Coined a “beauty pioneer” by Essence Magazine, Rochelle Graham-Campbell is the Founder of Alikay Naturals hair products, Black Onyx 77 YouTube Channel, RISE Women Empowerment and Mogul University.
Because she started her company at a young age, her son literally grew up in the company. Now, her daughter has arrived and Alikay Naturals is a full family affair. In this episode, Rochelle shares about how she manages her two children all while building an empire with her products in over 150 retailers including Target and Walmart. She talks about how she worked tirelessly in the early days, her moment of burnout – which was a scare for not only her but her family and now she places her health at utmost importance, how she communicates when she needs a break to her family and her staff, and how she follows her dreams while being an amazing mom and wife.
Rochelle’s Bio
Coined a “beauty pioneer” by Essence Magazine at the age of 26, Rochelle Graham-Campbell
is a visionary in the hair care industry that has felt a connection with nature since her early
Jamaican countryside childhood with her herbalist grandmother. Earning YouTube’s prestigious
Silver Play Button Award, there’s no question why Rochelle’s BlackOnyx77 channel gained
notoriety as THE go-to source for natural hair, fashion, makeup and Jamaican cooking inspiration
on the top-rated video-sharing platform. With over 109K+ subscribers and 16 million views on her YouTube channel, Rochelle offers a powerful platform that empowers women through getting to the “root of you” to define their own beauty and live a life without limits.
Born in Montego Bay and raised in the United States, the Millennial Beauty Boss had always
struggled with finding natural products for her textured hair. After the chemical over processing
from “going with the trends” had left her tresses weak, Rochelle began documenting her own
journey of embracing her natural hair texture after chopping off her damaged hair. Rochelle,
AKA BlackOnyx77, started her YouTube channel in 2008 as a way to keep track of her new styles in between her classes at the University of South Florida. Incorporating content surrounding self-
love, Graham educated viewers on the importance of ingredients and healthy styling options.
One of the original 5 natural influencers on the now popular video platform; Rochelle
recorded YouTube videos right out of the bathroom of her small college apartment.
Frustrated with the lack of availability of affordable products for kinkier hair textures like hers,
Rochelle went back to her Caribbean roots and began the research needed to bring the
holistic hair & skin remedies that she learned from her grandmother to life with the creation of
custom blended products composed of the richest natural & organic ingredients enriched with
healing properties and natural humectants to not only keep natural hair healthy, but nurture and
replenish moisture from root to tip. With a strong & loyal YouTube following under her belt and a
$100 initial investment she earned waiting tables, Rochelle and her husband, Demond Campbell
converted their kitchen into their first Alikay NaturalsTMlaboratory.
Nine years later after launching in 2009, Alikay NaturalsTM has flourished to become one of the
fastest growing, multi-million dollar natural beauty brands. The award-winning products are
currently available at select Target, Rite Aid, Kroger, Walmart, JC Penney, Meijer, Face Values
and CVS stores nationwide. The hair, skin & body care line can also be found at over 150
independent retail locations worldwide; including France, Netherlands, Canada, United
Kingdom, Jamaica and Bermuda. The line is also available on the Alikay NaturalsTM
website Alikaynaturals.com.
Rochelle’s dedication to using education to debunk negative undertones associated with words
like “kinky” or “coarse” has propelled her to the forefront of a natural beauty movement as a
flourishing on-air personality and coily tress expert. In 2011, the same year that she received her
BS in Business Marketing, Graham recorded and released a video launching the groundbreaking
process called The L.O.C. MethodTM; a now coveted technique implemented by curly haired
women around the world to seal in moisture and prevent dry, damaged hair. She has been
featured in publications such as The New York Times, Black Enterprise, Forbes, Hype Hair, Inside
Edition, Upscale, Sheen and Business Observer.
Awarded Gulf Shore Business Magazine’s “40 under 40” Award for business excellence and a
Faces Award for advocating for diversity in business; the CEO is a business mogul who uses her
brands across multiple industries (Alikay Naturals, Mogul UniversityTM, Rochelle Alikay and
BlackOnyx77TM) as platforms to inspire and empower women to except no limitations when it
comes to achieving their dreams. In 2015, Rochelle co-founded the R.I.S.E Women
Empowerment TourTM. When she is not traveling the globe educating and speaking to
audiences about empowerment, fashion, beauty and entrepreneurship; Rochelle gives back
through the charitable events hosted by her Alikay Cares Foundation and cares for her son,
Landon, and daughter, Serenity Sapphire.
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