Nancy Twine has carved her own unique path in the business world. Pivoting from her first career as a VP at Goldman Sachs, she sought a different life filled with inspiration and purpose. Tapping into her mother's roots in natural product formulation, Nancy created Briogeo — the clean, high-performance hair care line that pioneered the "skinification" of hair movement. At the age of 29, Nancy became the then-youngest Black woman to launch a product line at Sephora, and the brand has gone on to win dozens of awards for innovation, including one of the highest number of Allure Beauty Awards in the prestige hair care space.
In 2022, less than 10 years after launch, Nancy sold Briogeo to The Wella Company. Nancy is one of the few Black CEOs and businesswomen who have successfully launched & scaled a global business, raised over $20M of Private Equity Funding, and who has sold her company in a strategic M&A process – all before the age of 40.
Nancy is now evolving once again, harnessing the power of her business expertise and life experience to enrich the lives of her community. By providing meaningful connections to information, tools and resources through Makers Mindset, Nancy is helping to open up a world of possibilities for others—and to empower everyone to create a life well lived. In 2024, Nancy launched the Dream Makers Founder Grant, a $1 Million initiative supporting underrepresented entrepreneurs, particularly spotlighting the talents and innovations of women founders in the consumer goods industry.
Today, Nancy is an active investor in multiple startups across the Beauty, Wellness, Food & Beverage, Tech, and Real Estate industries. She is also considered a leading expert in entrepreneurship, growth mindset, and female leadership and has been sought out for profiles and opinion from publications such as Inc., Forbes, WWD, NPR, Allure and Vogue. Nancy is the recipient of the Goldman Sachs Builders + Innovators Award, Entrepreneur’s 100 Women of Impact, Inc’s Female Founders 100, Essence Magazine Power 40, and Black Enterprise 40 Under 40. Nancy currently serves on the board of Cosmetic Executive Women and the philanthropic organization, Room to Grow.
To me, the "maker’s mindset" is about resourcefulness, curiosity, and vision. It’s seeing potential before it’s fully formed. It’s what allows people to turn ideas into something real, even when the path isn’t clear. You don’t have to be a founder to think like a maker; you just have to lead with creativity and take ownership of the spaces you’re in. It’s a way of thinking that encourages experimentation, problem-solving, and continuous learning... all traits that make great leaders.
That period was an important reset. I’d been operating at full speed for nearly a decade, so stepping back gave me the space to listen to my instincts, to my energy, and to what truly inspired me. Personally, I gave myself permission to slow down and reconnect with life outside of work. Professionally, I focused on where I could add the most value: helping other entrepreneurs build with clarity, intention, and staying power through my Makers Mindset platform. It wasn’t about rushing into a next thing, but about aligning with the right next thing.
I wish more founders, especially women, were talking about the long-term implications of fundraising and ownership. When you’re building something from the ground up, it’s easy to feel like more capital is always the answer. But every round, every investor, and every term sheet shapes the future of what you’ve built. Being thoughtful about who you bring onto your cap table, how much you raise, and when you raise it can make a massive difference in how much ownership and control you ultimately retain. Money is powerful, but alignment and timing are just as important. Smart capital can accelerate your vision, but the wrong capital can complicate it.
Resilience, without question. There have been plenty of moments when the outcome looked uncertain, but I’ve learned to trust the process and keep going. Progress often builds quietly before it becomes visible. Consistency and faith in your long game make all the difference.
My mother. She was a chemist and physician who taught me the power of curiosity, education, and service. She showed me that success isn’t just about what you achieve, but how you use it to make things better for others.
Time in the morning to think and reflect. Those quiet moments before the day begins help me stay grounded and intentional.
The rise of purpose-driven innovation. Brands and leaders focusing not just on growth, but on creating products and systems that genuinely improve people’s lives. There’s an exciting convergence of creativity, science, and consciousness happening right now that I think will define the next era.
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. It’s a timeless reminder that every step, even the uncertain ones, moves you closer to where you’re meant to be. It taught me to see detours as direction.
