Sherry West – COCOBelle

Meet Sherry West, Brand Marketing Manager for Black Radiance®. From concept to consumer, this marketing executive puts her faith first, as she creatively collaborates with several departments to ensure that Black Radiance® shines at its best. If Sherry’s not planning a product launch or coordinating red carpet moments with makeup artists, in her free time, Sherry’s meeting her work-life balance needs by taking good care of herself. Find out more about this month’s COCOBelle and what inspires her unique blend of faith, creativity, and strategic thinking. 

Tell us about a day in the life of Sherry.

A day in the life of me? Gosh, that’s a loaded question. Well, here it goes… Before my feet hit the floor, I thank God for blessing me with another day. I give Him praise for all that He is doing in my life before launching into asking for strength and guidance for the day ahead. I make my bed. If I have planned well, my clothes are already ready. By the time I’m brushing my teeth, ideas are flooding in my mind for new campaigns. I run back into my bedroom and I start texting our social media coordinator and brand coordinator to get ready for my incoming ideas. To me that’s the fun stuff. This is what gets me out of bed. Creativity!!! It is my fuel. The best ideas come to me first thing in the morning. As I get dressed, fix breakfast and sometimes pack my lunch, I glance at email notifications and start viewing my emails in advance of heading into the office so I can think of responses on my way to work.

Once I’m in the office and my laptop is booted up, I immediately answer my emails - foreign and domestic, which along with my meeting calendar, I have a good idea of what my day looks like. My calendar starts filling up weeks in advance. Retailer team calls are weekly.

What lead you to Black Radiance®?

As a fashion industry professional, specifically - fashion designer, I have always had to be concerned about the total look which always includes the face of the target customer. Fashion and beauty tend to go hand-in-hand. It is hard to have one without considering the other. I have spent the bulk of my career crafting colors and complete looks for women’s lifestyle brands, so the beauty industry was a natural extension for me to further branch out as a creative brand marketer. After getting my MBA in Marketing I began to delve more into the strategic side of brand marketing and found that I really enjoyed it. When I was approached by a recruiter for the opportunity to fill a role as the Brand Marketing Manager at Markwins’ Black Radiance® Beauty brand I jumped at the opportunity as it seemed to check all the boxes of what I was looking to do. I wanted to get into the beauty side of fashion for a while and suddenly the opportunity came along. Black Radiance® and I were a good fit.

What does your position entail?

Daily, I am mindful of ongoing promotions and meeting to make sure everything is going according to plan.

Early in the week, we are meeting with our Sales teams by retailer on various things from, new product launches, product images, to sales results and upcoming promotions. 

Throughout the week, I collaborate cross-functionally with Creative, Product Development, Supply Chain, Regulatory, PR, Advertising, web and social media on projects, and status updates.

As big events near roll-out, we are often asked to participate in collaborating with makeup artists for sponsorships of celebrity red carpet moments such as award season, LA and NY Fashion Weeks, fashion magazine covers and spreads etc. I’m usually heavily involved in negotiating those opportunities to ensure an optimal brand experience.

A few times a year we have key events so conceptualizing and event planning skills have to kick in, not to mention envisioning two or three photo and video shoots a year! My mind has already conceived the overall outcome (look and feel) to keep the momentum going from pre-production, production, and post production to getting the right talent to help us tell the stories we are looking to tell across multiple platforms. 

As the Brand Marketing Manager what would you say you love the most about your position?

What I love most is the endless opportunities to create and innovate – to tell a different story each day from a different perspective, walk of life, or skin tone. Everyone is unique in their own way - which makes our stories much more authentic. I love that! I love it when we get it right and the products resonate with so many people -including celebrities! Our products and our stories inspire people to be the best versions of themselves.

What career achievement stands out to you the most? 

I have been blessed to achieve much. What stands out is my ability to transfer my skills no matter what the industry is. My love for fashion spills over beautifully in the beauty industry. My added skills as an artist have taken me further than I could have imagined. My niche skills in brand licensing allowed me to connect unsuspecting collaborators together to not only boost sales but shine a light on brands that may not have ever thought to play in the same space before. 

What are your keys to success?

Being passionate, creative, kind, and collaborative.

What challenges have you faced in your career and how did you overcome them?

I have faced some challenges in my career – that is for sure. Knowing what you want and don’t want help through challenging times. Getting good advice from a mentor or someone who has been where you are going helps a great deal. Add to that, perseverance. It goes a long way!!! I would say having a ‘winning’ attitude and a trusted and caring leader early in my career was the most helpful. I was fortunate to have been privy to experience some amazing leaders right out of college who championed my talent, but also pulled me aside to give me much needed advice so that I succeeded. I learned from those leaders and often reflect on their leadership practices to guide me when I feel challenged. Hindsight is 20/20.

What are you most grateful for?

My relationship with the Lord. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13. When I look back at my challenges and my victories there was one constant – my faith in God. 

What is your advice to women who are just starting in their careers and those who are looking to reinvent themselves?

Listen intently. Be willing to collaborate. Give generously. Don’t worry about what others have -there is plenty to go around for everyone in this world. God is extremely wealthy and provides abundantly.

What’s in your self-care arsenal?

A good night’s sleep. Fruits, vegetables, and home cooked meals. LAUGH A LOT!!! Exfoliate often.

What are your top self-care products that you can’t live without?

Black Radiance® of course:

What are your self-care non-negotiables?

Full body massage when I feel myself getting a little run down or neglected.

What’s next for Sherry? 

Telling as many stories as I can, on as many platforms as I can and across every medium or media I can.


To keep up with Sherry West, you can follow her on Instagram @theesherrywest. 

Black Radiance is a beauty brand specifically formulated for women of color.

To keep up with Black Radiance, you can follow them on Instagram, Facebook, X, TikTok, and Pinterest.