Search

    Select Website Language

    GDPR Compliance

    We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies, Privacy Policy, and Terms of Service.

    Comer Cottrell turned a Black hair care company started with just $600 into an empire eventually sold for as much as $80 million, and the fortune helped take him all the way into Major League Baseball ownership. This documentary tells the extraordinary business story of Comer Cottrell, founder of Pro-Line Corporation and one of the most influential Black entrepreneurs in the American beauty industry. Cottrell recognized an underserved market for Black hair products long before major consumer companies took it seriously. In 1968, he and his brother began building Pro-Line with only $600 and a broken typewriter. The breakthrough came with the Pro-Line Curly Kit, an affordable at-home product that helped bring the Jheri curl to millions of consumers. As the hairstyle exploded in popularity during the 1980s, Pro-Line's sales surged and Cottrell built one of the most successful Black-owned beauty companies in America. His wealth eventually carried him far beyond hair care. In 1989, Cottrell invested $500,000 in the ownership group that purchased the Texas Rangers, becoming the first Black person to own a stake in a Major League Baseball team. His business success also helped him support Black higher education, including the acquisition of the former Bishop College campus that became the new home of Paul Quinn College. In 2000, Cottrell sold Pro-Line to Alberto-Culver in a deal reported at approximately $75 million to $80 million. Discover how an affordable Jheri curl kit helped build an $80 million business empire, create a historic MLB investment, support an HBCU, and establish a multigenerational legacy in the Black hair care industry. #ComerCottrell #JheriCurl #BlackBusiness #BlackWealth #BlackHairHistory #TheBlackWealthExplainer
    Previous Article
    From No Bank Account to Building a $100 Million Business Empire | Marcus Bowers
    Next Article
    Supreme x Nike Air Max 2001 “Air Ecstasy” Drops This Week

    Related Business Updates:

    Are you sure? You want to delete this comment..! Remove Cancel

    Comments (0)

      Leave a comment