Beatrice Dixon has a piece of advice following the $380 million acquisition of The Honey Pot Company — It’s OK to take risks and try something new.
Dixon captured the audience’s full attention during the Founder’s Summit session “Knowing When to Seize the Moment for Company Growth” at the AFROTECH™ 2024 Conference on Thursday, Nov. 14, where she shared valuable business insights.
“That doesn’t mean you have to stop doing your business, but that might mean you need to also have a job, or you may need to do something different,” Dixon shared. “I just think we’re going into a time of have and have-nots, and you don’t want to be on the side of the have-nots.”
In January, AFROTECH™ reported that more than 10 years after launching the first plant-based vaginal care system, Dixon entered a new phase, securing a partnership with the publicly traded holding company Compass Diversified (CODI).
Compass Diversified subsequently announced in a press release that it had acquired the Atlanta, GA-based feminine care brand in a deal worth $380 million. Dixon, co-founder, CEO and chief innovation officer, retains a significant minority stake in the company.
“We made this decision with the full intention to accelerate many of our visions for growth, including incredible innovation, providing even more education on personal wellness, and more distribution points in the U.S. and building globally,” Dixon previously told AFROTECH™. “The resources that a partnership of this nature provides are totally endless, and we’re excited to provide our small yet mighty team a support infrastructure that empowers us to realize the mission we set out on.”
Dixon founded The Honey Pot in 2012 to address chronic vaginal issues based on personal experience, according to AFROTECH™. She started with a self-formulated vulva-safe wash and has since expanded to include menstrual pads, tampons, sexual wellness products, and additional feminine washes. Today, the brand’s products are available in over 33,000 stores across the U.S., including major retailers like Target, Walmart, CVS, and Walgreens.
Dixon had long expressed her intention to sell her company. In a 2020 interview with The Helm, she explained that it was important for her to speak candidly about it because, as a Black woman, seeking investment dollars or exiting a business can be viewed as “selling out.”
“I want to be public that there’s no shame in exiting your business because that’s how you’re going to get to wealth,” she told The Helm. “Once you can get to wealth financially, you’re able to really contribute to your community, to your family, to yourself. You’re able to see the fruits of your fu–ing labor.”
AFROTECH™ 2024, billed as “The Global Gathering for Innovators and Inclusive Tech Companies,” kicked off with dynamic energy and excitement in Houston, TX, on Nov. 13. The annual event brings together tech professionals, entrepreneurs, and cultural leaders for an unforgettable experience filled with networking opportunities, immersive activities, and thought-provoking conversations.
