She left Bank of America to start a fragrance brand with $300. Last year, it made $21 million.

Brown Sugar Babe founder Maekaeda Gibbons Esston Benjamin Maekaeda Gibbons had $300 left after paying her bills, so she decided to spend it on herself. The former Bank of America loan officer used that money to buy fragrance oils and bottles. Last year, Brown Sugar Babe made $21 million in gross revenue. Back in 2018, Maekaeda Gibbons was a loan officer at Bank of America , spending her days evaluating other people's finances. She had a problem: an expensive taste in perfume that didn't match a loan officer's salary. So she started experimenting with her own versions of pricier scents, with no real plan beyond wanting something that smelled good, cost less, and maybe she could use as gifts for coworkers and friends. "I had some funds left over after I paid all of my bills, and I wanted to take a risk on myself," Gibbons told Business Insider.