From Kitchen to Multimillion-Dollar Empire: Melissa Butler’s Blueprint for Entrepreneurial Success at GTCO Masterclass
By Arikawe Femi, Field Correspondent
The atmosphere was electric at the GTCO Masterclass Series, as Melissa Butler, founder of the award-winning The Lip Bar (@thelipbar), took the stage to share her journey from a kitchen experiment to a multimillion-dollar beauty brand. With products now stocked in major retail stores across the United States, Butler’s story is a living blueprint for aspiring entrepreneurs.
Melissa Butler, founder of the award-winning The Lip Bar
Starting from Zero
“I started from zero — literally from my kitchen,” Butler began, her voice resonating with both vulnerability and determination. “Nothing happens overnight. Building a business is about learning from your mistakes and believing in yourself, even when others don’t.”
Raised in Detroit, Butler had role models and a community she could relate to, but moving to New York and working on Wall Street exposed her to a world that tested her confidence. “You try something, you fail, and sometimes you forget your own excellence,” she admitted. Yet, her corporate experience proved invaluable: “On Wall Street, I learned how to persuade, be succinct, and present myself — skills that I later applied to building The Lip Bar.”
Clarity, Mission, and Community
Butler emphasized the importance of defining your mission and audience. Entrepreneurs must know why customers should choose them over competitors. “You’re not just growing a business; you’re growing yourself. You determine who you want to be as a leader, how to price your products, and who you are serving,” she explained.
Social media, Butler noted, is the fastest and most cost-effective way to build a community. “Even from a small city, you can start exactly where you are, test, learn, and engage your audience.” This community, she said, becomes the backbone of feedback, loyalty, and growth.
Financial Literacy and Pricing Strategy
Knowing the numbers, Butler stressed, is essential. “Many entrepreneurs are afraid of their numbers — costs, margins, and expenses. That can make a business unprofitable.” Her own journey involved a significant pricing pivot: launching in 2012 at $20 per lipstick, she later reduced prices to $12 to make products accessible to her community. “If they can’t afford it, I’m going to make it happen,” she said, a move that expanded her market and laid the foundation for long-term growth.
Leadership and Team Management
Managing people, especially friends and family, posed early challenges. Butler shared, “Managing people is harder than managing the business. Emotion can’t get in the way of progress. You must draw clear lines of responsibility.” Understanding different personalities and motivations, she explained, is critical for effective leadership.
Fear of Failure and Resilience
One of the most resonant parts of the session was on overcoming fear. Butler recalled her experience on Shark Tank, where investors initially dismissed her idea in front of millions. “Most people fear failing publicly. I did, but failure is not the end — it’s an opportunity to fail forward, learn, and improve,” she said. Her advice: “Decide whether you want to impress yourself today or your future self who will be proud after learning from failure.”
Building Longevity and Staying Relevant
Butler’s success is rooted in community engagement, product innovation, and adaptability. By listening to customers, iterating based on feedback, and remaining committed to quality, she has kept The Lip Bar relevant in a fast-moving, trend-driven industry.
Advice to Aspiring Entrepreneurs
Throughout the session, Butler offered actionable guidance:
- Be clear about your mission, audience, and differentiation.
- Build a community early, especially online.
Understand your numbers, pricing, and cost structure. - Manage your team with intentionality and emotional intelligence.
- Embrace failure as a learning tool.
A Legacy of Empowerment
Melissa Butler’s journey is not just about lipsticks; it’s about resilience, representation, and empowerment. From her kitchen in Detroit to retail stores across the United States, she has shown that a vision, when combined with strategy and persistence, can inspire thousands and transform lives.
As attendees left the GTCO Masterclass, it was clear they had witnessed more than a session — they had seen a masterclass in entrepreneurship, perseverance, and purpose-driven leadership, all exemplified by one of the most influential voices in beauty today.
