As part of Credo’s ongoing commitment to equity and inclusion, the retailer has announced the 10-person cohort for its second annual Credo for Change BIOPC Mentorship Program. Participants will receive dedicated advisory and business support to help prepare them for larger distribution in brick-and-mortar and direct-to-consumer platforms. The founders are:

• Michelle Kim, M’Chel Haircare
• Ariane Tuner, Look Good, Live Well
• Cece Meadows, Prados
• Helena Mendes, Mawena
• Pooja Ganesan, Booni Doon
• Kimberly Dillon, Frigg
• Erica Bigger, Wholly Gloss
• Jennifer Harper, Cheekbone Beauty
• Felix Palafox, Adonis Arcana
• Lucy Ashman, Tierra & Lava
• Sandra Lila Velasquez, Nopalera
• Keta Burke-Williams, Aspen pothecary
• Faustina Agolley, Communal

The five-month program kicks off August 13 and will include workshops, ranging from sales to legal, as well as face time with Credo executives, and the opportunity to pitch for funding. This past May, Common Heir, a sustainable skin care brand that participated in the inaugural 2020 program, was added to Credo’s clean beauty assortment.

“Credo for Change is a rewarding program for both sides and leverages what our team does best, which is mentoring indie brands, whether they’re sold at Credo or not,” said Annie Jackson, Credo Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer. “If they can benefit from the resources and network that we have—in addition to our deep retail experience—we’d like to share that so they can focus on growing and nurturing their businesses, rather than having to face unforeseen challenges.”