What does it take to succeed in an industry that has for so long undervalued the beauty and dollars of African American women? For starters, it takes a lot of creativity coupled with a passion for doing what you love.

Last night in New York City, Renae Bluitt, creator of In Her Shoes Blog and owner of CRUSH Media, hosted six entrepreneurs who dished on exactly how they built their businesses, overcame obstacles and discovered the tipping point (read Malcolm Gladwell’s Tipping Point if you have no idea what we’re talking about here) of building their burgeoning brands.

Here’s a look at the top Black female entrepreneurs slaying the beauty industry and a few words of wisdom on lessons they’ve learned in building their business: