Support These Local, Black Female-Owned Businesses
While launching a business is a major win, in order to stay in business, entrepreneurs need our dollars and support. That’s why we’ve curated a list of 4 brilliant LI Center members who own or operate businesses on and around Long Island.
Michele Johnson
Independent Wine Guide, Traveling Vineyard
Traveling Vineyard was established in 2001 by Rick Libby. Inspired by the Pampered Chef party plan model used in direct selling, Traveling Vineyard brings the authentic winery experience into living rooms across the country with exclusive high-quality, globally sourced wines marketed by a network of passionate, energetic, independent wine consultants. Michele Johnson is one of these wine consultants who supports and spreads the love of wine with clients across Long Island. Michele’s wine tasting events are full of learning and laughter as she takes the mystery out of wine, one bottle at a time. Michele curates private and corporate wine tasting events, so whether you’d like to schedule a VIP event for your business or enjoy a wine tasting with friends in the comfort of your home, Michele is the wine expert you’ll want as your guide.
Marisol Joseph
Owner & Operator, Marisol’s Beauty Touch
Winner of the Best of Long Island 2020 (Waxing), Marisol’s Beauty Touch is a luxury beauty bar that offers a variety of spa and skincare services. Owner and operator Marisol Joseph is a licensed esthetician, beauty consultant, makeup artist, microblading specialist, and certified Berodin Wax trainer. Marisol’s Beauty Touch offers services such as face and body hair removal (laser and wax), airbrush makeup, organic spray tan, facials and body peels, lash and eyebrow services, and more. Marisol’s passion is to bring her clients’ inner beauty forward through her special touch.
Sharon Devonish Leid
CEO, NetStrucPR
Founder, Ladies of 3rd Thursday
CEO of NetStruc PR, Sharon Devonish Leid is also a Celebrity Publicist, Public Speaker, TV Host, and Author. Sharon has over 20 years of experience in Public/Media Relations and she is an expert in Community Engagement, providing her clients with direct connect to their target audience. Sharon provides her clients with the highest level of customer satisfaction possible. Her mission is to ensure that each client gets featured in media outlets and is connected to the right contacts that will help them grow. Sharon has created strong relationships with many media outlets that gives her the opportunity to guarantee media coverage to her clients.
Sharon is the Founder of Ladies of 3rd Thursday, a monthly business networking group that is run with five other professional women. Ladies of 3rd Thursday helps entrepreneurs and businesses network, find resources to help build their business and help create business relationships. Ladies of 3rd Thursday hosts 2 signature events throughout the year, a Women Empowerment Awards Ceremony honoring 31 Business Women for Women's History Month in March and a holiday toy drive and network event in December where the toys are donated to local shelters or community based organizations that give toys to needy families with children.
On top of her PR work and Ladies of 3rd Thursday, Sharon also does speaking engagements on the Importance of PR brands and why community engagement is beneficial to a business. She also speaks to college students who are aspiring to be entrepreneurs.
Vera Moore
CEO & President, Vera Moore Cosmetics
Vera Moore became a household name when she became the first African American soap opera actress contracted to play Linda on NBC’s Another World. The soap opera star turned entrepreneur is now best known for creating Vera Moore Cosmetics. After realizing there was a limited selection of makeup for women of color, Moore launched her own makeup line in 1979, Vera Moore Cosmetics.
Today, Moore is president and CEO of one of the most progressive and prestigious cosmetics and skin care lines for the global and ethnic market. Not only did she break racial barriers in the television industry, but she has also achieved great strides in the beauty business. Her cosmetics line was one of the first of its kind to offer beauty products to a heavily underrepresented market. Furthermore, she broke another barrier when a Vera Moore Cosmetics boutique became the first African American-owned store in Kings Plaza mall in Brooklyn, New York. She helped pave the way for other African American cosmetics lines to launch, such as IMAN Cosmetics, Black Opal, and COVERGIRL Queen Collection.
Vera Moore Cosmetics can be found in a high-end environment called LOOK Boutiques in Duane Reade stores across New York City. Moore continues to reach for more as she goes national with her brand in Walgreens. The release of her products in a drugstore marks her vision to make beauty products widely accessible to the general public.