Manna Kadar Beauty Finds Success is More than Skin Deep

Raised by a single, immigrant mother, Kadar grew up with drive-by shootings and home invasion robberies nearby. Despite these adversities, Kadar got started in the cosmetics industry by owning and operating retail cosmetic stores at the young age of 16. She was inspired to start her business when she realized there was a void in the marketplace for products that were multifunctional. Manna Kadar Beauty, Inc. was established in January 2012 and it has become known for having a prestigious line of brands and products. The business provides products ranging from cosmetics, skincare, bath & body, to even pet care items.

Since 2012, Manna Kadar Beauty has grown to a $7 million company with eight employees and the company continues its upward growth trajectory. The company expanded to seven stores within six years while Kadar attended school at the University of Southern California. Kadar credits a part of her success to SCORE, an SBA funded resource partner, as this impacted some of the decisions she made and her growth as a leader and entrepreneur. She also credits the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act for enabling her to keep more money in the company as she continued to grow her brand. Some of the recent federal deregulation has allowed more autonomy in decision making for strategic growth. However, as with most businesses, growth came with obstacles. Kadar recounts an experience she had with a customer who failed to pay a $1.5 million receivable. Other financial obstacles included self-funding and tariffs but, nonetheless, Kadar was able to overcome these obstacles and treat each one as a learning experience. Recently, Manna Kadar Beauty was severely impacted by COVID-19 as most of the sales orders generated from retail locations were cancelled. Fortunately, Kadar says that her business has come back stronger than ever.

Beyond her business, Kadar is also actively involved with the USC Marshall School of Business as a member of the Board of Directors and as Chairwoman for the Women in Business Group. Her other volunteer and community involvement include being a Board Member of Goodwill and a Founder’s Club member of Miracles for Kids.