Abdul Golden | CEO | Golden Grooming Co.

Abdul Golden What type of grooming methods did you learn about early on?
There was no formal introduction to grooming for me. I was raised by my mom, so I would get in the bathroom and get myself together. As I got older, I organically learned about things because of the situation that I was in. I'm a reader by nature, so by reading, I picked up certain habits over time. I learned what should and shouldn't be done and certain things started to stick for me.

What influenced my decision to go into grooming was healthy living in general. It had nothing to do with grooming. Things such as eating right and taking care of my body evolved into learning about how important grooming is.

When men hear words such as manicure, pedicure, and exfoliation, they cringe. Why do men have such a strained relationship with the art of grooming?

I think it goes into the mentality of what we think being a man is. Often, nuances such as manicures and pedicures are not involved in those lessons about being a man. So, when a black man hears those things, it doesn't resonate with them. But the tide is turning as more black men are becoming more open to the idea of taking better care of themselves.

Give us some basic grooming tips that men of color can follow to stay ahead of the curve.

It starts with the basics. Again, my context is about overall health and well-being. Keeping your body clean and your teeth clean are some of the basic examples that men can do to keep themselves in order. It sounds ridiculous, but you would be surprised how brushing your teeth twice a day and flossing can change your health. We all want to look good, but you must do things to make sure you are good.

In addition to purchasing, 5% of said purchase goes to undeserved communities and HBCU’s. Knowing that we’re in a critical time in society, how important it is for people of color to be united?

It's always been important. I don't think it's more important today than it was 50 years ago. At Golden Grooming, we're trying to play a small part in helping institutions and organizations help our people. I'll be honest, up until 3 years ago, I was very ambivalent to HBCU's. I didn't know any better at the time. It wasn't until one of my daughters was interested in going to Xavier in New Orleans that I changed my perspective. While doing research, I learned Xavier University produces more black doctors than any school in the country. I was amazed at learning this which is why I decided that I was going to incorporate giving back to HBCU's into my company.