Amanda 00:02 Welcome to Purpose Powered brand, a podcast for leaders and brands transforming business into a force for good. I'm Amanda Stassen, business and brand strategist, social justice advocate and founder of BIZU Innovation Group. I'm speaking with leaders who are proving that not only does purpose drive profit, the future of our world depends on it. If you want to grow your business, increase your brand loyalty and not get left behind in the ever-changing marketplace. This podcast is for you. Today we're talking with Chantel Carter, founder of Love & Nudes, Canada's first nude skin tone intimates brand made for women of color. Welcome, Chantal to the Purpose Powered Brand podcast. So excited to be chatting with you today.

Chantal 00:42 I'm happy to be here too. Thanks for inviting me.

Amanda 00:45 Awesome. So, you know, we call this podcast purpose powered brand, for reason why we want to spotlight, celebrate and learn from the brands and leaders out there who are using their business as a force for good and, you know, to bring positive change, I'm talking beyond that net zero of not adding bad things to the world, but actually moving into net positive. And you know, behind this thinking lies a big question, what would motivate someone to do that to decide that they want to make a positive difference? I personally believe that the driving force behind this is purpose- purpose powers people to do big things. So, I want to start there with you. If you were to answer the question, I am powered by blank. What one word would you choose? And then share a little bit about how that purpose powers you personally, and professionally.

Chantal 01:50 Yeah, the word would be growth. For me, I love learning, I love growing. And as I have gotten older, I realized that growth never stops. And for me, I love challenges. And so growth is something that happens every single day. And I wake up excited to learn and to be a better person. So growth is definitely my word.

Amanda 02:20 Nice. I love that. And I love that you've, you've sort of connected it to learning because learning is about growth. And I love that continuous improvement mindset, which is essential for any business leader, for any entrepreneur. So thank you for sharing that. So Love & Nudes, I mean, I'm just sitting here, and I'm already smitten with the name itself. You know, the brand name is fantastic. Tell me about the significance of the name. How did you come up with it? And what's the backstory to Love & Nudes?

Chantal 02:55 Yeah, well, I got diagnosed with stage three breast cancer in 2018. And I'm going through treatment, which means surgery, chemo, radiation. So it's about a year of treatment. And during that process, you know, you go to these appointments to get fitted for bras to get bras. And when I went to my appointment, I realized that there was nothing, literally nothing for women that looked like me. So women of color. So basically, I left the appointment empty handed, and thinking, Wow, is this how women feel when they go shopping for nude? You know, I wasn't really into nudes before breast cancer. And when I say nude, basically, it's a color that is similar to your skin tone. So women of color didn't really have that option, especially in Canada. And so that's how the idea sparked. And during treatment, I started doing a lot of research. And I basically realized that there was this problem that wasn't being addressed in the fashion industry. So I decided to solve it. As for the name, it came to me, I think I was having a shower. And I think Love & Nudes, I just wanted a name that would embody exactly what the brand was about. And for me, love is such an important part of my everyday life. I love what I do. I love my family. I love myself, and I want women to feel the same way. I want them to love themselves to love their skin tone. And nudes was because we were selling nudes. So that's how the name Love & Nudes came about.

Amanda 05:04 I love it. I love it. And I love that you started with Love & then nudes, not the other way around. Because the love part is the part that I think is missing, right? It's the part that that really speaks to this idea of accepting yourself loving yourself first, before anything else. That's really fantastic. Thank you for sharing that. And thank you for being so vulnerable about your journey through breast cancer. I mean, what an incredible testimony to you, first of all, for your strength and your courage. But secondly, for turning that adversity, if you will, into advantage, right, like for looking at a situation and saying, Wait a minute, there's something bigger here, there's something I can do. There's a contribution I can make to the world. That is truly remarkable. Congratulations.

Chantal 05:58 Thank you so much.

Amanda 06:00 You know, you you mentioned in in what you were just sharing this idea that, you know, nude bras and underwear, they're designed to match the wearer's skin tone. And yet, for so long, most companies only catered to white skin tones. I mean, I would even go so far as to say, you know, when you looked at the crayons, in the Crayola box, right, the color nude was always this sort of peachy color, right? And it's only been in recent times, that that's changed. And Crayola now has, I think, 24 different skin tone colors that they call colors of the world. Tell me a little bit about the problem with the lack of skin tone diversity in the beauty and fashion industries.

Chantal 06:44 Wow, it's such a complex conversation. But if we start with colorism, it's basically this idea that lighter skin is better. And so this has been perpetuated for centuries. And unfortunately, it impacts the way people feel about themselves, especially women of color. And growing up, I can remember, like my grandmother saying, Don't stay in the sun too long, you're gonna get too dark. So this idea that darkness is bad, right? And so in the fashion industry, and in the beauty industry, this has also been perpetuated by having lighter skin tone models, and just not catering to women of color. And so when you don't see yourself represented, it makes you feel like you're not important, like you don't matter. And so this lack of diversity has really impacted the self esteem of so many women. And for me, it was really important to change that narrative, and to show women that their skin tone is beautiful, no matter how dark or light it is. And that's why Love & Nudes offers such a wide range of shades, so that every woman can find her perfect nude.

Amanda 08:12 Yeah, that's so good. You know, it makes me think about this idea of representation matters. And it matters not just for the people who aren't represented, but it matters for everyone. Because when we see diversity, when we see inclusivity, it actually makes us all better. It broadens our perspective, it challenges our biases, it makes us more empathetic. And ultimately, it makes society stronger.

Chantal 08:40 Absolutely. I couldn't agree more.

Amanda 08:42 So, you know, you started Love & Nudes in 2018, right in the thick of your cancer treatment. I mean, talk about resilience. What was that experience like launching a business while navigating such a significant health challenge?

Chantal 09:00 It was definitely challenging. There were days when I felt exhausted, overwhelmed. But having this purpose, having this mission to create something meaningful, it really fueled me. It gave me something positive to focus on during a really difficult time. And honestly, the support that I received from my family, my friends, the breast cancer community, it was incredible. It really showed me the power of community and connection.

Amanda 09:32 Yeah, yeah. That's beautiful. You know, you've touched on this a couple of times, this idea of purpose. And, you know, we believe that purpose is the foundation and the fuel for any business, any brand, any person. It's foundational because it gives meaning to what we do. And it's fuel because it keeps us going when things get tough. How has purpose guided Love & Nudes journey?

Chantal 10:00 Purpose has been everything for Love & Nudes. From the very beginning, our purpose was clear: to empower women of color, to challenge the status quo in the fashion industry, and to create a brand that celebrates diversity and inclusivity. This purpose informs every decision we make, from the shades we offer, to the models we feature, to the messages we share. It's our North Star. And it's what resonates with our community. People connect with Love & Nudes, not just because of the product, but because of the purpose behind it.

Amanda 10:39 Yeah, absolutely. And you know, that's the power of a purpose driven brand, right? It creates a deeper connection with customers, it builds loyalty, it attracts talent, it drives innovation. It really becomes a competitive advantage.

Chantal 10:55 Exactly. And it makes the work so much more fulfilling.

Amanda 11:00 For sure. So, you know, Love & Nudes isn't just about providing skin tone intimates. It's also about creating a community, a space where women of color feel seen, heard, and celebrated. How do you foster that sense of community?

Chantal 11:18 We foster community through storytelling, through representation, through dialogue. We share stories of women of color on our platform, highlighting their experiences, their triumphs, their beauty. We feature diverse models in our campaigns, showing the wide spectrum of beauty that exists. We engage in conversations about colorism, representation, self love, creating a safe space for women to share and connect. And we collaborate with other women of color owned businesses, amplifying each other's voices and impact. Community is at the heart of everything we do.

Amanda 12:00 That's incredible. It really sounds like you're building a movement, not just a brand.

Chantal 12:06 That's the goal. We want Love & Nudes to be more than just underwear. We want it to be a symbol of empowerment, a catalyst for change, a celebration of diversity.

Amanda 12:18 I love that. So, you know, looking ahead, what's next for Love & Nudes? What's your vision for the future?

Chantal 12:27 Our vision is to continue expanding our range of shades and sizes, making sure that even more women can find their perfect nude. We want to deepen our community engagement, creating more opportunities for connection and dialogue. We want to partner with more retailers, making Love & Nudes more accessible. And ultimately, we want to continue challenging the industry norms, pushing for greater diversity and inclusivity in fashion and beauty. We're just getting started.

Amanda 13:00 That's amazing. I have no doubt that you're going to achieve all of that and more. Your passion, your purpose, your resilience, it's truly inspiring. Chantal, thank you so much for sharing your journey and the story of Love & Nudes with us today. Before we sign off, in every episode, we like to leave our listeners with two practical purpose tips that they can apply today to power up their business and brand. What two tips would you share?

Chantal 13:32 First, find your why. Understand the deeper purpose behind your business. What problem are you solving? Who are you serving? What impact do you want to make? Let that purpose guide your decisions and fuel your passion. Second, build community. Connect with your audience on a deeper level. Create spaces for dialogue, representation, and connection. Foster a sense of belonging. When people feel seen and heard, they become loyal advocates for your brand.

Amanda 14:09 Fantastic advice. Find your why and build community. Thank you so much, Chantal. Where can people connect with you and learn more about Love & Nudes?

Chantal 14:20 You can find us at loveandnudes.com and on Instagram @loveandnudes.

Amanda 14:28 Awesome. We'll link those in the show notes. Chantal, thank you again for joining us. Thank you for your vulnerability, your wisdom, and for creating a brand that is truly making a difference.

Chantal 14:40 Thank you so much for having me, Amanda. It's been a pleasure.

Amanda 14:44 Thanks for listening to the Purpose Powered Brand Podcast. I'm Amanda Stassen. If you liked what you heard, be sure to share and subscribe on your favorite podcast player. We'd also love to hear what resonated with you. Or if you have a guest suggestion, drop us a line at info@bizu.co Special thanks to Mark Salam for original music and lead podcasting for production. Lastly, if you're ready to purchase power your brand to grow when and impact at scale. Let's talk visit www.bizu.co That's www.bizu.co. Bye for now.