Stepping Down But Not Out: Dorion Renaud On Growing Buttah And Moving On

When the former College Hill cast member kicked off Buttah in 2018, it was a passion project. Today, it is a heavy-hitter in the beauty world after securing spots on retailers' shelves, including Macy’s, HSN, Nordstrom, Ulta Beauty, and more. Now, just six years later, Renaud’s role within the company has shifted. No longer is he juggling being the founder, face of the products, day-to-day operator, and all that comes with being an entrepreneur.

“I will always be the founder of Buttah,” he explains. “I knew it was time. I’ll say the decision was probably more personal than professional, and it was the first decision in my life since I was 19 and doing television, I decided based on my personal life and not what I needed next in business. I learned so much quickly, and it was tough being the CEO of the company, the face of the company, and managing the ins and outs and day-to-day. I’ve grown so much and felt like I had done so much with Buttah, and it was just time.”

He adds, “I trust my gut. I trust God. Everything in my world started moving towards me, doing other things, expanding what I had learned with Buttah, and taking it to another place. This was an era. I also know when to walk away from the casino if you know what I’m saying, and that doesn’t necessarily just mean from a monetary standpoint.”

In the Black community, when the founder of a brand that we’ve grown to love and cherish changes ownership, terms like sellout are often used. Luckily, Renaud says that his experience has been positive. However, this does not mean that’s the norm for everyone else.

“I think it’s the lack of education around business, and that is what I aim to do in this next chapter,” Renaud explains when asked why he thinks the Black community is so skeptical of founders stepping down and selling their businesses.

“I started in a one-bedroom apartment and created Buttah in the middle of the night. I had to learn to detach emotionally from it and let it go when it was the right time for me. I think some people are in certain things for the long haul and want to go through the ups and downs with the companies. I am all for that, but it’s just a personal choice. Sometimes, when the climate changes and things change, your life changes. It’s time to step away.”

“I trust my gut. I trust God. Everything in my world started moving towards me, doing other things, expanding what I had learned with Buttah, and taking it to another place. This was an era. I also know when to walk away from the casino if you know what I’m saying, and that doesn’t necessarily just mean from a monetary standpoint.”

Renaud says he was inspired by Rihanna's resignation as CEO of her Savage X Fenty lingerie brand. As he looks ahead, Renaud’s dreams are more significant than ever. “I’m writing a book right now about rebranding yourself, starting your brand, and making money off of who you are in the right way,” he says.

“I am going to be diving back into acting. I will go back into the music and I will bring you all more innovative, amazing skincare for the rest of my life. I’ll bring products to the community as long as I'm here. I hope to be a major mogul one day and continue inspiring others, achieving all of my dreams, and living my purpose. I just want to manifest my purpose taking over for me and my community to be alright.”

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