When a Pandemic Gives You Lemons...

Jacob Abdo

Life changed rapidly early into the pandemic for Tameka Jones after she was furloughed from her job as a makeup artist. As the restrictions continued, Tameka decided to take matters into her own hands.

Tameka used her savings to start a new business called Lip Esteem, a plant-based, gluten, animal cruelty and paraben free lipstick brand. She began to sell her products at two local farmer’s markets and her business began to take off. Using her own recipes that include using only natural ingredients, Tameka partnered with a manufacturer to produce the lipsticks. Working with Fredrikson’s community economic development partner, Neighborhood Development Center, Tameka connected with Jacob Abdo and Lance Vietzke, a lawyer with 3M Company, to assist her with trademarking her business name and logo.

Grateful for her success, Tameka has volunteered her services to help others by starting a mentoring program for young women and is working on a children’s book about self-esteem. She was recently chosen to be a participant in the reality show “Small Business Revolution.”