We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Fatima TOURE a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Fatima, thank you so much for opening up with us about some important, but sometimes personal topics. One that really matters to us is overcoming Imposter Syndrome because we’ve seen how so many people are held back in life because of this and so we’d really appreciate hearing about how you overcame Imposter Syndrome.
Overcoming imposter syndrome has been a journey. I do not believe I have fully overcome it because I still have moments of doubt, however I have learned how to manage and self-check when I am falling into it, First I had to understand truly what imposter syndrome was. I knew what I was doing but I never had a word for it. Doubting myself had been something I did since young like a natural habit. On the outside it appears that I have everything figured out but on the inside I struggled a lot with thinking I am capable. When I was able to give this habit a name, I realized I was not the only person who felt constant self-doubt. In a weird way, it was comforting to know that its a highly common experience amongst people. As I began growing and business and wanting more for my business I had to sit with myself. I had to address why I felt this way. What I discovered is my imposter syndrome came from childhood, not feeling good enough because I was not chose to be a part of certain clubs/organizations. I believe that stuck with me as an adult, preventing me from putting myself out there or having the confidence to think I was good enough. Now as a fully grown and aware woman I try to manage my self-doubt. After acknowledging that I have imposter syndrome I had to mentally change my outlook. I had to normalize failure, I had to know that I may hear no but so what. I had to celebrate my win, something I struggled with. Its as if every time I did accomplish something I would check it off my list and look for what was next to get done instead of basking in the moment of celebration. I created a team around me of women I trust who could help me bring my vision for my brand to fruition. It feels good having them because any moment I get into negative self-talk they wheel me back out and remind me what I have created is gold. Their encouragement and shared experiences made me realize I am not alone in this struggle. Learning more and becoming a student in my business has also helped me remove doubt because learning is power. I began to appreciate the journey of acquiring new skills rather than fixating on the destination. Lastly, self-reflection has been a major game changer. Regular self-reflection allows me to track my growth over time. Looking back at where I began, in my mothers kitchen in 2019 to where I am now. All the time between then and now and appreciating the story that I will someday get to tell helps gives me the courage and confidence to keep going.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I’m Fatoumata Fatima Toure (most people call me Fatima,) a West African-American woman on the move. I recently relocated from New York, bidding adieu to the hustle and bustle of Times Square. Now, I’m soaking in the Texan vibes, ready to embark on this new chapter in Houston.
Growing up, I was surrounded by the magic of Guinean skin care – raw shea butter. It was practically a ritual in my household. Every family member returning from Guinea brought back jars of this stuff. But life took me down a different path.
My conservative African parents had dreams of me becoming a doctor or a lawyer. So, you bet I felt the pressure to succeed. I did the whole school thing, rocked some modern dance moves, and even joined the debate club – all to live up to my parents’ expectations.
While chasing what my parents thought was the American dream, little did I know I was planting the seeds for my own business. Shea butter, the very thing I grew up with, turned out to be the secret sauce. In my teenage years, I got swept up in European beauty standards, trying all kinds of creams for that elusive “flawless skin.”
Fast forward to adulting – I’m began teaching math to sixth-graders in Brooklyn. Friends and colleagues start asking about my skin routine. Then, one day during my mom’s lecture, a lightbulb moment: turn my hobby into a business. I laughed it off, but my cousin was all in. Excuses were tossed around, but they crumbled under the weight of possibility.
So, in April 2019, while wrangling sixth-graders, I launched Moussou Beauty. Juggling teaching and building my business on the side became the new normal.My philosophy? Beauty isn’t about flawless skin; it’s about healthy skin. And I’ve got the perfect mix of natural ingredients to prove it.
Now in the heart of Houston, my mission is to create easy beauty regimens inspired by my West African culture and the holistic beauty practices of Guinean women – all presented in a modern way. This is my story – a journey of embracing my roots, defying expectations, and redefining beauty on my own terms.
Moussou Beauty offers body care products with shea butter imported from Guinea, West Africa, known for its rich vitamins and fatty acids, moisturizing, and anti-inflammatory benefits. Our whipped body butters are creamy, intensely hyrdrating, and come in five options: Coconilla, Operation Orange, Slay Lavender + Repeat, Native, and Milk + Honey, available in 2- and 6-ounce jars. We’re soon introducing body butter bars and relaunching Footi, our African exfoliating scrub.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Having superb customer service has been crucial for my business. It helped me early on fosters loyalty and positive word-of-mouth, contributing to repeat business and attracting new customers. It has allowed me to grow with my “tribe.” They want to be a part of this journey of turning this small business into a big business. On top of that, I believe my communication degree, interning for PR companies, working as a production assistant at 360i and my teams’ degree in Marketing and professional experiences is really coming in handy. Our ability to have a eye for visuals, tone of voice, brand developing makes Moussou Beauty look like a brand you can see in a Sephora or Ulta. The most important quality however is the authenticity of the brand. I am Moussou Beauty, its not just my business. Moussou means woman in my Malinke dialect; I am a descendant of the women who harvest shea and who passed down these holistic practices down their lineage so when I speak of my brand, when I think about my journey with my brand it hits home on a personal level because succeeding at it is not just for me, its for them as well.
To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?
The most important thing my parents did for me was teach me about my culture. Growing up in America, its so easy to just believe I am American. My parents never wanted to us to live a life without knowing our heritage. They taught us the language when we were young. They made the dishes, they took us to the parties, they shared the traditions and they told us they why behind it. As a child I was not always proud of being African, due to how cruel kids were to us about it but now as an adult I take so much glory in it. It gives me a sense of pride. Its something very powerful in knowing where you come from. My parents impacted my life because now I have a business that illustrates our culture and is something I can one day pass on to my children.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.moussoubeauty.com
- Instagram: @moussoubeauty
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MoussouTribe
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fatoumata-toure-60882051/
- Twitter: @moussoubeauty
