Grace Irvin-Dillard of Bedford, Ohio, who graduated from in May 2021 with a degree in entrepreneurship, has already built a successful business from the ground up while still a student. During her time in the College of Business Administration at Kent State, Irvin-Dillard created , which she continues to grow after graduation.
Irvin-Dillard and her business were recently featured by Spectrum News.
TBG Body Care offers all-natural, clean beauty and skincare products with an emphasis on sustainability.
“When you get a product from me, it’s packed with biodegradable packing peanuts and includes a sustainability card describing how to recycle your package and encouraging you to recycle the jars the products are in,” Irvin-Dillard said.
A month before graduating, Dillard won first place in Kent State’s annual Center for Entrepreneurship and Business Innovation (CEBI) pitch competition, earning $10,000 to put toward her business.
Irvin-Dillard said that she always knew her business would be prosperous, noting that she has the drive and determination of a successful entrepreneur. However, she credits much of her business knowledge and growth to the support she has received from Kent State.
“There are so many resources available for entrepreneurs at Kent State,” Irvin-Dillard said. “Kent has supported my journey so much. Being in the entrepreneurship program and just generally being a student here, we have so many opportunities to take advantage of.”
To date, she has achieved great success with her business. She told Spectrum News that she has sold 4,000 orders to 2,000 different people in at least 40 states and to customers outside the U.S.
For more information about TBG Body Care, visit .
For more information about Kent State’s Department of Marketing and Entrepreneurship, visit www.kent.edu/business/marketing.
WRITTEN BY: KATIE NULL