1. What’s the quick origin story of your brand, and what makes your product or positioning genuinely different from other options in your niche?

Tracy Vontélle Green & Nancey Flowers-Harris: Vontélle was born from a simple but powerful realization: millions of people from diverse backgrounds were not seeing themselves reflected in the eyewear industry. As women of color, we searched for comfortable, stylish, high-quality eyewear that celebrated our culture, our heritage, and our individuality—and we couldn’t find it.

We launched Vontélle to change that. Size Matters! For centuries, many have been wearing ill-fitting glasses and endured the painful line across our noses, indentation on the cheeks and headaches. The Co-Founder’s research in 2019 concluded that many of us are wearing ill-fitting
glasses. Vontélle designs comfortable fitting eyewear with wider bridges for your nose, longer temples for behind the ears and larger lenses for high cheekbones.

Our eyewear is inspired by the rich colors, patterns, and stories of the African Diaspora and cultures around the world. Every collection is designed to be both functional (better fitting) and expressive, allowing customers to wear frames that reflect who they are.

What truly differentiates Vontélle is that we don’t just sell eyewear—we create representation. Our frames are intentionally designed to fit a wide range of face shapes, nose bridges, and prescription needs while offering vibrant designs rarely found in traditional optical brands. We
believe seeing yourself represented matters, and we’ve built a brand around helping people see themselves—literally and figuratively.

2. Since launch, what have been the 1-2 real turning points for your brand-specific decisions, pivots, or experiments that noticeably changed your growth or profitability-and what did you learn from them?

Tracy Vontélle Green & Nancey Flowers-Harris: One of the biggest turning points for Vontélle came from a single introduction. Through a colleague in the eyewear industry, we were introduced to the team at America’s Best Eyeglasses & Contacts. That relationship led to Vontélle becoming the first Black women-owned eyewear company to design a collection for America’s Best and ultimately placed our frames in more than 900 stores nationwide.

That opportunity transformed our business. It significantly expanded our reach, introduced our brand to new customers across the country, and helped validate that our mission and products had mass-market appeal. The visibility and momentum generated by that partnership contributed to our recognition on Forbes’ 2024 50 Over 50 List, which became another milestone in our growth journey.

A second turning point was our decision to be authentic and consistent in how we tell our story online. From the beginning, we shared not only our successes but also the realities of entrepreneurship—the challenges, setbacks, lessons learned, and victories along the way. That transparency helped us build a loyal community and created opportunities we never could have predicted.

One of those opportunities came when actor Kadeem Hardison discovered Vontélle through social media. What started as a connection grew into a collaboration, and today our eyewear is featured in promotional materials for Netflix’s highly anticipated reboot of A Different World. It’s a powerful reminder that you never know who is watching, who is inspired by your journey, or where a single post may lead.

The lesson from both experiences is simple: trust your instincts, invest in relationships, and build a network that helps you get into the right rooms. Equally important, don’t be afraid to tell your story. People connect with authenticity. When you share both your struggles and your triumphs, you create opportunities for others to find you, support you, and become part of your journey.

3. Which 2-3 channels drive most of your revenue right now (for example SEO, paid social, email, marketplaces, influencers), and what have you learned about making those channels work in your category?

Tracy Vontélle Green & Nancey Flowers-Harris: Our strongest revenue drivers are e-commerce, email marketing, and strategic partnerships.

Email and social media continue to be one of our highest-converting channels because it allows us to build ongoing relationships with customers. Rather than simply promoting products, we share styling inspiration, educational content about eye health, founder insights, and community stories.

Strategic partnerships have also become a powerful growth engine. Collaborations with organizations, corporations, nonprofits, and cultural institutions introduce us to highly engaged audiences who align with our mission and values. For example, we have expanded to 100+ Optometrists/Optician offices nationally and internationally including Canada, Puerto Rico, Caribbean & Mexico. Notably, we have partnered with VSP insurance plan, Shop Bop, Romare Bearden Foundation, Sam’s Club and others to sell our top sellers. We also now work with government entities like NYC Public Schools, NYPD and others….we are responding to requests for proposals expanding operations.

On the e-commerce side, we’ve learned that customers want a seamless experience with clear information about fit, prescriptions, customization options, and styling. The more confidence we can provide during the buying journey, the stronger our conversion rates become.

4. How are you thinking about search in 2026 – Google, AI assistants like ChatGPT, and other discovery platforms? What, if anything, have you changed in your content or site to stay visible as AI search grows?

Tracy Vontélle Green & Nancey Flowers-Harris: Search is evolving from keyword discovery to answer discovery. Consumers increasingly expect AI assistants and search platforms to provide direct recommendations rather than lists of links.

To prepare for this shift, we’re investing more heavily in educational and story-driven content that answers real customer questions. We’re creating content around eyewear fit, prescription options, lens technology, cultural design inspiration, and eye health topics that help establish Vontélle as a trusted authority.

We’re also focusing on structured product information, strong customer reviews, media coverage, and clear brand storytelling across our digital properties. AI platforms tend to surface brands with credible expertise, consistent information, and authentic customer engagement. Rather than trying to game algorithms, we’re focused on creating genuinely helpful content that serves our audience.

5. What do you do to turn first‑time buyers into repeat customers and advocates? Are there specific experiences, content, or community touches that work especially well for you?

Tracy Vontélle Green & Nancey Flowers-Harris: Our goal is to make every customer feel seen, valued, and connected to something larger than a transaction.

We stay engaged through personalized email communication, educational content, product recommendations, and storytelling that highlights our community. We encourage customers to share their photos and experiences, creating a sense of belonging and representation.

We also focus heavily on customer service and customization. Customers appreciate knowing they can add prescriptions, readers, blue-light lenses, tints, polarized lenses, and other options to frames they already love.

Beyond business, our commitment to giving back helps strengthen customer loyalty. Through partnerships and community initiatives, we provide vision screenings and eyewear to underserved communities. Customers appreciate supporting a brand that creates impact while delivering exceptional products.

At Vontélle, we don’t view customers as buyers—we view them as members of a growing community that believes everyone deserves to see themselves represented.

6. If you had to write a short playbook for an ecommerce founder one stage behind you, what would you double down on over the next 12 months – and what would you stop doing entirely?

Tracy Vontélle Green & Nancey Flowers-Harris: I would double down on three things: community, customer retention, and strategic partnerships.

Don’t overlook the customers they’ve already earned. Your existing customers are often your best marketers, advocates, and source of repeat revenue.

I would also invest in building genuine relationships with organizations, influencers, and partners whose audiences align with your mission. One strong partnership can outperform months of paid advertising.

What would I stop doing? Trying to be everywhere at once. Early-stage brands often feel pressure to be active on every platform and pursue every opportunity. Focus on the channels that deliver results and build depth before expanding breadth.