An entrepreneur, investor, and speaker, Kelli M. Coleman is multi-hyphenate with a passion for building business and empowering other women along the way. Kelli applies her experience and acumen to advising and investing in businesses created for or built by women via her ventures company KMColeman Group. Coleman has invested in projects across multiple industries, including beauty, tech, and consumer services.
As a Detroit native raised in an entrepreneurial family, Coleman had to learn the rules before she could refine them. As a marketing and advertising expert, she spent nearly a decade with GlobalHue, once the largest minority-owned full-service marketing, and communications agency in the nation. At GlobalHue, Coleman built marketing campaigns and developed business strategies for some of the largest Fortune 500 companies in the world—Walmart, Coca-Cola, FCA North America (formerly Chrysler LLC), and Verizon. She left as an executive vice president in 2014 to lead KMColeman Group. While navigating a career shift after GlobalHue with a desire to lean further into her passions, Coleman and business partner Anika Jackson dreamed up the idea for a reputable and scalable brand of modern nail bars—an elevated and customer-centric experience, a place for self-care and connection, while enjoying a routine beauty treatment. The dream became a reality when The TEN Nail Bar opened in the newly redeveloped downtown Detroit in 2016. The TEN offers an experience with an emphasis on attention to detail, cleanliness, a community hub, and an excellent product. In 2018, The TEN won first prize in the Quicken Loans Detroit Demo Day “Grow” category. The prize money, $250K, will allow The TEN to continue its growth, with national expansion on the horizon.
Looking for personal fulfillment outside of the office, Coleman developed the idea for the women-focused initiative, She Who Dares.
She Who Dares is a fast-growing movement created to empower women by emphasizing the power of personal development in reaching professional success. By simply being honest and vulnerable about her experiences and knowledge, Coleman is inspiring other women to reach their full potential.
Recognized for her results-driven approach, Coleman has earned accolades from Essence, Ad Age, Allure Magazine, Black Enterprise, and the Spelman College New York Alumni Association. Follow Kelli’s journey on social at @kellimcoleman