In this episode of How They Scaled It, host Courtney sits down with Chelsey Hayes, co-founder and CEO of Brown Babee, a clean personal care brand offering plant-based products for infants and children with eczema-prone skin. This is the story behind the mission-led company woven from the threads of love, challenge, and community.
A Businesswoman Since Age Seven
Chelsey Hayes didn’t stumble into entrepreneurship. She knew from childhood that one day she’d build a business. With both undergraduate and graduate degrees in business, she spent over a decade building billion-dollar government programs as a federal contract negotiator. But beneath her professional accomplishments was a quiet but persistent desire to create something of her own—something rooted in purpose.
That purpose became crystal clear after Chelsey became a mom, a journey hard-earned through cancer, endometriosis, and a deeply moving surrogacy experience. When her infant daughter was diagnosed with eczema at four months old, Chelsey faced a decision: accept a prescription cream with steroids or find another way.
Her instincts told her to forge a new path.
From YouTube Research to First Formula
Most parents facing an eczema diagnosis try a handful of store-bought creams. Chelsey did something different. She turned to YouTube, researching formulation videos and eventually reaching out to a cosmetic chemist to help her create a custom product for her daughter.
Initially, this was just for her family. But mentors and makers along the way urged her to keep going. The formulas were working. Her story was resonating. And eventually, Chelsey realized she had something real: a product people needed and a story people believed in.
“I had to understand my ‘why’,” she shares. “It wasn’t just about my daughter’s eczema. It was about building something bigger than myself—something rooted in community and healing.”
Betting on Herself (and Finding Her People)
Chelsey’s first attempts at outside funding were met with rejection. She pitched to investors who couldn’t see the vision—and for a moment, she doubted herself. But instead of giving up, she got quiet. She returned to her roots of inner listening and chose to bet on herself.
She invested $30,000 of her personal savings. And when she shared that bold move with her co-founders, one matched it. Then their advisor matched them both. Just like that, a $90,000 foundation was built—not through flashy VC funding, but through belief, partnership, and shared vision.
It wasn’t the only turning point. Earlier, a co-founder had stepped away, overwhelmed by life. That too felt like a loss—until Chelsey reframed it as a redirection. “Everyone shows up when they’re supposed to,” she says. “And everyone leaves when they’re supposed to.”
A Brand Built on Stillness, Not Speed
In an era of “launch fast, iterate later,” Chelsey and her team are doing something radical: they’re taking their time.
Brown Babee plans to launch in October 2025, with a pre-launch in August. Why the wait? Because Chelsey understands that in consumer products, especially when dealing with infant skin, there’s no room for shortcuts. She’s building not just a product, but a community. And that takes time.
Strategic partnerships, particularly with a manufacturer who once walked the founder’s path, have become essential to their plan for scale. That partner now offers product development, manufacturing, fulfillment, and logistical support, allowing the Brown Babee team to stay focused on product integrity and storytelling.
“There are moments to be still in business,” Chelsey says. “And that stillness is what leads to clarity.”
Story First. Always.
One thing that hasn’t wavered is Chelsey’s belief in the power of story. Brown Babee is more than a name. It’s a reflection of her journey through ovarian cancer, endometriosis, IVF, and finally, surrogacy. It’s the embodiment of her ten-year fight to become a mom.
Though some advisors questioned whether the name might alienate certain buyers, Chelsey has stood firm. Brown Babee isn’t about exclusion, it’s about identity, healing, and love. “With the right storytelling,” she says, “the people who are meant to understand it will understand it.”
That story, in turn, is creating space for other parents, especially Black mothers, to feel seen, heard, and supported.
Foundations First, Growth Next
Brown Babee has already received recognition as a Black Ambition Prize semifinalist and participated in the New Voices Foundation’s Madam CJ Walker Bootcamp. Both experiences gave Chelsey a clearer roadmap for building a scalable, strategic brand and introduced her to a powerful network of mentors and peers.
Now, as they refine their go-to-market plan and develop customer experience roadmaps, the team’s focus is simple: deliver a high-integrity product, foster community through shared values, and grow at the pace of purpose.
Asked what advice she’d give herself at the beginning, Chelsey responds with deep emotion: “I would tell myself, ‘You are worthy.’ I didn’t believe it then. But I believe it now.”
Want to hear the full conversation?
Listen to Episode 16 of How They Scaled It on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/76wDh2BdP9GHDeA1HmA1Mm
If you’re a DTC founder looking to scale smarter, let’s talk. Right Left Agency helps brands like yours harness psychology-driven marketing for real growth. Get in touch today!
To learn more about Brown Babee, visit Brownbabee.com.
