Cornell McBride, Sr., can be considered one of the most successful and influential African American entrepreneurs in the beauty industry. His story of success is a unique example of hard work, leadership, creativity, and dedication. The experiences of Savannah throughout the Jim Crow era are reflected in Mr. McBride’s account, which also includes a tale of triumph over hardship. Hence, the essay elaborates on the biography and milestones in Cornell McBride, Sr’s career as a Black entrepreneur in the haircare industry.
On August 14, 1943, in Savannah, Georgia, Cornell McBride, Sr., a pioneer in the black hair care industry, was born. Mr. McBride was raised in a mill house in Sugar Hill during the 1950s, and like his father and four elder brothers, he was expected to finish school early and work at the Savannah Sugar Refinery. However, he became aware of other life options due to his passion for reading the Savannah Morning News. McBride developed an entrepreneurial spirit while working odd jobs to save up the 50 cents required for a Saturday matinee at the downtown Savannah movie theater (McBride 27). These early skills propelled him to the prosperous business he now runs with his three children. The first of Mr. McBride’s eight siblings to graduate from Tompkins High School, he set the standard for the other siblings to follow. After getting engaged to his high school girlfriend, McBride enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in 1962 and remained there until 1967 (McBride 96). McBride returned to Georgia that same year with his wife Harriet and their young daughter.
He spent three years at Fort Valley University before transferring to Mercer University in Macon, where he graduated with a B.S. in 1973 from the School of Pharmacy. He founded M&M Products Company with his Mercer classmate Therman McKenzie, who later created the formula for Sta-Sof-Fro, the first product to soften natural black hair. M&M Products had four well-known national brands by the middle of the 1980s: Sta-Sof-Fro, Sof-N-Free, Moxie, and Curly Perm. The company is among the top Black hair care companies worldwide, with yearly revenues of more than $40 million (McBride 10). Following a string of financial difficulties, McBride and his partner sold M&M Products to Johnson Products in 1989.
When he founded McBride Research Laboratories in 1990, with its headquarters in Decatur, Georgia, McBride was able to recover from his financial downturn. McBride created the Wave by Design and Design Essentials product lines using his skills as a licensed pharmacist (McBride 78). His distribution network uses independent businesspeople who act as product distributors to deliver the goods directly to salons in the United States, the Caribbean, and the United Kingdom.
Additionally, McBride was in charge of the 24-hour beauty salon for athletes at the Atlanta Olympics in 1996. In 1982, he helped found the American Health and Beauty Aids Institute (AHBAI), which he led as chairman from 1984 to 1986. He belongs to the Atlanta Business League, the International Business Club, the Society of Cosmetic Chemists, and the National Association of Chain Drug Stores. “A Cut Above: How the Man Who Gave the World the Afro Made $$ Millions!” is a recent book by McBride. The book provides readers with a step-by-step guide for accumulating wealth and emphasizes the significance of resolve, family values, tenacity, goal-setting, and “giving back” as essential elements of one’s life (McBride 7). Hence, Cornell McBride Sr’s experience is an inspirational example to the generation of African American entrepreneurs in all industries.
Works Cited
McBride, Cornell Sr. A Cut Above: How the Man Who Gave the World the Afro Made $$ Millions!. MRL Publishing, 2006