Short Bio
As CEO and Co-Founder of Listener Brands, which carries CurlMix & 4C ONLY as portfolio companies, Kim Lewis attributes her success to a resilient spirit and a strong work ethic.
After a setback with her first niche social network startup, Kim embarked on a new venture in 2015, giving rise to CurlMix – a novel concept centered around Do-It-Yourself boxes for curly hair.
Following two-year of experimentation and research, Kim orchestrated a pivotal shift for CurlMix in January 2018 to focus on ready-made Flaxseed Gel as CurlMix's hero product. She ingeniously transformed their best-selling boxes into a comprehensive hair-care line, creating the first 4-step Wash and Go System to help you master your curls in 21 days.
In a noteworthy episode on Shark Tank in 2019, Kim and Tim turned down a substantial $400,000 deal, demonstrating their conviction in their vision.
The Lewises secured coveted spots on Forbes' prestigious "30 under 30" list, while Crain's Chicago Business duly acknowledged Kim as one of the remarkable "20 in their 20s." Notably, after gaining endorsement from Oprah's esteemed "Favorite Things" list, CurlMix proudly claimed the 93rd position on the illustrious Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing, privately-owned companies in the United States.
Continuing to captivate headlines, CurlMix made a groundbreaking move by extending investment opportunities to its customers through equity crowdfunding. Launching their crowdfunding campaign in April 2021, CurlMix garnered an impressive $4.5 million from nearly 7,000 investors.
The subsequent year, they witnessed an astounding surge in CurlMix's sales, soaring to a remarkable $10 million annual revenue and an impressive cumulative lifetime sales figure of over $30 million – all exclusively conducted online.
2023 is a pivotal milestone in CurlMix's extraordinary journey, with its expansion into retail. CurlMix is just one brand of the Listener Brands portfolio, and Kim remains resolute in her determination to make stellar brands that listen.