She’s a successful CEO of a wellness and beauty company. Her brand, Golde, is carried at major retailers nationwide. In just five years, her superfood-enriched products have become cult-favorites in the self-care space (and are Instagram showstoppers). But success for Trinity Mouzon Wofford was hard earned and replete with challenges — let's just say she's come a long way from concocting her first batch of turmeric blends in a one-bedroom Brooklyn apartment in 2017.
Back then, Mouzon Wofford was an NYU pre-med graduate with plans to become a doctor. However, her passion for holistic health blossomed after watching her mother’s autoimmune disease improve through using nontraditional medicine. “I was the friend or co-worker who was recommending herbal remedies to you as the idea for Golde was coming to fruition,” she told us. After graduation, instead of pursuing medicine, she took a marketing job and soon after began her entrepreneurial journey.
Mouzon Wofford says her gender and the color of her skin — just being who she is — was an added obstacle to her brand’s ascension. “I created an extra layer of doubt,” she explains. “My experience with fundraising, with pitching investors, how they valued your business … those are just some differences in how I was perceived versus how a white male would be perceived. You grow up with prejudice, but this was the first time I felt it was holding me back. I had to do twice as much to get where we wanted to go.”
But she did go — and she went big. Mouzon Wofford, along with her business and life partner Issey Kobori, hustled harder, marketed better and busted their brand into Target last year. Tenacity and authenticity propelled her, and as Golde’s first product (the Original Turmeric Latte Blend) gained steam, she continued creating new products in the beauty and wellness spaces, such as the Clean Greens Face Mask and her current favorite, the Coconut Collagen Boost. “It’s so absurdly delicious and it’s so good for you.”
The 29-year-old with confident eyes and a broad smile never planned to show her face in marketing. She already felt vulnerable as a young Black woman with products in the public arena that were open to scrutiny. Now, she finds pride in the exposure. “We found showing that the brand was owned by two people of color, that it was self-owned, created this approachability that you don’t get otherwise. I tell my story and make it easy for people who look like me to engage in wellness. It’s such a frustrating myth to say that herbs, superfoods, and wellness are only in white communities. It’s there for all of us to interact with, to engage with. These things have been generationally passed down through every culture.”
We found showing that the brand was owned by two people of color, that it was self-owned, created this approachability that you don’t get otherwise. I tell my story and make it easy for people who look like me to engage in wellness.
It's clear that Mouzon Wofford’s heart and soul are deeply seeped into everything Golde does. She and her staff regularly meet with customers to gauge how products are performing — and don't be surprised to find her personally handing out samples on New York City street corners. If that isn't enough, she also mentors up-and-coming entrepreneurs, focusing on young women in the BIPOC community. "I do try to prioritize people of color, but ultimately, I find that creating resources for people of color benefits everyone,” she said. The pandemic sidelined most in-person sessions, but a fresh start is ahead. “I’m looking forward to digging back into mentorship in 2022.”
Mouzon Wofford's inclusive ideology aligns with that of her company — to offer products that land with a wide variety of people. “We don’t use fear or luxury to promote our brand. We see it word-for-word in our competitors' advertising: You need to take this powder now. You’ve got this health issue; you need to fix it. I presume it works, but it’s not the message we want to share. We want to help people boost their health routine. We sell products that help anyone, wherever they’re at, to feel good. That’s the end benefit.”
Let’s raise a glass of Cacao Turmeric Latte and drink to that!
Golde bestsellers
The below products are from Trinity Mouzon Wofford's own brand.
Original Turmeric Latte Blend
Turmeric is the star ingredient of this latte blend, one of Golde's bestsellers to date. According to the brand, this superfood-packed formula can help with debloating, overall gut health and even boost skin clarity.
Cacao Turmeric Latte Blend
Because everything is better with a dash of cacao in it ... not only does this latte blend taste phenomenal, but it's also made with a mix of antioxidants, minerals and seven essential superfoods. If you're looking for an immunity booster that also helps with stress balance, this one is for you.
Make Your Matcha Kit
Golde's pure matcha powder is a customer favorite, and now you can create the perfect at-home matcha-making experience with this kit. "I look forward to drinking my iced matcha latte every morning," one reviewer wrote. "It's become the highlight of the day for me!"
Clean Greens Face Mask
The brand calls this nourishing face mask "a green smoothie for your skin." That's probably because it's made with 100% pure superfoods that are completely edible. Ingredients like spirulina, chlorella, mango juice and natural chlorophyll help to minimize pores and detox the skin.
Papaya Bright Face Mask
Give your skin a brightening boost with Golde's papaya-rich exfoliating mask. The powder-to-gel formula is made up of superfruits and vitamin C, which work together to gently exfoliate the face.
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