Community Highlights: Meet Ebony Owusu-Sampah of QueenDome Collection

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ebony Owusu-Sampah.

Hi Ebony, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers.
I have always been into all things beauty – hair, nails, skincare, you name it. And being West African with roots in Ghana, using natural remedies for anything from the common cold to a skin rash or irritation has consistently been a part of my life. From a young age, I have always had an entrepreneurial spirit. Growing up I was known to be outspoken, take risks, and be a leader. I attended James Madison University on a full-ride track and field scholarship after going behind my mom’s back and joining my high school track team in my junior year. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in health sciences, I worked in the healthcare field for a bit and quickly realized it wasn’t exactly what I wanted. I missed the camaraderie, discipline, grit, and sense of belonging I felt from being a part of something bigger than myself  as a Student-Athlete at JMU. This led me to again take the risk, trust my gut, and enlist in the United States Air Force as a Cryptologic Language Analyst. During my time in the military, I moved across the country to Monterey, California for two years. This time in my life was a huge transformation for me mentally, physically, and emotionally. I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, an autoimmune disease, in September 2020, four months after I launched my cosmetics business QueenDome Collection. With so much to process, fearing the unknown, and being so far away from my support system, I shut down all business operations in March of 2021 to get myself and my mental health together.

Making this decision was extremely difficult, but I had fallen in love with building my business, having something to call my own, and knowing in my heart how much potential it truly had to be something great. I did not want to show up with anything less than 100% and knew that when the time was right, I was going to come back bigger and better than ever. This comeback came in February of 2022 when I relaunched QueenDome Collection. So far, my business has grown to include handmade lip glosses, lip scrubs, lip balms, whipped body butters, and exfoliating body scrubs, with even more personal care products in store. I strongly believe in the importance of self-care and self-love, and hope that through my natural skincare and cosmetics products, I can help each woman feel confident in the skin she’s in. Now, I am pursuing an MBA in Strategy and Leadership from Wake Forest University, continuing to grow my business, and eventually planning to be a resource to other aspiring entrepreneurs looking to grow and scale their own businesses.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It definitely has not been a smooth road. I think with all stages and new levels in life come new challenges and obstacles to overcome. When I first launched my business, I was excited, had so many ideas, and just jumped right into it. Looking back, although I’m glad I took the leap and risk as I’ve frequently done in my life, I could have saved myself a lot of frustration, time, and most importantly MONEY by slowing down to adequately research, plan, and strategize in terms of all the logistics that are involved in running a small business.

I have also struggled in my personal life and needed to step away from my business in order to show up as my best self. I think it’s important to have that self-awareness and know your mission and long-term vision for your business so that you can make those tough decisions when needed. As I continue to grow my business and learn from the struggles and mistakes along the way, I hope to be able to share those valuable lessons with other small business owners who may be in an earlier stage of their entrepreneurial journey.

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
QueenDome Collection is a beauty and lifestyle brand specializing in clean, all-natural, handmade cosmetics, skincare, and personal care products. Our brand promotes self-care, self-love, and what we like to call “Queen Vibes Only” which represents prioritizing yourself, indulging in the things that make you feel good, and transforming the aura around you to reflect the Queen that you are, unapologetically.

Here at QueenDome Collection, we strongly believe in quality over quantity, and take pride in using only the best skin-loving ingredients in our products.  These include West African Shea Butter, Kokum Butter, Mango Butter, Unrefined Coconut Oil, Sweet Almond Oil, Jojoba Oil, and therapeutic-grade essential oils. Some of our best-selling products include our “BOSS” Gloss, Sweet As Honey GLOW Combo, and our Bae-Cation Exfoliating Sugar Scrub.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.queendomecollection.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/queendome.co/