E34 | How To Start A Business While Working Full Time | TreasureTress Founder, Jamelia Donaldson
Episode description
Jamelia Donaldson, the visionary behind TreasureTress, serves as its founder and CEO, steering the ship since its inception in 2015. TreasureTress stands out as a monthly product subscription service catering to girls and women with kinky-curly hair. With a robust online community and a thriving offline presence, the brand has successfully demonstrated the harmonious intersection of natural hair appreciation and black sisterhood.
Her initial exposure to the subscription box model during her time in New York sparked a realisation of its untapped potential. Inspired by success stories like Dollar Shave Club and Birchbox, Jamelia envisioned a hair product subscription box tailored for and by black women in the UK. Thus, after rigorous research and fueled by a desire to simplify the product discovery journey for young black women, TreasureTress was born.
In response to the beauty industry's struggle to connect with Black female consumers in the UK, Jamelia expanded TreasureTress to include a consultancy arm. This strategic move aims to guide brands in the US, offering insights into the unique preferences and experiences of Black, UK natural hair consumers. The consultancy provides expertise in strategy, social media, digital marketing, and influencer engagement. Jamelia's entrepreneurial journey and impact have garnered recognition from notable publications such as Forbes, Buzzfeed, Good Housekeeping, and Pride Magazine.
Embark on this week's episode as we delve into the act of empowering and instilling a sense of beauty in thousands of girls, navigating the complexities of loss and its profound impact, and the exhilarating transformation of turning your wildest dreams into tangible reality.
Chapters:
00:00:00 Addressing the Haircare Needs of Black Women 00:03:44 Taking Care of Your Hair 00:07:13 Lessons from Jamaican Culture 00:10:31 Family Trip to Jamaica 00:13:50 From Selling Show Tickets to Professional Dancer 00:17:04 Choosing a Different Degree 00:20:24 Losing a Close Friend to Suicide 00:23:44 Cherishing Time with Loved Ones 00:27:07 The Struggle to Find Hair Products in Beijing 00:30:32 The Need for Diverse Beauty Options 00:34:06 Unexpected Visa Termination 00:37:14 The Pain of Disappointment and Dreaming of Different Hair Products 00:40:32 From intern to graduate position 00:43:49 The Birth of an Idea 00:47:02 The Importance of Doing Everything to the Best of Your Ability 00:50:13 Launching Treasure Tress while working full-time 00:53:40 Struggling with Exhaustion and Career Choices 00:57:02 Taking the Leap into Starting a Business 01:00:22 Making a Career Change Despite Others' Disapproval 01:03:40 The Challenges of Entrepreneurship 01:06:58 Consistency and Building Credibility 01:10:19 Effective Email Strategies and Filtering Out Unresponsive Contacts 01:13:45 Balancing Work and Growth 01:17:00 Trading Standards Inspection and Product Compliance 01:20:05 Pushing Through Difficult Days in Your Career 01:23:30 Challenges during the pandemic 01:26:41 Controversy Surrounding Five Guys 01:29:48 The Future of Treasure Tress and Global Expansion 01:33:09 Creating an Environment of Beauty and Pride 01:36:11 Building a Haircare Brand 01:39:59 Building a Worldwide Sales Success
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Follow us @HOWIBECAME__ We're on Instagram, TikTok, X and Facebook Email: [email protected] This is a UNIFY Podcast. Produced by Unity & Motion Credits: Director: Charles Parkinson Poet & VO Artist: Ashley Samuels-McKenzie Sound Recordist: Aurelija Ausembergaite Camera Operator: Stuart Aitken Editor: Catherine Singh