• Celebrity
    • Of The Essence
    • Celebrity News
    • If Not For My Girls
    • The State Of R&B
    • Time Of Essence
  • Fashion
    • 2023 Best In Black Fashion Awards
    • 2023 Fashion House
    • Red Carpet
    • Fashion News
    • Accessories
  • Beauty
    • Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
    • 2023 Best In Black Beauty
    • Skin
    • Makeup
    • Nails
    • Hair
  • Lifestyle
    • Love
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
    • Bridal Bliss
    • Lifestyle News
    • Health & Wellness
    • ESSENCE Eats
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
  • Entrepreneurship
    • Money & Career
    • SOKO MRKT
  • News
    • Latest News
    • Paint The Polls Black
    • Culture
    • Politics
  • Shopping
    • Essence Holiday Gift Guide 2023
  • Video
  • Events
    • 2023 Fashion House
    • 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture
    • 2023 Wellness House
    • 2023 Black Women In Hollywood
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2023 HOLLYWOOD HOUSE
  • Studios
  • Girls United

WHERE BLACK CULTURE, COMMUNITY AND CONSCIOUSNESS MEET

Sign up for ESSENCE Newsletters the keep the Black women at the forefront of conversation.

Your email is required.
Your email is in invalid format.
Confirm email is required.
Email did not match.
Select the newsletters you'd like to receive:
Please select at least one option.
By clicking Subscribe Now, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Skip to content
SUBSCRIBE
  • MAGAZINE
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Celebrity
    • Of The Essence
    • Celebrity News
    • If Not For My Girls
    • The State Of R&B
    • Time Of Essence
  • Fashion
    • 2023 Best In Black Fashion Awards
    • 2023 Fashion House
    • Red Carpet
    • Fashion News
    • Accessories
  • Beauty
    • Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
    • 2023 Best In Black Beauty
    • Skin
    • Makeup
    • Nails
    • Hair
      • Hair News
      • Natural
      • Relaxed
      • Transitioning
      • Weave
      • 4C
  • Lifestyle
    • Love
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
    • Bridal Bliss
    • Lifestyle News
    • Health & Wellness
    • ESSENCE Eats
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
  • Entrepreneurship
    • Money & Career
    • SOKO MRKT
  • News
    • Latest News
    • Paint The Polls Black
    • Culture
    • Politics
  • Shopping
    • Essence Holiday Gift Guide 2023
  • Video
  • Events
    • 2023 Fashion House
    • 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture
    • 2023 Wellness House
    • 2023 Black Women In Hollywood
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2023 HOLLYWOOD HOUSE
  • Studios
  • Girls United
Home • News

Partnering for Profit

In the heart of Brooklyn's beautiful Prospect-Lefferts Gardens neighborhood, Janai Nelson, 39, and Crystal Granderson-Reid, 38, became fast friends. Married to men who were also buddies, the two had children of similar ages...
Partnering for Profit
Business Women
By Tanisha A. Sykes  · Updated October 28, 2020
In the heart of Brooklyn’s beautiful Prospect-Lefferts Gardens neighborhood, Janai Nelson, 39, and Crystal Granderson-Reid, 38, became fast friends. Married to men who were also buddies, the two had children of similar ages: Nelson is the mother of a 5-year-old daughter and 7-year-old son, while Granderson-Reid has three daughters, ages 5, 7 and 10. The two families bonded over brunches, mommy and baby group meetings and “the socially conscious way we wanted to raise our children,” says Nelson. But as much as they both valued global diversity, they noticed that it was missing from the toys their children loved. “Together we chose to create a brand that celebrates diversity and fosters cross-cultural understanding in children,” says Granderson-Reid, who in 2006 joined with Nelson to start the very successful Brownstone Babies, LLC.

The company designs children’s products with an educational focus. Its premier offering is Brownstone Buddies, a line of multicultural dolls that include an African-American math whiz, a Spanish book lover and an Indian dancer. With their creations now selling briskly at FAO Schwarz (fao.com) and other outlets, the duo talk about lessons learned and what it really takes to form a successful enterprise.

ON SETTING UP THE BUSINESS: From inception they were determined to keep efficient records for business and legal purposes. Before taking their concepts and images public, they made sure their business plan, partnership agreement, copyrights, trademarks, nondisclosure agreements and legal team were all in place to protect their intellectual property and help them gain access to their chosen industries.

ON DEFINING A NICHE: The two friends had scoured retail stores and Web sites and found that none of the products truly reflected the diverse nature of their community. From market research and their own experience, they knew that when young children are exposed to positive cultural images, those messages leave a lasting impression. So they targeted the preschool set, providing them with toys that closely resembled the diversity of the real world. Brownstone Buddies resonated with kids, caregivers, collectors and other consumers.

ON FAILING UP: In 2006 the Brownstone Buddies brand was the top pick of more than 200 entries in the FAO Toy Auditions. Winning a chance to launch their line at the legendary toy store was a game changer, but the rollout was stalled by an internal reorganization at FAO Schwarz and its subsequent acquisition by Toys “R” Us. It made the two designers wonder: Would their start-up survive? In 2009 FAO Schwarz launched their line. It was a difficult time, but hurdling over each challenge was an incentive for them to work harder for success.

BEFORE LAUNCHING

Make sure partnership agreements, copyrights and trademarks are already in place.
COMPANY INFORMATION
  • Our Company
  • Customer Service
  • Essence Ventures
  • Change Your Address
  • Contact Us
  • Job Opportunities
  • Internships
  • Media Kit
  • tag
SUBSCRIBE
  • Newsletters
  • Give a Gift of ESSENCE
  • Magazine Tablet Edition
FOLLOW US
MORE ON ESSENCE
  • Home
  • Love
  • Celebrity
  • Beauty
  • Hair
  • Fashion
  • ESSENCE festival

ESSENCE.com is part of ESSENCE Communications, Inc.

Essence may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.

©2023 ESSENCE Communications Inc. All Rights Reserved. | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Essence.com Advertising Terms

Get The ESSENCE Newsletter and
Special Offers delivered to your inbox

By clicking Sign Up, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Get The ESSENCE Magazine
by subscribing below
subscribe now