Nearly two years after first sharing her story, Angela Adams is continuing to build momentum with her Conway, Arkansas-based business, Definitive Formulations.

The cosmetic chemist and entrepreneur has spent the past year focusing on something many business owners struggle to make time for: closely studying her finances and using those numbers to guide decisions.

That effort is paying off. Over the past year, Definitive Formulations increased revenue by 36%, while net income grew by 53%. Adams achieved that growth by increasing sales while carefully controlling expenses and protecting her profit margins.

For Adams, the progress reflects the financial foundation she built through her work with the Entrepreneurship Team at Communities Unlimited (CU).

One of the biggest changes came when she took a closer look at how money was moving through her business — especially when it came to inventory.

After reviewing her financials, Adams realized a large portion of her money was tied up in products and materials sitting on the shelf. By adjusting how and when she purchases supplies, she has been able to free up cash while still keeping the materials she needs to serve her clients.

She has also been keeping a close eye on costs in a market where prices for cosmetic ingredients and materials can change quickly.

“A lot of it has been about understanding what my clients will need and doing some basic forecasting,” Adams said. “That helps me get ahead of price changes as much as possible.”

Sometimes that means buying materials in larger quantities before prices rise. Other times it means adjusting quickly when supply chains shift.

Despite those challenges, demand for Adams’ services has remained strong.

Through Definitive Formulations, Adams primarily works in what’s known as the business-to-business, or B2B, space. Instead of selling products directly to consumers, she helps other entrepreneurs develop shelf-ready skincare and wellness products that they sell under their own brands.

“Surprisingly, it’s been client demand,” Adams said. “I work in the B2B space, so I don’t directly sell to the end customer. But my clients are still moving forward with products that support healthy hair and wellness.”

Seeing the company grow during a difficult economic climate has been especially meaningful for Adams.

“It’s incredibly gratifying,” she said. “Anyone who’s been an entrepreneur for any length of time knows it’s not as glamorous as it looks online.”

Her continued progress has also been supported by CU’s Entrepreneurship Team. Adams initially worked with former CU Management Consultant Barretta Robinson and Senior Management Consultant Rhett Douglas to strengthen her financial knowledge and better understand projections, cost structures, and profitability.

For the past six months, she has been working with Management Consultant Tracy Cook as the business enters its next stage of growth.

With the company’s financial systems now firmly in place, their conversations have shifted toward marketing strategy and building a stronger public presence for the brand.

Until now, most of Adams’ growth has come through word-of-mouth and referrals within the beauty and wellness industry. That leaves plenty of opportunity as she begins expanding her marketing efforts.

“We believe there’s a lot of untapped potential once we begin turning on the marketing engine,” Adams said.

Another major benefit of working with CU has been the accountability that comes from regular check-ins and coaching.

“A lot of it comes down to accountability,” Adams said. “Because we meet monthly, I know I need to have my numbers ready.”

That routine has changed how Adams measures success.

“I also shifted from focusing only on revenue goals to focusing on net profit goals,” she said. “Revenue sounds impressive, but it doesn’t mean much if you’re not profitable.”

Looking ahead, Adams plans to expand her brand presence and share more of her expertise after more than two decades in cosmetic chemistry.

“I want to build more of a social presence and establish myself as an expert in the field,” Adams said.

She is also preparing to launch a new lifestyle brand under Definitive Formulations called Irizelife.com, which will expand beyond traditional hair and skincare products.