Through TechTown’s Retail Boot Camp and The SHOP Detroit, Scott Boateng gained the skills needed to increase sales and elevate his skincare business 

 

 

 

Entrepreneurship is no easy feat. It takes hard work, countless hours, perseverance and patience to run your own business — and still, things may not go as planned. Local entrepreneur Scott Boateng, creator of the online skincare line Preva Body, knows that all too well. But with setbacks come major comebacks, and in the 10 years since launching his first business venture, Boateng has pivoted and found success, with support from TechTown Detroit along the way.

Boateng launched the first iteration of the Preva brand in 2014 with Preva Hair, a hair extension line. But due to some unfortunate life circumstances, paired with lack of business mentorship and financial know-how, Boateng shuttered the business in 2017. Over the next few years, he took the time to refocus his personal and professional goals and, in 2021, launched his organic skincare line Preva Body, which Boateng says is the main brand for the business.

 

A new chapter 

Preva Body offers natural products including body butters and washes, bath soaks, bar soaps, beard oils and washes, essential oils and a line of children’s products. Boateng learned how to make his products, in part, by his uncle from Ghana, who also owns a skincare line.

“Preva Body was the restart,” he says. “I created this line because I wanted to help people take care of their skin and also understand how self-care is a part of healing.”

Since launching the brand, Boateng has gone on to sell his products at numerous pop-up shops around the Detroit area, including events at Eastern Market, East Warren Development Corporation and Wayne State University. One major event Preva Body participated in was at the first Afro Nation festival in Detroit in August 2023.

 

Receiving the tools for success

After attending a showcase for Retail Boot Camp in 2023 and watching one of his friends pitch their business, Boateng became motivated to explore TechTown’s resources. He was accepted into the inaugural cohort of our Retail Boot Camp: E-commerce & Home-based Edition program and won the $1,000 People’s Choice Award during the cohort’s showcase in November 2023.

Boateng remains impressed with the mentorship he received both during and after his time in the RBC: E-commerce & Home-based Edition program. He recalls often meeting with TechTown’s retail strategists Carrie Vestrand and Christina Devlin to create and assess Preva Body’s goals.

“Being at TechTown, being around my peers who are also entrepreneurs, being around people that actually want to see your business grow, inspired me to cut the slack,” Boateng says of his time in the program. “It inspired me to be consistent and showed me that I am capable of doing what I need to do.”

The sky’s the limit

Just months after graduating from Retail Boot Camp, Boateng became a vendor at The SHOP Detroit inside The Fisher Building. During his two-month residency between March and April, Boateng reported earning more than $5,500 in revenue for Preva Body and saw a 1,650% increase in sales year-to-date.

Boateng said The SHOP experience taught him how to maximize his time and look for ways to improve his business. During slower days at The SHOP, he would work on sprucing up his website, researching new wholesale agreements and creating content for Preva Body’s social media accounts.

“I was a bit nervous when I started this journey, but looking back, I’m really grateful I did,” Boateng said. “It’s helped me reach more customers, understand my current ones better and figure out how to draw even more people to my spots.”

 

Helping the next generation of entrepreneurs 

As Boateng continues growing Preva Body, he is happy to have relaunched his first business venture, Preva Hair, where it all began. He also looks forward to launching the third iteration of his brand, Preva Beauty in the future, which he says will unify his product offerings through his hair extension and skincare lines.  

Supporting fellow entrepreneurs is imperative for Boateng, whether it be buying their products or passing down the knowledge he’s gained through his business journey. That’s a big part of Preva Body’s tagline, “Beauty is our passion. Giving back is our priority.”

And for those who are wondering if TechTown has the right resources for their entrepreneurial pursuits, Boateng simply says this: “Go.”

“You have to see it for yourself, you have to experience it for yourself,’ Boateng says. “Just go. And when they can hear it in my voice, that I’m excited when I’m telling them that, they immediately say, ‘You know what? I’m going to take your advice. I’m going to just listen and go.’”

Our Retail Boot Camp program offers two tracks: one for entrepreneurs who are ready to open a brick-and-mortar and one for entrepreneurs who are looking to elevate their e-commerce, pop-up or home-based businesses. Whichever path you choose, you can be confident this program will set you up for a successful retail journey in Wayne County and beyond. Learn more about Retail Boot Camp and fill out an interest form for our RBC Brick-and-Mortar or E-commerce & Home-based Edition programs today!  

If you’re feeling inspired by Scott’s story and want to help us support more entrepreneurs like him, consider making a donation to TechTown! For 20 years, we have supported entrepreneurs, founders and innovators through our accessible programs, services and resources.