.
“This is in the middle of the logistics crisis. Every brand was struggling,” Aina recalled.
“We couldn’t foresee any of that… but it was one of those things where if we could make it through that, I think we could make it through anything.”
Today, Aina’s journey shows the importance of believing in an idea before others see its value. Through FORVR Mood, she continues to highlight the power of Black women building businesses with ownership, confidence, and purpose.
