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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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