Richelieu Dennis, known to most as the founder of Sundial Brands and Group Black co-founder, is keen to use business to change the world. His entrepreneurial expertise and skills in business have amassed him a multi-billion dollar personal care empire. Life wasn’t always so simple for Dennis as he was born and raised in Liberia during tumultuous times for both his parents’ home countries.

These humble beginnings shaped his vision of what it means to be a businessman. His ethos differs from those prominent in business as he looks for ways to make money but also how to meaningfully impact communities. Dennis has made waves in the business world and is keen to continue his exceptional growth. Let’s look at his background and what led him to be in such a fortuitous position.

Richelieu Dennis’s Early Life

Rich Dennis received a scholarship to attend Babson College, a private school in Wellesley, MA, and could leave Liberia. His early years in college saw him combine his passion for business and his natural entrepreneurial drive to begin selling his mother’s shea butter products. A master of her craft, Dennis’ mother provided her son with these high-quality products to sell to his classmates and, in turn, paid for his tuition and living costs. His initial foray into the skincare market was met with resounding success and inspired him to start his own company, Sundial Brands.

Sundial Brands, a Billion-Dollar Brand

Sundial Brands regularly achieves hundreds of millions of dollars in sales. As of 2018, the company was valued at an incredible $1.6 billion. The skincare company is renowned for its top-quality products with authentic ingredients that stay close to the product’s origin. When acquired by Unilever, Sundial Brands owned many popular brands, including SheaMoisture, Nubian Heritage, and Madam C.J. Walker. Following the sale of Sundial Brands, Richelieu Dennis started the New Voices Fund. The initial $50 million investment was to empower women of color entrepreneurs.

The Future for Dennis and Black Entrepreneurs

Dennis is keen to build on his life’s work of empowering black businesses to thrive in their communities. He aims to do this via Group Black, his collective that seeks increased spending within Black-owned media outlets, and his previously mentioned New Voices Fund.

Rich Dennis aims to expand his reach throughout the media industry and increase the visibility of people of color and their entrepreneurial endeavors. Dennis’ visionary ideas in the business world have generated billions of dollars in revenue. His work to bridge the gap between business and social responsibility led to groundbreaking innovation. He is keen to grow his reach via acquisition and organically and feels this is the best way to spread his message.

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