Actress, entrepreneur, and best-selling author Tabitha Brown is opening up about the tough business lessons she’s learned after her vegan haircare brand, Donna’s Recipe, took a “major hit” amid the Target boycott.
Speaking at the inaugural Clover x Shark Tank Summit in Las Vegas, where she serves as Clover’s Chief Empowerment Officer, Brown disclosed that resilience and adaptability are essential in business—especially when the unexpected happens.
“We’ve got to learn how to pivot. I mean, everybody’s pivoting,” Brown said. “If it’s not working right now, we have to figure out, ‘OK, what else can I do either to support the business or to bring in more income or to help with marketing?’ Whatever it is, we’ve got to figure out the pivot and not be afraid of it.”
The comments come after Target—one of Brown’s key retail partners—has faced ongoing backlash and boycotts following its rollback of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. The retail giant’s stock has dropped 33%, losing over $20 billion in shareholder value, according to reports.
Brown’s partnership with Target began in 2022 with an apparel and kitchenware collection that expanded to include Donna’s Recipe, her vegan, plant-based haircare line. The brand saw impressive growth, reaching nationwide distribution by early 2024. But when Target’s market value plunged by $12.4 billion amid the boycotts, Brown’s brand was among those affected.
In response, Brown made a strategic pivot—launching Tab & Chance, a fragrance line co-created with her husband, Chance Brown. The duo took a direct-to-consumer approach through HSN, marking a major business shift.
“My first thought was like, ‘OK, my Donna’s Recipe haircare line has taken a major hit because of Target,’” Brown explained. “So I have to pivot here.”
That decision paid off. By Sept. 17, Brown announced that Tab & Chance had already generated $10,000 in sales, crediting Shopify for supporting small business owners like herself.
Her story serves as both a cautionary tale and an inspiration for entrepreneurs navigating shifting markets. Brown urged fellow business owners to stay determined and flexible.
“Don’t stop dreaming,” she said.
