Our Businesses
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If you’ve navigated to this page, you’re likely wondering, “Is KDBI really different from other 1st Generation organizations? If so, how are you different?”
The answer is straightforward and clear. We understand your questions, and we believe that if you invest just ten more minutes to learn about KDBI, you’ll see that we’re different in a way you’ll want to be a part of.
First, our mission is clear: to help our members’ businesses succeed more than they would on their own, and to empower them to give back to the community directly, with their own hands, not just through us.
In other words, “no BS.”
Group Buying
To compete with online sellers, businesses must change how they acquire goods. We believe in a straightforward approach: streamlining purchasing and distribution to strengthen your price competitiveness. Without any unnecessary complications, we offer free group buying services to our members.
Group Branding
Making a private label product is easy, but selling it requires a heavy investment. As the Korean saying goes, "The belly button is bigger than the belly," meaning the costs for an operation can exceed the main purpose. We provide a platform for business owners to come together, share the financial burden, and collectively sell their branded products.
Exclusive Benefits
We help each industry organization gain access to essential supplies exclusively, allowing their members to purchase goods at or near cost. The profits generated from distributing these supplies to non-members will be used to strengthen the participating organizations and other community initiatives.
Group Marketing
Influencers and social media have become a key medium to reach consumers. Contacting and managing each of them can be a hassle and costly for small businesses. When the time comes, we will operate a platform that allows you to work with influencers and social media managers directly and easily, saving you valuable time away from your busy retail floor.
Our New Approach
These benefits are just a few examples of how KDBI is different. We recognize and applaud the immense efforts of first-generation organizations that laid our foundations. However, their culture and methods, while effective in their time, have run their course. Now is the time for a new generation of framers to build the walls and the roof.
We won’t do everything. Instead, we will subcontract to specialty professionals, just as a builder hires roofers for the roof, window installers for the windows, and tile specialists for the tiles. Our role is to connect you with the right experts, ensuring you get the best support for every aspect of your business.
Transparency
We understand your concern and the question of how members can know there will be “no BS” behind the scenes. To ensure complete transparency, a group of independent CPAs will monitor our daily operations and report to all participating member organization leaders. This will allow for a continuous audit to keep our processes transparent and accountable.
What Makes You Think You Can Do All That?
Our effectiveness has been proven for 15 years.
The CosmoBiz, a founding member of the KDBI, was formed by the National Beauty Supply Dealers Association as a non-profit, independent industry research and publishing institute in 2009.
Research & Publishing
Since its founding, CosmoBiz has been a key force for innovation and knowledge in the beauty supply industry. From 2009 to the present, it has published the Korean-language monthly CosmoBiz Magazine. In 2014, it published a 470-page business training textbook for beauty sales associates. CosmoBiz also published a monthly English-language magazine, CosmoBiz Salon, from 2015 to 2020. Over the years, the organization has consistently collected industry data, published annual reports, and developed products and guidance in response to changing consumer trends.
Career Training & Management Training
We have extensive experience in providing professional training. In 2010, in collaboration with the Korean Wig Association, we developed an educational curriculum for wig professionals and conducted training seminars in seven U.S. cities and in Dominican Republic. We also developed and offered tailored employee training for manufacturers and wholesalers to boost product sales, and created educational programs on U.S. business law, customer relations, and cultural adaptation.
Public Service Initiatives
CosmoBiz has a long history of public service. In 2016, we held a cooperative business seminar for beauty industry leaders, which led to the establishment of the NABOR Beauty Cooperative in 2017, a system built to support our members. We have also consistently provided and supported community outreach activities since 2010. Our work includes mediating disputes and resolving complaints between wholesalers and retailers, and developing industry standards and specifications to ensure fair practices
Forums, Seminars, & Professional Exchanges
The U.S. beauty industry is vast, with numerous organizations, including the Hair Product Importers Association, four major national associations, and over 30 regional groups. We offer free seminars, lectures, and training sessions to these organizations upon request. Additionally, we advocate for the beauty industry’s policies with the U.S. federal and state governments. For example, we successfully advocated for legislation and prevented unreasonable penalties for beauty professionals in several states that were pushing for mandatory wig-selling licenses.
KEBI (KDBI) is a Maryland-registered non-profit organization, operating with the support of businesses, organizations, and individuals.
