Black Entrepreneur Legend and Haircare Pioneer非裔企业家传奇，黑人护发业先驱

鲁斯·阿巴吉 姚海涛

We can all benefit via the brilliant business and life lessons from this franchising1 genius. 她是特許经营奇才，她的商业故事和人生经验都堪称绝妙，读来大有裨益。

Another Black History Month has come and gone， but per the findings of a new study commissioned by Groupon and the National Black Chamber of Commerce： Educating ourselves on the adversity African Americans have always faced in the workplace must be a yearlong thing.

Depressingly， 80% of black business owners polled stated they faced more challenges getting their business off the ground due to their race while 85% claimed they had to overcome more obstacles than their non-black peers. Fifty-nine percent reported being victims of bias or racism when starting their company.

All the more reason （even in March） to be aware of the franchising savant2， philanthropist3 and one of the country’s first African-American female millionaires that was Madam C.J. Walker. She still has much to teach us 101 years after her death.

Born Sarah Breedlove in 1867 within the Louisiana Delta， Walker was orphaned at a young age and spent more than a decade working as a washerwoman to support her young daughter. One day she looked down at her hands in the tub and thought： What am I going to do to support my family when I am no longer able to scrub this laundry？

This question， coupled with the fact that Walker felt her follicles4 were thinning， prompted her to begin working as a salesperson for the hair care product brand， the Poro Company. Walker also worked as a cook where she learned even more about the chemistry behind beauty elixirs5 and she eventually created her own line of beauty aids.

Walker was a phenomenal6 brand builder. Her business and signature “Walker Method” for hair care provided career opportunities and economic independence for thousands of African American women. Her company trained some 40，000 “Walker Agents” in her specific product strategy.

The story of Walker’s success is packed with life and leadership lessons.

An underprivileged background does not define you

Walker was born on a plantation where her parents were enslaved， and although she was free， her life was filled with struggle， turmoil and heartbreak. But if you believe， as Walker did， that your circumstances do not define your shine， you can go after your goals and dreams with determination and you can create a new path.

Believe in yourself and your product

The truth about business is that you will face uphill battles. Hearing things like “you won’t succeed” and feeling overwhelmed by the obstacles may feel too much at times. Your own black brothers and sisters may tell you that you won’t succeed because African Americans just don’t make it this far. But you cannot let the words and actions of others diminish your belief in yourself and your product.

Walker faced many critiques for her products， including the claim that encouraging straight hair for black women would internalize white standards of beauty. But Walker knew that her vision of using ingredients from African origins to empower black women to love their hair was a powerful goal. She didn’t lose faith in her company， her vision or herself.

Every endeavor makes you wiser

Walker worked as a laundrywoman， cook， lived with her brothers who worked as barbers， and learned sales from the Poro Company before selling her famous products.

She used these experiences to create her company， applying her skills in chemistry and sales experience. We can look at painful aspects of our past as hindrances or we can see them as assets. At every stage in our lives， there is always something to learn.

Don’t just build a business， build a brand

Walker didn’t just sell hair products; she sold a lifestyle. She created an entire brand around the idea that African American women should look good， feel good and encourage themselves to create a better life. Walker embodied her brand. She put herself on the labels and used her own photos in print ads. She positioned herself as a “hair culturalist” and empowered thousands of sales agents to look their best， feel their best and make a living empowering other women to do the same.

Leverage the love

One of the ways Walker stood out was the way she pioneered the franchising model. She was a brilliant salesperson by turning customers into brand ambassadors. Walker not only sold women her products but she also leveraged the lifestyle and dream of being a part of her brand. She trained women on the “Walker Method” and gave cash incentives to agents who did well in sales and embodied the brand.

Make room at the table

As an advocate of black women’s economic independence， Walker opened training programs in the “Walker System” for her national network of licensed sales agents. She paid healthy commissions and employed hundreds of black women in her company.

Our fortunes will not change if we don’t empower our tribe to also be successful.

Give back

Walker was a well-known philanthropist and we can all be inspired by her generosity. Having philanthropy as part of your mission statement means you are creating motivation and unity within your team.

Walker is a true inspiration and it is invaluable to look at incredible black women in history and find teachings from their lives and accomplishments.

一年一度的黑人历史月（2月1日—3月1日）已然过去，而团购网站“高朋”和美国国家黑人商会委托开展的一项新研究发现：了解美国非裔在职场面临的种种困境足足需要一年之久。

可悲的是，在受访的黑人企业家中，有80%的人表示，由于种族原因，他们的公司在起步阶段面临更多挑战;有85%的人声称，自己要比非黑人同行克服更多障碍;有59%的人反映，在创办公司时遭遇过偏见或种族歧视。

所以我们更有理由（虽说已是3月）关注这位特许经营天才、慈善家兼美国首批非裔女性百万富翁之一——沃克夫人。在她离世101年后的今天，我们仍旧可以从她身上获益良多。

沃克原名萨拉·布里德洛夫，1867年出生于路易斯安那州的三角洲地区。沃克很小就成了孤儿。她做了十多年的洗衣工，以此养活年幼的女儿。一天，她低头看着洗衣桶里的双手，心想：如果我无法再用手搓洗衣服了，那靠什么养家糊口呢？

有了这一层思虑，再加上沃克发现自己的毛囊日渐稀疏，于是她开始销售珀若公司的护发产品。沃克还做过厨师，由此学到了更多关于驻颜的化学良方，并最终开创了自己的美容产品业务。

沃克是位了不起的品牌缔造者。她的企业和“沃克式”独家头发护理为成千上万的美国非裔女性提供了就业机会，帮她们实现了经济独立。她的公司就针对性的产品策略培训了约4万名“沃克代理”。

沃克的成功故事蕴含着丰富的人生启示和领导经验。

出身卑微，亦有未来

沃克出生在一个种植园。她的父母是种植园的奴隶，尽管她是自由身，但她的生活处处是艰难、动荡和辛酸。然而，如果你像沃克一样相信周围的环境并不能泯灭你的光芒，你可以坚定地追求自己的目标和梦想，开辟一条新的道路。

相信自己，相信产品

商业的真相是，你会面临艰苦的战斗。有时让人难以承受的是听到“你无法成功”等诸如此类的话，以及感到被困难压倒。你的黑人兄弟姐妹可能会告诉你：你不会成功的，因为美国非裔根本走不了这么远。但你切莫让他人的言行削弱对自己和产品的信心。

沃克的产品遭到了许多批评，其中有人声称，鼓励黑人女性留直发会内化白人审美标准。但沃克深知，自己的宏大愿景是用非洲的原料让黑人女性爱上自己的头发。对于公司、愿景和自身，她从未失去信心。

你越努力，就越聪慧

沃克做过洗衣妇，做过厨师，曾与理发师兄弟住在同一屋檐下。在销售自己的知名产品之前，沃克还在珀若公司學过做销售。

她利用这些经验并结合自己在化学和销售方面的技能，创建了自己的公司。诚然，我们可以把过去痛苦的遭遇视为障碍，但也可以将其视为财富。在生命的每个阶段，总有东西需要学习。

开创事业，打造品牌

沃克不只是销售护发产品，她经营的是一种生活方式。她创立了一个完整的品牌，所遵循的理念就是：美国非裔女性应该关注外表，心情愉悦，激励自己为更好的生活而奋斗。沃克代表了自己的品牌。她将个人形象放到产品标签上，在平面广告中使用自己的照片。她将自己定位为“美发文化学家”，并帮助数千名销售代理，打造最佳形象，保持最佳心情，让其他女性具备同样的能力，并以此谋生。

利用口碑，打造品牌

沃克的独到之处在于她开创了特许经营模式。她是个出色的销售人员，能将顾客转变为品牌大使。沃克不仅向女性销售她的产品，她还充分利用了人们“融入沃克品牌”的生活方式和梦想。她对女性进行“沃克式”培训，并对销售表现出色、展现该品牌精神的代理商给予现金奖励。

招贤纳士，共赢未来

作为黑人女性经济独立的倡导者，沃克为其全国特许销售代理网络开设了“沃克体系”的培训课程。她支付丰厚的佣金，并在公司雇用了数百名黑人女性。

如果不帮助自己的族人一起成就事业，我们的命运就无法改写。

热心慈善，回馈社会

沃克是一位著名的慈善家，她为人慷慨，是我们的榜样。将慈善事业作为使命宣言的一部分，能为团队提供动力并促进团结。

沃克是真正的榜样。回顾历史上伟大的黑人女性，从她们的人生和成就中汲取经验，这样做极其重要。

（译者为“《英语世界》杯”翻译大赛获奖者）

1 franchising特许经营。

2 savant学者，专家。  3 philanthropist慈善家。  4 follicle毛囊。  5 elixir灵丹妙药，长生不老药。  6 phenomenal非凡的，杰出的。

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