As a 3 part series over the next few weeks, we’ll be introducing fresh faces from Birmingham’s entrepreneurial community.  All were part of the CO.STARTERS program.  Find out more about the programs and its most recent graduates here.


CO.STARTERS is an international program that helps budding entrepreneurs equip themselves with the information needed to succeed, while also connecting them to a network of established business owners. 


The Birmingham chapter, led by Create Birmingham, has helped some of the Magic City’s best organizations transform from a mere vision to a money-making reality. The impressive list includes Eugene’s Hot Chicken, Magic City Dentistry, Burdock Book Collective, Seasick Records, Thank You Books, The Shoe Clinic LLC, Bib & Tucker Sew-Op, Left Hand Soap Co., Ghost Train Brewing Company, Domestique Coffee, and so many other Birmingham favorites. 


Nine new cohorts recently joined this inspirational graduate list, and during a worldwide pandemic. As Jessica Moody, the Director of Programs for Create Birmingham, stated “CO.STARTERS is traditionally held in person around a large table. When we made the shift last year to all virtually, it took a while to get used to. It’s hard to look at a screen for three hours at a time. 

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This group was full of businesses related to wellness, sustainability, and social causes. Their ideas aren’t just about making a living, they are about impacting their community. The writer of this article, Tim Majors, was one of these cohorts, and asked his fellow graduates to share a few words about their endeavors. 

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VERDE LUSSO


When Mary Frances Dale moved to Birmingham, Alabama, in September 2020, she immediately saw a need for a clean beauty and wellness destination. Originally from small town TN, she was inspired to make the switch to clean beauty during high school when her mom became very sick with an auto-immune disease. At the time, she found it nearly impossible to shop for non-toxic beauty products in her hometown. 


During her six years in Washington, D.C. and New York City, she committed herself to discovering the best of clean beauty and holistic living. She launched a clean beauty blog and worked with a successful clean beauty retailer in Georgetown, DC. 


Her company VERDE LUSSO, which means “green luxury” in Italian, is a luxury clean beauty and wellness shop offering clean products you can feel good about. While the brand started as a curated clean beauty box, it is now expanding into a full-fledged retailer, launching with at least 15 of the top brands in clean beauty and carrying products in the skincare, make-up, hair-care and wellness product categories. 


This summer, VERDE LUSSO will be hosting pop-ups in the Birmingham area and plans to open a brick and mortar location in Birmingham next along with a fully revamped online store that will be rolling out soon. Mary Frances plans to offer personalized skincare and beauty recommendations in-store and clean beauty edits online. Follow her brand online at www.verdelusso.com or on Instagram @verdelussocleanbeauty.

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Heart 2 Hand Yoga

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Hello! I am SaMone S. Jackson, and I am the founder of Heart 2 Hand Yoga. I fell into yoga during college and have been engaging and growing in yoga on and off the mat for over 10 years. After I graduated college, I combined my love of yoga to meet the needs of those with physical or mental limitations. 


I am 200-hour certified in Iyengar-based yoga which helps you adapt to the pose by using props, supports and gentle guidance. With my new business, I hope that I can help people in the community learn more about their bodies, grow love in their hearts and spread that love to every person they meet.  I am a native of Fairfield, Alabama and received my Masters in Occupational Therapy at Tuskegee University.


To learn more or schedule a class, follow us on Instagram at Heart2HandYoga.

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HOAM Candle Co.

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I’m Derek DeAndre, the Founder of HOAM Candle Co., an aroma company that specializes in curating unique and inviting scent experiences by combining luxurious natural wax blends with complex international fragrance oils. We use the best quality ingredients to produce our clean burn candles and home goods. 

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My mission became to build a brand that is totally focused on products that bring people to their place of peace, align them with their center, and create a place that feels like home, no matter where you are. 

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I invite you to follow our journey on Instagram & Facebook @hoamcandleco and join the #HOAMteam email list at hoamcandle.co to gain exclusive insider access to all products and updates. Welcome HOAM!

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*Stay tuned next week for CO.STARTERS Part 2 and meet 3 more exciting new faces!