Earlier this year, Brave Commerce brought its community together for an in-person event in New York City, featuring a keynote from celebrity entrepreneur Tia Mowry—best known for her roles in Sister, Sister and The Game—and Karima McDaniel, president of 4U by Tia, a hair care line designed for textured hair.

On this special episode, host Rachel Tipograph sits down with Mowry and McDaniel to discuss the inspiration behind 4U by Tia, their strategic partnership with Walmart, and their approach to building a profitable, values-driven brand.

Mowry’s vision for 4U by Tia stemmed from her personal frustration with the lack of accessible products for textured hair. Embracing the motto “If you don’t see it, be it,” she turned her passion into action. McDaniel, with her extensive experience in brand marketing, plays a pivotal role in channeling that passion into a thriving business.

Central to their success is a strong sense of community. Mowry’s deep connection with her audience, built over years, has been key to the brand’s organic social growth. Whether on Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook, the 4U by Tia brand consistently shows up where its fans are.

Influencers also gravitate toward the brand, bringing fresh ideas for promotion. Mowry and McDaniel take a thoughtful approach to nurturing long-term partnerships with these influencers, ensuring the relationships go beyond one-off transactions.

Listen to this episode and/or find the video of this session here. 

Key takeaways:

• When it comes to partnerships, it’s a relationship—there has to be trust.
• Align your community, your product, and your messaging to achieve success.
• The old brand template will not meet the needs of today’s consumer.