Feb 22, 2023
My guest this week Carmin Black, Co-Founder and CEO of Half United. Founded in 2009 in Wilmington, N.C., Half United is a globally-minded human-first lifestyle brand committed to partnering with customers to fight hunger and empower lives with each purchase made.
Each collection reflects Carmin's love of fashion, philanthropy, and travel, seen every season in the product design, as well as the videos of the people and places where each purchase helps.
Half United is sold in more than 300 stores globally and embraces a philosophy of humans-first by fighting hunger and poverty, specifically for children and families, with every purchase made.
3:54 – Carmin 101
- Her company has been in business for 13 years and is socially minded.
- She is planning to segment her business into a for-profit and non-profit entity.
- Growing up, both of her grandfathers were ministers. There was always an emphasis on selflessness and giving to others.
- But she also loved fashion, just like the women in her family.
17:55 – Fighting hunger
- Carmin didn’t grow up hungry. Her family was the one giving food to hungry people.
- Food is one of the few things in life that is a level playing field. We all know what it means to be hungry, and we all need to eat.
22:42 – Chicken in a ditch
- Carmin loves a meal called “chicken in a ditch” and trying unique food around the world.
- Food is memorable and we need it. It creates a human connection.
36:07 – Peaks and valleys
- The valleys of life wear us down. For example, if your kids are driving your crazy and it happens often enough, you start thinking, “I don’t like my kids. What is wrong with me? Why am I a mom?” That’s a bad place to be.
- To make things better, ask God to get you back on track.
- When we think we are the masters of our fate and the dictators of our destiny and we don’t recognize a higher power, it’s not a good place to be.
41:50 – When to grow your business
- You have to trust your gut instinct about growing your business.
46:15 – Get to know you
- The last thing that made her laugh? Her brother’s jokes about her old vehicle.
- The last thing that made her cry? Stress of business and burnout.
FEATURED QUOTES
My mom, and many of the women in my family, were extremely fashionable and worked in the fashion industry.
I’m like, “Holy cow! We’ve got fashion. We’ve got philanthropy.”
I didn’t live in a home that personally battled hunger. We were the family that was giving to hungry people.
Food is one of the few things in life that is a level playing field. We all know what it means to be hungry, and we all need to eat.
When we think we are the masters of our fate and the dictators of our destiny and we don’t recognize a higher power, it’s not a good place to be.