"I love what I do because my products truly help people — of any age, any race. They're everyday essentials that bring households together.”
Rosie, CEO and founder of all-natural hair care brand, LuLit's Hair Essence, is deeply grateful to play a role in helping people restore their hair health, rebuild confidence, and reclaim a sense of well-being through her products.
The brand is not only mission-driven, but also deeply personal: both Rosie and her daughter experienced alopecia areata, a condition that causes patchy hair loss. Growing up, Rosie was told her bald spot was simply a “nerve spot,” and without a clear diagnosis or the words to understand it, those early experiences stayed with her — and later inspired her to explore ways to support others facing not only similar hair and scalp challenges but also a range of related needs she hadn’t yet encountered herself.
Today, her organic, herb-based products offer gentle, natural care for a wide range of hair and scalp concerns — from alopecia and hair regrowth after cancer, to beard care for men, cradle cap in children, thinning hair, and other common scalp issues.
“I didn’t want my daughter to go through the things that I went through,” Rosie reflects. That motivation pushed her to craft a business deeply connected to her own journey and values.
How it all began: Rosie’s path to building the brand
“When someone buys my oil, it's something everyone in the home can use. It creates a moment of care and connection. Natural healing supports your well-being, builds confidence, and helps you feel strong, centered, and well."
In July 2019, while recovering from shoulder surgery, Rosie finally had something she hadn’t had in a long time — space to slow down. And with that pause came the chance to start experimenting with her own ideas for natural hair care. She followed her curiosity, spending hours on Google and YouTube teaching herself how to make the products and learning what each ingredient was meant to do. After a serendipitous — and perfectly timed — bingo win, she used the prize money to buy the herbs she needed to start developing her products.
“I sent the products to people I knew all over the country — down south, up north, in different climates — to see how they’d respond," she says. "It was definitely trial and error, really listening to feedback and making the right adjustments. I started with 19 herbs and narrowed it down to 11 core herbs that are used in all LuLit’s products today.”
From research and in-home experimentation to completing an herbalist class, Rosie was immersing herself in the craft behind her products. Still, she knew there was more to learn about building her business. A couple of trusted mentors from the University of Iowa’s business department helped Rosie take the first steps, like officially registering LuLit’s Hair Essence, applying for an EIN, and starting to shape her vision into something real.
And it was one of those same mentors who then introduced her to the Cedar Valley Black Business Entrepreneurship and Accelerator program in 2020 — a local, free resource offering the kind of structured support Rosie knew she needed next. Launched by the 24/7 Black Leadership Advancement Consortium, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing Black professionals and entrepreneurs through leadership and opportunity, the 6-month accelerator was designed to help Black-owned businesses grow and thrive, especially during the pandemic.
Rosie put a lot of thought into getting things right from the start, knowing she didn’t have extra funds to rely on if something went wrong.
“There wasn’t room for me to figure things out as I went,” she says. “Starting this business at all was already a leap of faith, so I knew I had to be intentional.”
That same careful mindset carried over when Rosie weighed her options for financing, deciding both when and what kind of capital would be best for her business.
Character-based capital that came at just the right time
Five years in, LuLit’s Hair Essence had grown beyond its early days. Rosie was selling products online, in a clothing store, in six Hy-Vee stores, a local pharmacy, cosmetology schools, salons, and hair loss centers. Orders were coming in from across the U.S., with international sales reaching Canada and parts of Africa. As demand kept rising, Rosie started exploring financing options to support the next phase of growth.
She remembers a pivotal, albeit painful moment in that search.
“A couple years ago, I walked into a bank to apply for a business loan. They told me I didn’t have enough financial income. I said, ‘Well, I’m starting my business — I do have income.’ I even had three accounts with them. I asked them not to pull my credit if they weren’t going to approve me. But by the time I got to my car, I’d already received a notification that they’d done a hard pull. And they still denied the loan.”
Rosie understood that, on paper, she didn’t check all the boxes the bank was looking for. Her credit score was low, but she wasn’t ashamed of that. “That just comes from the life changes and struggles I’ve been through,” she says. “You have to do what you have to do to survive.”
Her experience reflects a larger reality: BIPOC-owned businesses are three times more likely to be turned away by banks, and 61% of Black women entrepreneurs have to self-fund their start-up capital. For Rosie, finding the right financial resources meant looking beyond traditional options. And that’s why she turned to Kiva.
Rosie had first been introduced to Kiva about five years prior, but a combination of fear, a bit of skepticism, and, most importantly, a realization that she did not need a loan at the time prompted her not to go through with the process at the time. Now, she felt as ready as she’d ever be.
“I went back to that old email — yes I did! — and reached out to Kaitlin (Kiva Capital Access Manager for NewBoCo, the Kiva U.S. Hub based in Iowa),” Rosie said. “I told her, ‘I think I’m ready,’ and Kaitlin replied, ‘Yes, I remember you!’ She sent me the application, I jumped on it the next morning, and within the same week I had the loan terms.”
Rosie launched her Kiva crowdfunding campaign and was blown away by how fast it moved. “I still had 20-something days left — and it was already fully funded! Dream City (a NewBoCo community partner and Kiva U.S. Trustee) didn’t even get a chance to promote the campaign. I was like, ‘What?! I can’t take any more money!’” In February 2025, Rosie’s zero-interest, no-fee, $9,000 Kiva loan was fully funded in just 15 days, powered by more than 200 lenders who were moved by Rosie’s story and felt compelled to support her in her journey. She has since used the funds to invest in a bottling machine, a larger mixer for the conditioner, and other appliances — equipment that’s helped speed up her production process.
“I’m just so thankful for it. remember thinking, I just need someone to give me a chance — something to help me grow my business without it all coming from me. That’s the Kiva process in a nutshell.”
“I’m just so thankful for it,” Rosie said. “I remember thinking, I just need someone to give me a chance — something to help me grow my business without it all coming from me. That’s the Kiva process in a nutshell.”
For Rosie, it wasn’t just about funding — it was about being seen and supported, about being given that chance. “If you can show that you can do this,” she added, “then the Kiva community is going to help you build it — and that’s exactly what I got from it.”
Rosie is not only grateful to the Kiva community for believing in her but also thankful that she trusted her intuition and didn’t rush into the process before she was ready.
“I didn’t get the loan when I wanted it — I got it when I needed it,” Rosie said. “When I first learned about Kiva years ago, I wasn’t ready. If you’re thinking about a loan, make sure it’s the right time for your business. Do it when you need it, not just because you want it. When I was ready to grow and scale the business, I decided to apply — and by then, I had everything in place: all my documentation, along with the experience and confidence I’d built over the years running the business.”
She’s also grateful for what Kiva represents to underestimated entrepreneurs: hope in the face of rejection, opportunities instead of obstacles, and trust instead of doubt.
“It’s hard going into banks asking for help when you don’t meet their criteria. You know you’re capable of paying it back and need the loan to grow—to buy inventory, get equipment, and expand wholesale. But they say no. Kiva didn’t, and I was so thankful.”
Community connections, authenticity, and paying it forward
Just as the Kiva community showed up for Rosie, so has her own community in the greater Waterloo, Iowa area, where she’s based. She notes that word-of-mouth marketing has been the most significant driver of her business’s growth. In addition to LuLits’ retail presence, Rosie actively participates in events and festivals across Iowa, including the Women’s Leadership & Empowerment Conference in Hawkeye, Sista Soul Fest in Waterloo, the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life, and others. Her purpose-driven work has also gained media attention — she’s been featured by both local and national outlets, from Canvas Rebel and Bold Journey Magazine to the Cedar Rapids Gazette and the University of Northern Iowa, as well as through radio and podcasts, including Iowa’s Corn Country, Focus on Diabetes, and The Puffy Hair Podcast.
It’s no wonder she’s become a local celebrity. “I go to the store wearing a cap, and people still stop me saying, ‘Oh hey Miss Rosie, I need to get some more oil!’ It happens everywhere I go,” she laughs. “Just two weeks ago at a jazz brunch in Des Moines, I was in line getting my food when a woman said, ‘I didn’t know you’d be here, Miss Rosie! Do you have some more oil?’”
When reflecting on what she enjoys most about running her business, Rosie thinks about the heart-to-heart conversations with neighbors and perfect strangers alike who, after hearing her story, feel comfortable trusting her with theirs.
“That’s the part I love most—connecting with my customers, asking questions, and hearing their stories. I also really enjoy seeing the pictures they share of how my products have helped them. My story is what my brand is, and sharing it has been a truly rewarding part of this journey.”
And that storytelling begins with the LuLit’s Hair Essence banner that people see at pop-ups and other events.
“I wanted my banner to be visual, with pictures — not a lot of words. I wanted people to understand what it’s about just by looking at it," Rosie says. "And for those who might see themselves in those photos, it helps start a conversation — especially since many people don’t want others to know they’re having hair issues, or you might not even realize they are. I always tell them, ‘I’m just like you — I went through the same thing growing up.’”
Rosie is making a positive impact in her community in more ways than one. She serves as a business mentor for the Mandela Washington Fellowship Program and also works with Central Middle School’s “Recharge You” program, where she talks with students about healthcare, hygiene, and natural haircare — often using her own products. She focuses on helping students develop positive behaviors and attitudes, encouraging acceptance and compassion for themselves and others. Sometimes it’s the little things — like handing a student a bottle of hair oil — that make a big difference and help boost their confidence.
She’s deeply grateful for the platform her business has given her. “I’m always going to continue to support and uplift,” Rosie says. “And the most powerful way to do that is by being authentically me, continuing to step outside my comfort zone and speaking up. I try to be true to myself in everything I do, and that’s made all the difference for me.”
Subscribe to Kiva's LinkedIn newsletter, Underestimated Entrepreneurs for more stories like this, or enter your email to join our email list:
