Get to know Kristen Dunning; she is behind the Black-owned soap brand called Gently, which recently received a stamp of approval from Oprah Winfrey. Her journey to becoming an entrepreneur began with a desire to create soap for sensitive skin or people with skin conditions, as per Afro Tech.
The Georgia MBA graduate grew up with eczema. She was only four years old when her hair began to fall out in large clumps because she had scalp eczema. Not only that, she also had eczema on her arms, legs, and face that grew worse. And her parent’s attempt to find a cure did not materialize.
She eventually turned to medicinal plants and botanicals, deepening her knowledge while studying agricultural communication and horticulture at the University of Georgia. With the help of Dr. David Knauft, she discovered botanical alternatives usually found in anti-inflammatory treatments, according to Afro Tech.
She created her first soap in 2019, and she developed more recipes during the COVID-19 quarantine. By 2023, $113,000 worth of products had been purchased, as per UGA’s Terry College of Business.
Her impressive numbers saw her being recognized as the 2023 Black Ambition Prize winner, receiving a $7,000 check. In 2023, she appeared on “Shark Tank,” where she secured a $75,000 investment in exchange for a 25% stake in the company. She landed the deal with Candace Nelson, founder of the Sprinkles Cupcakes bakery chain.
“There are two types of entrepreneurs in the world,” Nelson told her. “There are (entrepreneurs like Kevin) analyzing the market space and being very analytical about it, and then there are passion-driven entrepreneurs. I’ve always been one of those, and that’s what I look for in the founders that I partner with.”
Dunning’s soap brand was also inspired by the legacy of her grandparents, who operated an 84-acre farm in Alabama, and the legacy of African-American farmers across the South.
“I remember saying to my parents that I wanted someone who I could call up at any time and ask questions to and someone who would champion all the things that matter to me about Gently Soap. Did y’all see that @candacenelson said literally those exact words in the tank? Did y’all see how she fought for me and made it clear that she understood the brand’s positioning and the direction? I knew as soon as she said that she understood passionate entrepreneurs and said verbatim that I could call her anytime—that she was my Shark ???? and I’m ecstatic to say that she is exactly who she said she was,” Dunning expressed on Instagram after appearing on Shark Tank.
Last month, Dunning secured another massive boost to her soap business; she got featured on Oprah Winfrey’s coveted Favorite Things list.
“WE’RE ONE OF OPRAH’S FAVORITE THINGS. The road to OFT was an incredible one. It gave me the opportunity to elevate and reposition my brand how I’ve always envisioned it—with gentle pastels and touches of herbal elegance. This journey was not done alone. There were tons of late-night conversations, branding remixes, stories, and tears shared with people I could not be more grateful for,” Dunning wrote on LinkedIn.
