Nyakio Grieco’s Unfiltered Journey from Founder Fatigue to Retail Powerhouse

Nyakio Grieco has always believed that beauty can be a catalyst for change. As co-founder of Thirteen Lune, a retail platform spotlighting Black- and Brown-founded brands, Nyakio is reimagining what inclusivity in beauty truly looks like—on shelves, in partnerships, and in practice. In this episode, she and host Nancy Twine unpack the challenges of fundraising, scaling with integrity, and showing up as both a founder and a mentor.

Before launching Thirteen Lune in 2020, Nyakio spent nearly two decades building her award-winning namesake brand, nyakio™, which she sold to Unilever. Her latest venture, Relevant: Your Skin Seen, is a clean, tech-forward skincare and cosmetics line designed to perform across all skin tones and types—with joy and intention at its core.

Nyakio shares how she raised $1.5M in pre-seed funding in just weeks, forged a retail partnership with JCPenney that brought Thirteen Lune to over 600 stores, and built a cap table anchored in shared values and vision. She also opens up about burnout, boundaries, and the restorative power of sleep, friendship, and strategic “no’s.”

Originally aired: 06/20/2024

Timestamps:
[00:00] Introduction
[01:35] Entering the beauty industry
[02:55] Early career in Hollywood and beauty discovery
[04:01] Launching nyakio™ in 2002
[04:39] Selling to Unilever and the decision process
[05:47] Lessons learned from entrepreneurship
[07:07] The importance of valuing self-worth
[07:34] Challenges of saying no as a founder
[07:40] Moving into beauty retail with Thirteen Lune
[08:54] Racial reckoning and supporting Black-owned brands
[09:38] Realizing the industry gap for BIPOC beauty brands
[10:19] The birth of Thirteen Lune
[11:34] Educating consumers on inclusive beauty
[12:23] Breaking industry misconceptions about melanin-rich skin
[13:18] The 90/10 rule in business success
[13:51] Expansion of Thirteen Lune into JCPenney
[14:49] Challenges of scaling a startup quickly
[15:49] Supporting beauty founders in retail
[16:29] Selecting the right investors
[17:49] The balance between profit and social impact
[18:31] Raising capital while maintaining company control
[19:19] Leadership growth and team building
[20:29] Learning to delegate and trust a team
[21:19] The challenges of managing people
[21:58] Finding work-life balance as an entrepreneur
[22:34] Launching Relevant, a new beauty brand
[23:30] Merging science and nature in product development
[24:05] The importance of inclusive beauty formulas
[25:00] Naming products to empower consumers
[25:19] Prioritizing underserved consumers in cosmetics
[26:02] The role of self-care in sustaining energy
[26:58] The importance of quality sleep and naps
[27:35] Avoiding burnout through structured routines
[28:40] Letting go of guilt and prioritizing family
[29:00] Intentionality in maintaining friendships
[30:11] The concept of circling for deep connections
[31:24] The evolution of friendships over time
[32:28] Accepting the natural end of relationships
[33:05] Advice for staying motivated as an entrepreneur
[33:35] The power of asking for help
[34:19] Finding mentors and giving back
[35:01] Leveraging social media for brand growth