From Foursquare to Haircare: How a Tech Renaissance Man Keeps Innovation Alive

When people think of tech consumer products, what typically comes to mind are gadgets, laptops, computers or items that have digital components. How does the core consumer concept of technology come into play with Bevel?

There’s nothing more personal in the world than your physiological makeup. Your DNA, your genetics—they’re unique to you. But there’s nothing less unique in the world than the entire health and beauty industry. I walk into a store and I have to use the same lotion or haircare products that everyone else is using. That’s crazy. We [seek to] offer an experience that’s one-to-one, [from our Website to our bottles to the contents in them.] They should be unique to you—where you live, your make up, your hair, etc.

In order to connect that merchandising experience and the product experience, you need software. When you talk about Foursquare, tech stuff, that’s where we come in. It’s like when ducks are gliding around in water and, beneath, their legs are flapping rapidly. Our brands are the ducks above water and the technology is the feet.

The natural haircare industry has grown quite tremendously in the past decade. How does Bevel position itself as a competitive part of this multimillion-dollar market, which is saturated with companies and products?

Walker & Co is developing products to solve a problem. Bevel solves the problem of razor bumps. Done. When you think about the burgeoning natural haircare movement, it’s great, but the opportunity [in health and beauty] is larger than that. To actually build a suite of brands that people can be proud of and that fix problems is significant.

You have a lot of passion for innovation and solving problems in terms of the work you choose to do. The key word there is ‘choose.’ How are you able to monetize your passion and pursue what means something to you, not just a job or the next big business fad?

The most important value is authenticity. I really have to feel like I’m the best person in the world building what I’m building. Nobody’s going to compete or people will be scared to compete. I think a lot of people lose sight of being authentic to what they want to build because they seek the money and fame. Those really don’t mean anything if you’re not authentic to [what you’re doing]. Someone who is authentic to what they do is going to come in and build it and make it better than you, and they will make more money and make you irrelevant.

The second thing is faith. I got the best advice I’ve ever received from Tyler Perry. I had the good fortune to interview him one-on-one during a fireside chat. There was one woman who raised her hand in the audience and [talked about how she] goes through all these trials and tribulations, and she asked, ‘How do you get back up?’ What he said was the most profound thing I’ve ever heard. He said he realized his potential as an entrepreneur when he understood that the trials you go through, and the blessings you receive are the exact same thing. You go through trials but they are lessons, and lessons are blessings. People need to really understand that a little more. Everything gets a lot easier. You take more risks and you don’t stress yourself out so much. That authenticity combined with faith. It’s hard to beat that.