Paris Dolphy and Zaria Williams are friends and business partners.
Photo submitted by Jazzmin Riles
Florida A&M University is a place where most students decide to pursue entrepreneurship.
Paris Dolphy, a junior business administration major, and Zaria Williams, junior public relations major, have created the Wrkshop to bring unity and to uplift females using natural enhancers.
Each student has her own separate line within The Wrkshop. The Wrkshop is a platform where Dolphy and Williams advertise their products and the art that they create as a collective.
The pair met through Images Modeling Troupe at FAMU, while being partners in a show. Their friendship developed after spending the summer together.
“This past summer we became closer as friends and developed our business plan. Since we both had aspirations to be entrepreneurs, we decided to start the journey together,” said Williams.
Dolphy is the creator of GlowNparis, an all-natural makeup highlighter that you can wear with a full face of makeup or with no makeup to give you a natural glow. You can also wear the product as a body glow.
Cabéllo Amor, created by Williams, is an all-natural hair line that offers a shampoo, conditioner and hair mask. It is made with all-natural honey, coconut oil and almond oil. You can use it for your natural hair or on your weave extensions. The hair care line leaves your hair soft, moisturized and easier to manage.
The products offered by the Wrkshop are all made by hand and with natural ingredients. The Wrkshop produces their products at their home, in quantity of 20.
According to Check Biotech, the chemicals that are in hair and makeup products can have long-term side effects.
The idea of selling natural beauty products, specifically hair and makeup, is what sparked their interest. “We knew we wanted to sell a thing that was a necessity to women and something that would never get old or played out,” said Dolphy
Dolphy and Williams launched their brand on Oct. 5, and have considered their journey a smooth one thus far.
“The most challenging thing right now is getting people to actually buy our products. We have so many people that are willing to support but only a handful will actually purchase a product from us,” said Williams.
The Wrkshop has been spreading the word of its products by going to different events in the Tallahassee area, including Set Friday and Union Wednesdays, where majority of student entrepreneurs sell their products.
GlowNParis is $6 and Cabéllo Amor is sold at $5 a per item; If a customer wanted to buy all three items (shampoo, conditioner and hair mask).
The business owners’ long-term goal is to be able to put their products in hair stores and makeup departments like Wal-Mart and Target.