Kemah N. Duopu, Owner and Founder

 

Meet The Owner of Harmon Polish, Kemah Duopu. 

Planting a seed

Kemah discovered her passion for nail polish and self-care at a young age. "For her 16th birthday, her mom took Kemah to the local nail salon for the first time to receive a manicure. She was ecstatic!  Many of Kemah’s classmates were getting manicures, and fellow classmates would always gawk at them to see their latest nail art.  Kemah thought to herself “now I get to be one of “ those girls”.  Kemah remembered sitting in the chair and getting her hands massaged while having her first adult conversation with her mom. When she walked out with her freshly painted nails, Kemah felt like she had officially made the transition from child to teenager.

Nails & Goals

Kemah’s passion for manicured nails soon became her lifeline. In 2016, Kemah took a leap of faith and moved from her hometown of Minneapolis, MN to Los Angeles, CA. In Kemah’s words “I felt like I needed a change. In Minneapolis, I wasn't growing. I was living life but I wanted to maximize it.” Moving to Los Angeles came with new challenges. In 2018, Kemah was laid off from her job.. 

“I hit rock bottom, but I refused to pack my bags and head back to Minneapolis. I wanted to prove to myself that I can overcome my hardships.” 

Even though Kemah had hit rock bottom, she always told herself “Kemah, if you have enough money to get your nails  done then things are not that bad.” Her manicures became her safe haven. Something about a fresh coat of nail polish on my fingernails made her feel like there was a light at the end of the tunnel.

When 2019 rang in, Kemah decided to make a dramatic change. She went to Target, brought the biggest whiteboard she could find, went home and wrote her 2019 goals. That board became the first thing she would see in the morning and the last thing she would see at night. 

With her attitude of “things are not that bad if I can get my nails done” and goal setting, her life took a dramatic turn. Kemah was able to secure a new job which led to her obtaining 3 investment licenses and moving to Houston TX with her young son. “I truly believe that setting goals and nail polish (lol) changed my life for the better." Kemah wanted to find a way to combine her two  passions so she created Harmon Polish.

Testimony to triumph

Kemah created Harmon Polish to inspire people like herself, aspiring entrepreneurs and young adults seeking to discover their passion. People who are determined to beat the odds stacked against them and break generational curses. People that push every day to chase and exceed their goals. Harmon Polish is for individuals that refuse to give up on themselves! Each polish color is named to inspire people to fight for their goals and never give up.

Dedication 

Harmon Polish is dedicated in the memory of Patricia Harmon. She was the epitome of success, fiery, and sophistication. She came to America from Liberia with nothing; but made a life for herself and her family. As a nurse to her patients, she was selfless and caring. A sister, she was supportive. As a friend to many, she was the voice of reason. As a mother, she was warm and compassionate and as Kemah’s aunt, she was her inspiration. 

 

“I hope any woman that wears Harmon Polish is inspired to chase her dreams and shoot for the stars. Every woman has that fire in her to do great things in this world, I just want every woman to see.”