Julian R. Addo | Substack

Julian R. Addo

this is my journey of ‘becoming’, where I weave wins, lessons, and growth. offering reflections and insights on the universal pursuit of progress.

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the lenders who wouldn’t let go.

two financing companies collected fees on money they never advanced, froze my cash, contacted my retail partners without authorization, and helped push adwoa beauty into bankruptcy.

the advice we keep giving Black founders is wrong.

May 7•Julian R. Addo

25

4

you think my products are expensive? let’s talk about that.

Feb 12, 2025•Julian R. Addo

7

why are Black brands punished for winning?

Mar 26, 2025•Julian R. Addo

27

1

honesty is overrated: why transparency in business backfires

Feb 9, 2025•Julian R. Addo

6

1

THE transcript.

here is the official transcript from the may 1st hearing. I'm not going to tell you what to conclude, I'm just going to show you what was said.

May 20•Julian R. Addo

8

1

the advice we keep giving Black founders is wrong.

what the response to adwoa beauty’s liquidation reveals about how little we still understand.

May 7•Julian R. Addo

25

4

the hearing they didn’t want me to attend.

what happened when adwoa beauty showed up anyway.

May 1•Julian R. Addo

5

5

1

the factoring company that didn't factor.

Versant Funding advanced against our invoices exactly once. then charged fees, held our payment directives, and ignored a court order.

Apr 23•Julian R. Addo

3

chapter 11 didn’t fail. it was used exactly as designed.

how the process meant to protect a small business became the instrument of its destruction.

Apr 22•Julian R. Addo

4

the great beauty industry shakedown: how law firms target indie brands with cookie-cutter lawsuits,

inside the legal playbook draining independent beauty: same script, new letterhead.

Sep 15, 2025•Julian R. Addo

5

1

dear community

if adwoa beauty isn’t part of the conversation, what does that say?

Jul 24, 2025•Julian R. Addo

17

16

2

they would’ve shut us down.

they said it was a lifeline. it was a trap.

Jul 23, 2025•Julian R. Addo

21

1

ATL, I’m pulling up and bringing two of you with me.

tap in](https://jaddo.substack.com/p/atl-im-pulling-up-and-bringing-two)

May 5, 2025•Julian R. Addo