Author Darnell Henderson

H.I.M-istry is the innovation of Darnell Henderson, a 32 year old wonder. Darnell grew up in a small town in Alabama and learned the importance of family and the ability to dream. After completing high school, he joined the U.S. Navy in hopes of discovering a world contrasting the one he knew. While serving our country, Darnell gained structure and discipline which proved central in teaching him to focus on his dreams and to strategically lay out a plan to attain them. After honorably serving our country, Mr. Henderson settled in San Diego and secured employment with JP Morgan Chase as a loan officer. Although the financial recompense proved rewarding, he was not satisfied. Guided by an unquenchable thirst and his internal spirit, Darnell relocated to Miami and enrolled at the Florida College of Natural Health, where he earned his credential in clinical skin care. Soon after graduating, Darnell formulated plans to open a spa. His idea was quite unique; he would cater to the care and wellness of men. With little capital and no investor support, he was given a chance by The Florida Regional Minority Business Council. They awarded the funds needed to open the spa which he aptly named H.I.M., an acronym for Healthy Image Men. H.I.M. was opened on Fort Lauderdale Beach in February of 2004 and was an immediate success. The spa carried men’s grooming products as well as offering facials, massages, waxing, and haircuts. The Miami Herald ran a feature story on the young minority business owner that generated a buzz throughout Southern Florida. Darnell decided to create his own line of men’s skincare products after experiencing severe skin irritations while shaving in the military and out of concern for his customers. Being African American, he faced skin care issues not addressed by the leading skin care companies, because darker skin, like that of African Americans and Latino, men, experience different challenges such as oily skin, discoloration, and ingrown hairs. H.I.M. addressed skincare for every man. Just as H.I.M. was gaining some success, south Florida was hit by deadly storms. Hurricanes Charlie and Jean forced the spa to close and business suffered. During this period, H.I.M. was only available on its website and people continued to order in large quantities. Darnell acknowledged the popularity of his product line and discovered the next step to fulfilling his dream. He decided to make H.I.M. available to the masses and use department stores all over the United States as a channel. The packaging was improved, products were tweaked, and the line formerly known as H.I.M. became H.IM-istry. Samples of H.I.M-istry were shipped to department stores across the country, where the suppliers at Macy’s diversity department recognized the value. Macy’s realized the potential of H.I.M-misty and decided to launch November 2007. H.I.M-isty’s popularity sparked the increase from two to nationally in less than a year. . Still a young man, Darnell’s experiences have prepared him for this purpose. When you meet him you will immediately know he is destined for greatness. His energy and relentless will to succeed is infectious. When asked “how do you do it?” he simply replies “I believe my foot steps have been ordered”