May 1, 2015
From Prison to Tech Entrepreneur: Sabrina Peterson Talks Newest Venture, Glam U Apps
Sabrina Peterson, founder of Glam University and Girl Power Sleep Over, is changing the face of technology with her newest venture, Glam U Apps. The Glam University founder noticed that a significant amount of young black women in business were missing the mark when it came to incorporating technology into their companies. Â Sabrina founded Glam U Apps as an affordable technology solution for small business owners and startup companies who would like a mobile app to complement their businesses.
Peterson, now celebrating her one-year anniversary from her release from prison, used her life-changing experience to inspire her to build a tech company focused on women’s empowerment. “When I was in prison, I realized that a lot of women were incarcerated due to a lack of resources. A lack of resources will push you to do things that you wouldn’t normally do,†Peterson says. Upon her release, she vowed to become a resource to help women build successful and profitable businesses. “Now that I have come home, the biggest resource that I could be is by moving into the tech space,†Peterson says. She teamed up with Atlanta-based mobile and Web development company, Nuracode, to bridge the technology gap for women in business.
She remembers when she first came into business having to pay $20,000 to $30,000 just for a Website. “Websites will soon act as only a complement to mobile apps and Internet powered software, all of your favorite stores and Websites have apps,†says Peterson. “You spend so much money on lead nurturing, email campaigns, and on social media building your following, but if you were able to take that same following and have them download your app, you are able to quickly communicate and convert your following into paying customers,†Peterson says.
“Lets say you own a bakery, it’s five o’clock, and you still have quite a bit of cupcakes left for the day. You could send a push notification letting your customers know that the cupcakes are on sale for $1. I can’t do that on social media or in an email marketing campaign, and know that at that particular moment I am able to engage with my customers. That can drastically cut down your marketing dollars if you are able to offer an app that consumers can benefit from,†Peterson says.
[Related: Sabrina Peterson, Founder of Glam University, Presents Girl Power Sleepover]
Peterson is building Glam U Apps to blossom into a major tech company. “There are a bunch of women who are just starting up, have families, little to no budget, but still want to add technology to their brand,†Peterson says. “I wanted an app for a long time, but couldn’t afford it.† What was once an expensive option that could cost business owners thousands of dollars, Glam U Apps start at $375, offering custom branding and colors, promotional sliders and a host of other features.
She is in the process of seeking venture capital funding to help expand her technology team to offer affordable technology platforms in addition to mobile apps for her customers. “I want to move mom-and-pop ideas to the digital space, while still making it affordable.”
To learn more about Sabrina Peterson and her girl power movement and app, visit www.GlamUniversity.org and www.GlamUApps.com
Chanel Martin (@ChanelEbone) is a co-founder and COO of Techturized (@Techturized) Inc.  She is also a wife, new mom, and lover of all things hair! She works full time on her company Techturized. Techturized’s first product, Myavana (@Myavanahair), provides personal hair care resources for female consumers around the world.