At this year’s Women in Aesthetic Leadership Conference (WALC), we are honored to spotlight a keynote speaker whose journey speaks to the power of working in community: Kendra Bracken-Ferguson. A serial entrepreneur, former CEO of a publicly traded company, and one of the first 100 Black women to raise over $1 million in venture capital for her first company, Kendra is a force in the beauty and wellness industry who continues to empower women entrepreneurs ready to lead with purpose.

Her story speaks to bold vision, inclusive leadership and the power of building a trusted community. 

From PR to digital brand visionary

Kendra’s career began in public relations, a career path she set out to conquer back in sixth grade. After studying communications at Purdue, she secured an internship and her first position at a top-five agency. There, she didn't sit still, instead working with other teams, volunteering for new projects and joining clubs at her workplace. She started to realize her love of building, helping brands start to grow and evolve: that it's okay to start something and not have to see it through to the end.

Her trajectory quickly shifted toward digital innovation. She led digital strategy at Fleishman Hillard, advising global brands like AT&T, P&G, and Mary Kay. Then as the first director of digital media at Ralph Lauren, she helped shape the brand’s social media presence at a time when few luxury labels had even entered the digital space. 

In 2010, guided by her personal mantra “Carpe Diem,” Kendra took a leap of faith and co-founded Digital Brand Architects (DBA), the first U.S.-based blogger management agency. In the evolving digital space, DBA has grown into a global influencer marketing powerhouse, eventually acquired by United Talent Agency in 2019. "All these things have just grown bigger and better since I was there, but I get to say that I had a piece of that, and I get to rest assured that the impact, my contribution, meant something," Kendra said.

Now when she looks at opportunities, she aligns them back to her four pillars of community, mentorship, education and capital. "And if what I'm building, doing or lending my name to enables my pillars to come to life, and for me to be the truest of who I am, then I'm like, 'Sign me up!'" Kendra said.
 

BrainTrust: A blueprint for inclusive innovation

After exiting DBA, Kendra founded BrainTrust, a multifaceted platform that includes:

• BrainTrust Agency: A digital marketing and brand development consultancy.
• BrainTrust Founders Studio: The largest membership-based platform for inclusive beauty and wellness founders.
• BrainTrust Fund I: A $15 million venture fund investing in early-stage beauty and wellness brands led by underrepresented founders.

The numbers speak volumes. In 2024 alone, BrainTrust Founders Studio members generated $142 million in product sales. In 2023, they secured $115 million in capital and angel investments. Originally launched as a for-profit company, the studio now operates as a nonprofit to provide founders in beauty the essential mentorship and community they need to overcome systemic barriers and build strong foundations for their businesses.

BrainTrust’s brand development and social media strategy drives online media presence for global brands, with high-caliber clients such as Halle Berry’s rē•spin, Dear Drew by Drew Barrymore, Sally Beauty Company and Cantu Beauty.

A legacy of leadership and mentorship

Kendra continues to give back and lift up others beyond the beauty and wellness space. She has endowed a communications scholarship at her alma mater, Purdue University, to support Black female students. She co-founded BeautyUnited, a nonprofit dedicated to diversifying the beauty and wellness industry. She serves on the boards of Blushington, G&B, and the Cayton Children’s Museum, and is a member of the Amazon Black Business Accelerator Advisory Council.

Why you should build your professional community 

Kendra expands on the impact of community on her business and personal success in her presentation at the leadership retreat, “Community and Counsel: Building Your Brain Trust.” Drawing from her bestselling book The Beauty of Success: Start, Grow, and Accelerate Your Brand, Bracken-Ferguson will share real-world lessons on how to identify, nurture and lean into your brain trust as an essential tool for sustainable leadership and self-motivation. 

No founder—and no woman—should navigate the path alone. Attendees will walk away with a renewed sense of clarity on the role community plays in personal and professional success, and how to intentionally build the counsel they need to grow with confidence and grace. Kendra’s framework helps leaders identify and nurture a network of mentors, advisors, and peers who not only support their vision but also challenge them to grow.

“Confidence comes when we know that we are solid in who we are.” Kendra said. “We have the right brain trust or people around us who are going to support us—call us out—but who also have our back. When we’re very solid and doing something that we’re passionate about.”

Why aesthetic entrepreneurs shouldn’t miss this

The demand for authenticity and inclusivity is higher than ever. Your patients come to your practice to experience the brand you have carefully curated or the clinical expertise you have honed through countless hours of medical aesthetic training and education. The common thread is you. Gain a competitive edge when you join a community of women who share your growth mindset and passion for excellence.

Grow together in Southern California

Kendra Bracken-Ferguson is an award-winning speaker, investor, builder and innovator with powerful ambition. She’s also a mother and an example of what’s possible when women support women. 

At WALC, you’ll have the opportunity to hear her speak, connect with other like-minded leaders and begin building your own brain trust in the luscious environment of the Palos Verdes Peninsula at Terranea Resort. Recenter yourself and reignite your drive this October 3 – 5, 2025, at the Women in Aesthetics Leadership Conference.