Ella Dean is a natural haircare brand for men and women with textured hair. Our products are made with organic fruits, vegetables, and herbs that aid hair growth and reduce scalp inflammation and hair loss.
Owner Nicole Rose comes from a family with a background in the hair care industry. Her great-grandparents, Benjamin and Mary Rose Dean, opened Dean’s Beauty Salon and Barbershop in 1954. It was passed down to Gloria Ella Dean, their oldest daughter, and remains one of the oldest Black salons in Portland.
What do you love most about your business and being a business owner?
I love working in the beauty industry. I enjoy trying different curly hair products and styling tools. I like reading and learning about the ingredients, watching reviews on Youtube, and seeing which product works best on my hair.
After experimenting with many different hair products, I decided to develop my own haircare line by adding a new twist to it. I wanted my products to be made with organic fruits, vegetables, and herbs, ingredients that aren't common in the haircare industry.
I love being a business owner because I get to show my creative side. I am the vision behind Ella Dean. I get to build my brand on my beliefs and values, and it feels good having full control and power. I get to establish my company's culture, have flexibility, and independence.
Legacy highlights local businesses as part of Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration
January 13, 2023
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We are taking the opportunity to highlight several Black- and minority-owned businesses in our community to put a spotlight on Dr. King’s intertwined mission and strategy to achieve racial and economic equality.
Ella Dean
As a minority-owned business owner, I have dealt with economic barriers such as getting rejected by banks due to a lack of personal wealth. Like most small businesses, I have had to use my personal finances to fund my business which has made it difficult to save for other expenses such as a house or car.
In the beginning of my entrepreneurial journey, I noticed there was a lack of social capital. It is very important to have a network of advisors, peers, and colleagues to lean on for support and to market your products. I used LinkedIn to network with other entrepreneurs and beautypreneurs inside and outside of my community.
What important role do minority owned businesses play in our community?
The easiest way to support a minority-owned business is to purchase from them. It helps build diversity and furthers the pursuit of equitable prosperity within our community.
Collaborating with minority-owned businesses is a plus. The partnership advertises both businesses, it grows both of their audiences, and it spreads wealth. Just like non-minority owned businesses, minority-owned businesses play a vital role in economic growth and community development because they can offer the same opportunities to others by creating jobs.
DB Dessert Company
Damala Badon opened DB Dessert Company in 2018 and quickly cultivated a following among locals, with its elaborate cupcakes and custom designed celebration cakes. Her goal is to provide customers with an unparalleled product and experience. We use quality ingredients and cutting-edge techniques to create a product that is truly superior in quality and taste.
Damala’s children inspired her to start the business in part to show them the possibilities that are out there when you follow your dreams and passions.
What do you love most about your business and being a business owner?
Seeing the look on our customers faces when we bring their visions to life in cake form is very rewarding. I enjoy the unlimited amount of creativity I can have with my business because it’s mine.
What challenges do you face as a minority owned business that you think is important for others to know?
Access to advertising is a big pain point for me. Financial minority businesses start with much less capital, which leaves us two steps behind and catching up. Starting a race from behind in is very difficult.
What important role do minority owned businesses play in our community?
We provide many things that get overlooked such as jobs, donations to our community, representation of the possibilities of ownership. Minority businesses build our communities.
Mama & Hapa's Zero Waste Shop
Mama & Hapa’s Zero Waste Shop, which is owned and operated by Ross Ching and his wife, Nadia Takla, helps get plastic out of your life with its easy-to-use refill station where you can get everything from baby wash to household cleaners to shampoo. Customers fill glass jars with whatever they need.
What do you love most about your business and being a business owner?
Not having a boss or anyone looking over your shoulder makes for more freedom. Since we're small, we can be agile and scrappy and make things happen for very little money and time. There aren’t endless meetings about making a single decision. The great thing about our business is that we can have this and feel confident about the mission of our business. It's something that has a purpose greater than profits.
What challenges do you face as a minority owned business that you think is important for others to know?
Portland is probably one of the best places to have a minority-owned business. Many of our customers recognize that social inequities are prevalent everywhere and are conscious enough to try to change the status quo. The problem is that much of the country doesn't have that on the top of their mind. We're lucky in Portland, but if we ever wanted to expand our company's mission it might be a challenge.
What important role do minority owned businesses play in our community?
There's something to say about a diverse community with diverse options to spend money. It's almost as if everyone's differences make for a better understanding of them. Much can be learned just by tasting a different culture's cuisine or experiencing their customs at a street fair.
