Black hair isn’t the same, sorry to disappoint. Oh, and neither is natural hair.

While many of you may be wondering why I’d feel compelled to make such an argument, I’m sure there are many of you who understand that because each one of us are different, our hair and hair needs differ as well. And the same way in which we discuss how blackness is not a monolithic measurement of who we are as a people, that ideal gets lost every single day in the midst of advertisers, marketers, and social media campaigns that seem to lump us all together for things such as our skin and our hair.

While you may not necessarily understand WHY this is a problem, from a culture perspective, it’s horrendous. Our needs differ by so many factors, but one that I hadn’t thought of for the longest was geographical needs and how WHERE we are based really determines how we want to be marketed and spoken to. That’s why Jamelia Donaldson, founder of UK-based consultancy TreasureTress and advocate for positive awareness of the needs of Black hair, is doing work that’s helping each and every one of us.

In the UK alone, $5.25 billion is the annual amount spent in the hair care industry. What percentage of that is accounted for by us (UK black women)?

80%. Yep, and even Black British women are spending six times more on their hair than their white counterpart.

So if we make up a substantial amount of the audience putting money back into the economy, then why does it feel like we are an afterthought to brands and corporations when deciding products that actually work for our tresses as well as market us in positive and unique ways?

While TreasureTress is an amazing resource that then ensures that the consumer feels seen and supported by the brand, TheBlondeMisfit sat down with Donaldson to hear more about her humble beginnings, building an influential brand, and democratizing hair across the board. As entrepreneurs, there are many of us who just want the keys to success, however, social media has robbed many of us from learning what true, authentic hard work looks and feels like. So if you’re interested in starting a business, a subscription box, or even just forging your own path, read on.

Nielsen reports have consistently noted that, on average, black consumers spend an exorbitant amount more than our counterparts in beauty. What is the gravitas of that statement mean? How does that break down into the things we consume in media, our shopping habits, and our needs as black women?

In Europe, we were lacking a sense of community for black women as a whole, especially those figuring out their own natural hair journey. While frustration with the lack of access to products was what initially sparked the idea, it was wasn’t long before I realized that TreasureTress needed to be much more than just a box for the women who had become part of our community. Alongside the need for products, women were hungry for a genuine connection, a sisterhood, a support system, a positive reflection of themselves.

What did you want to be when you were growing up?

Growing up I wanted to be hairdresser. My mum is a former school principle so education has always been the focus. She advised that I focus on owning a hair salon rather than becoming a hairdresser, and explore other career paths. I then turned my attention back to my books and thought that law was the path that I was destined to go down.

I know that you interned for BJ Coleman to really learn about publicity and brand building. Can you talk a little bit about that time?

I worked with BJ Coleman as an undergraduate. I was in my penultimate year of university and had taken time out to gain industry experience. Before heading to New York, I spent a month in Beijing working for a marketing company, then went to NYC to explore fashion/entertainment PR. BJ taught me many lessons, key lessons including: How to pitch and gain sponsorship from brands, how to organize events, how to write compelling emails to gain the attention of big names/brands, to always be prepared for a meeting at any moment, and the importance of maintaining relationships once building a connection. PR for me was an entirely new world, which I enjoyed and still draw inspiration from today and sparked a keen interest in branding and brand building. That experience was priceless. Working for free is now frowned upon but if you’re focused and keen to learn it is a great form of self-investment.

 

What spawned the idea of a hair product subscription box? Did you ever feel like it wouldn’t be sustainable because of the never-ending product selection?

The never-ending product selection is a key motivator and market validation for the existence of TreasureTress as a subscription box. Women need help navigating the sea of products to find products which work well for them, without breaking the bank and with assistance, education and recommendations from their peers. The idea was born out of my own frustration, spending copious amounts of money on shipping to test and try products from the US – often spending upwards of £80 based upon recommendations from my favorite American YouTubers. I was interested in exploring the ways to try products routinely for an affordable amount, and share what I had learned about products and natural hair care with my friends, family and wider subscription base.

Walk us through TreasureTress. How did you go about acquiring products, pitching yourself? Note: We can also talk money here because I’d love to know how you financed this while building up on your feet.

I saved 50% of my salary for over a year to ensure that I had savings to support myself once I decided to take the dive. Pitching to brands was often via email/phone where I had limited time to convince these brands that this was a market worth investing in, the idea had been tried and tested across industries, so it was a matter of me having a concise yet punchy message to get brands on side. Once I had my first clients it was a matter of over delivering to keep them coming back and proving the importance of TreasureTress as not only a concept but a valuable community that they themselves would struggle to create.

When was your first big break? How did it come to happen? When did you know it was time to step out on faith and make the big leap?

I am not sure that I would say I have had a ‘big break,’ and I am also not sure if I believe in these.

Overnight successes do take a number of years, so I am focused on enjoying the journey, sharing the journey and impacting as many women as possible along the way.

I knew it was time to take the big leap when I was beginning to notice physical changes in my body due to the sheer pressure I had myself under. I was waking up at 5am – working on business for 2 hours, going to work until 7:30pm (in a financial firm – so very demanding) to return home and work until 1-2am on pitch decks, websites, mailing lists. the list goes on. At a point I started to experience anxiety getting ready to go to work as I knew that I shouldn’t be going, and that my idea was more worthy of the investment of my time. At that point I decided to choose me and what I knew was my personal mission/purpose.

What obstacles did you hit along the way? How did you learn from those mistakes and bounce back?

Rejection and lots of no’s. The UK market is pretty invisible to those outside of Europe, so I have had countless no’s purely based upon brands not yet understanding just how big of an opportunity TreasureTress is and what it could do for their brand. Out of sight often means out of mind for fast growing brands, so they’re more focused on their immediate audience, which is great, but going global does mean tapping into Europe, middle east and Africa. We are the passport to do so.

What is a typical day look like for you? How do you juggle the various needs of a business and the growing pains but also your personal care?

Every day is completely different! An ideal day starts at 5am with mediation, gym for an hour, then heading into the office. I plan my weeks on a Sunday so that I know exactly what I am doing each and every day. I try to limit my to-do list to one main task, followed by easy to complete smaller tasks, and work in order of priority. Emails are not a priority until the second half of the day once my toughest work is complete. Ideally I’d leave the office for 6/6:30 go home shower, and chill/read before sleeping by 10 – note that I said IDEAL!

What is your favorite thing about TreasureTress? What advice would you give to up-and-coming entrepreneurs who want to start their own beauty businesses?

The vibe! The sisterhood we have formed and my team – they’re the greatest. The authenticity of the company means that what we do comes naturally to us, ideally are aligned with the women we serve so we spend lots of time throwing ideas, concepts and products around the office to help us cater best to the women we serve. Being able to show up at work as your whole self is majorly underrated!

What’s something people get wrong about entrepreneurship? What’s one thing you hope people learn from your story?

Waiting for a saving grace, whether it be an injection of capital, a mentor, coach, business partner. Also, don’t wait – just get started, follow your gut, show up 100% every day and the dots will connect. And lastly, follow your passions and they’ll lead you to your purpose.

To learn more about TreasureTress, check them out online as well as on Instagram.