Jenn Harper (Cheekbone Beauty Cosmetics INC.)

May 3

On this episode of Marketing News Canada, Darian Kovacs interviews Jenn Harper. She is the Founder of Cheekbone Beauty Cosmetics INC.

Jenn is an activist, feminist, entrepreneur and all-around business woman. She strives to educate as many people as possible about the decades of trauma that the Indigenous community has faced. She speaks regularly about the Residential School System and the effects it has on her family and friends. She often speaks to University, College, and High School students in an effort to make them more aware of the history of the Indigenous Community.

Jenn’s hard work and dedication has been noticed as she was awarded the 2017 “Social Enterprise Award” and was invited to sit at the table with Prime Minister Trudeau to discuss the strategy for the Women Entrepreneurs Fund (WEF). Another notable achievement of Jenn’s is her appearance on Dragons Den back in 2019 for Cheekbone Beauty.

The name Cheekbone beauty originated from Jenn’s favourite feature on people being their Cheekbones. She also heard in a podcast that humans remember K sounds, that is why a lot of brands choose to use them. After doing marketing research she also discovered that people with more prominent cheekbones are deemed to be trustworthy.

Her view on businesses is that “the world does not need another billionaire, it is time for businesses to start supporting the community and the planet.” When starting Cheekbone beauty, it was more than just lip gloss, it was a way to draw attention to what is known as Generational Trauma. Jenn states that she was 38 years old when she truly became aware of the long-term effects of the residential school system.

Ten percent of the profit from sales goes to a charity called Shannen’s Dream. This charity is about making sure that First Nations children and youth have the same education opportunities as others but in ways that respect their language and culture and takes into account that they may not be starting from the same place.

Jenn believes that “racism is a fear not knowing” and the best way to get over this fear is to become educated and informed about other communities. The best way to become more aware of the Indigenous Community is through research. The internet is a powerful tool and there are amazing resources to inform readers about the history of the Indigenous population.

In the interview attention was drawn to investing in Indigenous businesses, Raven Reads was discussed. It is a subscription-based reading program for adults and children to explore and learn about Indigenous culture. The company was designed to understand the barrier between Indigenous and non-Indigenous culture.

Jenn is a well-spoken and educated individual that strives to see positive change in Canadian Society. She understands this change will not happen overnight, however, she believes the first step is becoming aware and educated. She is open about the fact that she now knows more about Indigenous culture than she ever did before and she encourages Canadians to join her on this educational journey with Cheekbone Beauty.

Thanks to our sponsor, Smartmail Marketing from Canada Post. Connect with audiences who matter the most. Tap into the country’s largest geolocation database to reach customers like never before. Visit canadapost.ca/smmpodcast1

Follow Marketing News Canada:

Follow Darian Kovacs:

Follow Jenn Harper:

Website