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Meet The Former Housekeeper Who Built A $50 Million Beauty Empire

By Nickie Robinson, Special to California Business Journal

It was evident, even as a teen, that Raynell “Supa Cent” Steward would one day become a CEO.

The entrepreneurial spirit has always been inside of her. In her native city of New Orleans, she sold everything from phone cases to t-shirts and was involved in promotions before embarking her multi-million-dollar business, The Crayon Case.

The word “crayon” is more symbolic than a box of coloring tools. To Supa Cent, “crayons are vessels to a world of opportunities and ignite a color array of dreams — dreams that would come true.”

Supa Cent’s love for the power of colors sparked her love of makeup.

In a quest to learn more about makeup, she mastered its application like a professional makeup artist. Quietly but persistently, she sampled, invested, and passionately created the “Crayon Case,” which has approximately one million followers on Instagram.

Overall, Supa has approximately three million Instagram followers, making her what is called a ‘super influencer.’ She also launched over 100 products with one release, earning $1M in less than 90 minutes.

“The Crayon Case brand is a safe haven for the amateur make-up artist and newbies to the makeup world,” she says. “It’s how my audience resonates with me.”

With multiple sell outs, and hectic restock days, Supa continues to nurture her brand.

Once sold in almost 3,000 Walmart locations, the brand is now only sold on its website with special items available on Amazon.

On June 1, 2023, the sixth anniversary of the Crayon Case, Supa Cent launched a new eyeshadow palette in anticipation of a larger release in Summer 2023.

Fame has not changed her. She is a strong advocate for her community and effortlessly gives and offers opportunities for those in need and desiring more.

Becoming the employer to those who continuously had doors shut in their faces will not be the last highlight for Supa. She strives for more. As a businesswoman of color, the odds are slightly against her, but she continues to make her presence stronger than her battles.