1 00:00:16,640 --> 00:00:20,440 Speaker 1: Hey, hey, Hey, Okay, obviously this is not Tiffany, this 2 00:00:20,520 --> 00:00:22,960 Speaker 1: is Mandy. I'm filling in tonight. TIF and I will 3 00:00:23,000 --> 00:00:25,759 Speaker 1: be back together for a brand new episode next week. 4 00:00:25,800 --> 00:00:27,840 Speaker 1: We're just taking a little bit of time off this week. 5 00:00:28,120 --> 00:00:30,360 Speaker 1: You guys continue to send us your questions at Brown 6 00:00:30,440 --> 00:00:33,840 Speaker 1: Ambition Podcast at gmail dot com, hit us up on Twitter. 7 00:00:33,920 --> 00:00:37,040 Speaker 1: We're at the BA podcast on Twitter and at Brown 8 00:00:37,080 --> 00:00:41,000 Speaker 1: Ambition on Instagram. I wanted to introduce a really special 9 00:00:41,080 --> 00:00:44,680 Speaker 1: episode of Brown Ambition this week. I look back at 10 00:00:44,760 --> 00:00:48,239 Speaker 1: one of our top five most popular and one of 11 00:00:48,280 --> 00:00:51,080 Speaker 1: my personal favorite interviews we've ever done on the show. 12 00:00:51,440 --> 00:00:53,599 Speaker 1: She's the co founder of one of the most dominant 13 00:00:53,600 --> 00:00:57,320 Speaker 1: brands in natural haircare today, Miko Branch, who joined us 14 00:00:57,400 --> 00:00:59,880 Speaker 1: a little under a year ago to talk about how 15 00:00:59,920 --> 00:01:02,280 Speaker 1: she and her sister built one of the most dominant 16 00:01:02,280 --> 00:01:05,840 Speaker 1: brands in natural hair care out of their apartment in Brooklyn. 17 00:01:06,319 --> 00:01:09,680 Speaker 1: And now, without further ado, here's our interview with Nico 18 00:01:09,760 --> 00:01:28,960 Speaker 1: Branch of Miss Jesse's Hair Care. Okay, guys, it is 19 00:01:29,000 --> 00:01:31,960 Speaker 1: a moment I have been waiting for. Selfishly, you guys 20 00:01:31,959 --> 00:01:34,839 Speaker 1: have been waiting for. We finally have her on the shows. 21 00:01:35,080 --> 00:01:39,839 Speaker 1: Nico Branch the co founder of Miss Jesse's Natural Hair Products, 22 00:01:40,240 --> 00:01:44,600 Speaker 1: Miko Goddess of the Earth, thank you so much for 23 00:01:44,640 --> 00:01:45,520 Speaker 1: coming on the show. 24 00:01:46,280 --> 00:01:49,240 Speaker 2: Wow, Mandy, it is so good to talk to you. 25 00:01:49,320 --> 00:01:52,880 Speaker 2: I understand you are a curly girl and Tiffany is 26 00:01:52,880 --> 00:01:55,760 Speaker 2: one two, so I'm happy to kick it with you 27 00:01:55,920 --> 00:01:59,080 Speaker 2: ladies about all things curls. Kingston waves. 28 00:02:00,200 --> 00:02:03,120 Speaker 1: So much inspiration, so much, so much about your story 29 00:02:03,120 --> 00:02:05,720 Speaker 1: that's inspirational. I mean, the success of the business is 30 00:02:05,760 --> 00:02:08,480 Speaker 1: one thing, but I mean you need to tell people 31 00:02:08,560 --> 00:02:11,200 Speaker 1: that you, you and your and your sister TV, who 32 00:02:11,240 --> 00:02:15,200 Speaker 1: has sadly passed away recently. You guys built this company 33 00:02:15,400 --> 00:02:21,400 Speaker 1: from scratch, no nbas, no angel investors, no crowdfunding. What 34 00:02:21,480 --> 00:02:24,480 Speaker 1: was that like? Building and before people even cared about 35 00:02:24,520 --> 00:02:27,120 Speaker 1: natural hair or saw the potential there. What was that like? 36 00:02:28,520 --> 00:02:33,400 Speaker 2: It was two sisters just making it happen, making ends meet, 37 00:02:33,960 --> 00:02:36,639 Speaker 2: being innovative, being. 38 00:02:38,960 --> 00:02:41,200 Speaker 3: Just teach and I against the world. That's what it 39 00:02:41,240 --> 00:02:41,720 Speaker 3: felt like. 40 00:02:42,240 --> 00:02:45,880 Speaker 2: And I don't think we really lifted our heads up 41 00:02:45,919 --> 00:02:49,000 Speaker 2: to understand what we were doing at the time, but 42 00:02:49,200 --> 00:02:52,280 Speaker 2: we did. It was clear to us that we were 43 00:02:52,320 --> 00:02:55,720 Speaker 2: coming up with something that was going to be useful, 44 00:02:55,800 --> 00:02:58,880 Speaker 2: So that made us feel really good. So it was 45 00:02:58,919 --> 00:03:00,680 Speaker 2: actually fun while we were building. 46 00:03:01,520 --> 00:03:07,919 Speaker 4: Did you ever like one whoa like we have something here, 47 00:03:07,960 --> 00:03:11,040 Speaker 4: you know, like like you know, like like I made 48 00:03:11,040 --> 00:03:14,240 Speaker 4: it moment we were like wow, like we're really doing this, 49 00:03:14,480 --> 00:03:16,200 Speaker 4: Like was there like a moment or was it kind 50 00:03:16,200 --> 00:03:16,680 Speaker 4: of gradual? 51 00:03:17,400 --> 00:03:21,680 Speaker 2: M Well, Tiffany, there were many moments. There were many 52 00:03:21,840 --> 00:03:25,960 Speaker 2: aha moments, And some of the first AHA moments came 53 00:03:26,000 --> 00:03:31,320 Speaker 2: when we discovered that we had curly but not kinky hair. 54 00:03:31,840 --> 00:03:34,800 Speaker 2: And that discovery for me was at bath time with 55 00:03:35,000 --> 00:03:38,720 Speaker 2: my son while we were struggling in our business. My 56 00:03:38,920 --> 00:03:42,280 Speaker 2: son splashed all around. I'm a single parent and it 57 00:03:42,400 --> 00:03:45,160 Speaker 2: was very important for me to be in his life. 58 00:03:45,640 --> 00:03:48,280 Speaker 2: So I did hair in the house and I was 59 00:03:48,320 --> 00:03:52,360 Speaker 2: also his mom in our house, and I gave him 60 00:03:52,360 --> 00:03:54,960 Speaker 2: baths on the fourth floor. He splashed around and I 61 00:03:55,000 --> 00:03:59,040 Speaker 2: could no longer keep my straight styled hair straight and 62 00:03:59,080 --> 00:04:02,440 Speaker 2: I just had to race it. That started a conversation, 63 00:04:02,880 --> 00:04:07,440 Speaker 2: and in that moment, I knew we had something and then, 64 00:04:07,560 --> 00:04:10,240 Speaker 2: you know, we had other AHA moments with the product, 65 00:04:10,840 --> 00:04:14,360 Speaker 2: But that was our very first understanding that it was 66 00:04:14,440 --> 00:04:15,400 Speaker 2: going to get interesting. 67 00:04:16,360 --> 00:04:19,000 Speaker 1: And you started doing hair, so you were always you know, 68 00:04:19,120 --> 00:04:22,000 Speaker 1: in your heart. You were stylist. But you you went 69 00:04:22,040 --> 00:04:24,360 Speaker 1: through you went you were going to go to fashion school. Right, 70 00:04:24,400 --> 00:04:26,680 Speaker 1: you went to f I T before you went to 71 00:04:26,720 --> 00:04:29,400 Speaker 1: beauty school. How did you, I mean, how what was 72 00:04:29,440 --> 00:04:31,320 Speaker 1: it that was driving you were making you think that 73 00:04:31,800 --> 00:04:33,719 Speaker 1: maybe not hair isn't for me, maybe I should do 74 00:04:33,800 --> 00:04:35,440 Speaker 1: something like go to fashion school. 75 00:04:35,920 --> 00:04:38,560 Speaker 2: Well, when I went to FI t uh it was 76 00:04:38,720 --> 00:04:42,960 Speaker 2: it was very unpleasant. It was not a fun experience. 77 00:04:43,160 --> 00:04:46,560 Speaker 2: And my education at f I T made it very 78 00:04:46,600 --> 00:04:49,520 Speaker 2: clear to me that this was something I did not 79 00:04:49,760 --> 00:04:53,680 Speaker 2: want to do. So the moment I graduated from f 80 00:04:53,760 --> 00:04:58,279 Speaker 2: I T I, I signed up for hair school, and 81 00:04:58,320 --> 00:05:01,040 Speaker 2: I understood that it's time for me to do something 82 00:05:01,080 --> 00:05:03,479 Speaker 2: that I like. So I ran to Hear school and 83 00:05:03,520 --> 00:05:06,839 Speaker 2: I went to school on thirty fourth Street in the city. 84 00:05:08,040 --> 00:05:10,520 Speaker 1: And you talk in your book, which I mentioned before 85 00:05:10,520 --> 00:05:13,120 Speaker 1: in the podcast, which is an excellent sort of the 86 00:05:13,160 --> 00:05:15,880 Speaker 1: story of Miss Jesse's and of your sisterhood and how 87 00:05:15,880 --> 00:05:18,560 Speaker 1: you built the business. But you talk about the influence 88 00:05:18,560 --> 00:05:21,440 Speaker 1: of your parents and in different ways, and especially your dad. 89 00:05:22,360 --> 00:05:25,120 Speaker 1: You guys launched a cleaning company together. Is that right 90 00:05:25,160 --> 00:05:27,599 Speaker 1: when you were like a teenager you're running this company 91 00:05:27,600 --> 00:05:28,200 Speaker 1: with your dad. 92 00:05:29,040 --> 00:05:30,200 Speaker 3: Yes, we did. 93 00:05:30,560 --> 00:05:34,279 Speaker 2: Our dad, Jimmy branch groom, Tity and I to be 94 00:05:34,520 --> 00:05:37,839 Speaker 2: entrepreneurs at a very early age. So by the time 95 00:05:37,920 --> 00:05:41,880 Speaker 2: we were in our late teens early twenties, we took 96 00:05:41,920 --> 00:05:45,480 Speaker 2: our we took a stab at becoming entrepreneurs, and we 97 00:05:45,480 --> 00:05:49,680 Speaker 2: were entrepreneurs. We were with our dad, and that was 98 00:05:49,720 --> 00:05:53,640 Speaker 2: a very interesting business because we were cleaning and scrubbing 99 00:05:53,680 --> 00:05:57,960 Speaker 2: toilets and doing all the dirty work. So that was 100 00:05:58,000 --> 00:06:01,279 Speaker 2: a wonderful experience for me, particular because I got a 101 00:06:01,400 --> 00:06:05,360 Speaker 2: chance to again understand at a very early age all 102 00:06:05,440 --> 00:06:07,480 Speaker 2: the things that I did not want to do. So 103 00:06:07,520 --> 00:06:10,760 Speaker 2: I was playing paying very close attention to that. So 104 00:06:10,800 --> 00:06:13,880 Speaker 2: by the time it came to make a decision about 105 00:06:13,920 --> 00:06:15,360 Speaker 2: what I wanted to do, it was very. 106 00:06:15,200 --> 00:06:15,719 Speaker 3: Clear to me. 107 00:06:16,320 --> 00:06:19,000 Speaker 4: So, Mika, I have four sisters and I have my 108 00:06:19,040 --> 00:06:21,480 Speaker 4: own company. They don't. We're not like partners or anyway, 109 00:06:21,520 --> 00:06:24,799 Speaker 4: But slowly but surely I'm starting to see the talents 110 00:06:24,839 --> 00:06:26,760 Speaker 4: of my sisters and how they're helping me. How do 111 00:06:26,839 --> 00:06:29,480 Speaker 4: you How did you manage that with t T like 112 00:06:29,600 --> 00:06:33,400 Speaker 4: cause like so the baby Lisa, she was my personal assistant. 113 00:06:33,400 --> 00:06:35,320 Speaker 4: But you can guess all that worked out I'm like 114 00:06:36,960 --> 00:06:39,640 Speaker 4: to eat my food and like like because she would 115 00:06:39,680 --> 00:06:41,680 Speaker 4: literally be like, oh, you should nail at mommy and 116 00:06:41,720 --> 00:06:43,120 Speaker 4: Daddy's house. I'm going to bring it and I'd be 117 00:06:43,160 --> 00:06:44,960 Speaker 4: like yeah, and then I get a bill like that's 118 00:06:45,040 --> 00:06:48,520 Speaker 4: not that's not how that worked. So how did you 119 00:06:48,640 --> 00:06:51,599 Speaker 4: manage like working with your because I know there's obviously 120 00:06:51,680 --> 00:06:53,719 Speaker 4: some great upside, but what about the times when you 121 00:06:53,720 --> 00:06:55,480 Speaker 4: guys had some like some difficulties. 122 00:06:56,040 --> 00:06:59,440 Speaker 2: We were able to manage most of the downsides because 123 00:06:59,520 --> 00:07:02,799 Speaker 2: in the up side, there was a sister dynamic already 124 00:07:02,839 --> 00:07:06,240 Speaker 2: in play. See Teky was my big sister, so we 125 00:07:06,279 --> 00:07:10,480 Speaker 2: already had pretty much of an understanding. The downside of 126 00:07:10,520 --> 00:07:13,680 Speaker 2: that came when we were really locked and stuck in 127 00:07:13,840 --> 00:07:16,600 Speaker 2: our sister dynamic of big sister, little sister. 128 00:07:17,240 --> 00:07:18,520 Speaker 3: So when it came. 129 00:07:18,360 --> 00:07:21,400 Speaker 2: Time to place blame, you know, there was really no 130 00:07:21,560 --> 00:07:24,840 Speaker 2: room for a big sister or a little sister, you. 131 00:07:24,800 --> 00:07:27,240 Speaker 3: Know, moment it was really that was the moment that 132 00:07:27,280 --> 00:07:28,120 Speaker 3: we really. 133 00:07:27,840 --> 00:07:31,760 Speaker 2: Had to be partners and be responsible for our role 134 00:07:31,840 --> 00:07:34,440 Speaker 2: in the business. The only thing was that it wasn't 135 00:07:34,480 --> 00:07:36,800 Speaker 2: really clear to us what our role was, so we 136 00:07:36,920 --> 00:07:39,280 Speaker 2: kind of felt our way as we crawled through. 137 00:07:39,760 --> 00:07:43,480 Speaker 3: But you know, we we we managed to figure it out. 138 00:07:44,200 --> 00:07:46,320 Speaker 1: How long do you think it took before you guys 139 00:07:46,320 --> 00:07:48,040 Speaker 1: felt like you were in a good place and you 140 00:07:48,080 --> 00:07:50,040 Speaker 1: knew what your role was and you knew what her 141 00:07:50,320 --> 00:07:54,040 Speaker 1: hers was? And did you did you put that in writing? 142 00:07:54,200 --> 00:07:55,960 Speaker 1: Did you put it on the wall? You know, draw 143 00:07:56,000 --> 00:07:57,960 Speaker 1: a line down the floor? How did you guys do 144 00:07:58,040 --> 00:07:59,200 Speaker 1: that make that division? 145 00:08:00,080 --> 00:08:02,400 Speaker 3: Well, at first we did not put it in writing. 146 00:08:02,520 --> 00:08:07,360 Speaker 2: As I mentioned, we had a very special understanding as sisters. 147 00:08:07,400 --> 00:08:11,160 Speaker 2: That kind of it flowed over into our business. So 148 00:08:11,240 --> 00:08:14,160 Speaker 2: for many years we did not have a written agreement. 149 00:08:14,720 --> 00:08:18,240 Speaker 2: But for tax purposes, we really needed to formalize our 150 00:08:18,240 --> 00:08:20,240 Speaker 2: business and that led us to. 151 00:08:22,200 --> 00:08:22,680 Speaker 3: What do we do? 152 00:08:22,960 --> 00:08:26,520 Speaker 2: We did an LLC and that was our first partnership, 153 00:08:26,560 --> 00:08:30,240 Speaker 2: our first legal partnership, although Teethy and I didn't really 154 00:08:30,360 --> 00:08:34,720 Speaker 2: understand what that meant legally. We did it for tax reasons. 155 00:08:34,960 --> 00:08:37,520 Speaker 2: But you know, as far as a division of labor, 156 00:08:37,559 --> 00:08:42,080 Speaker 2: there was probably no one area that neither she nor 157 00:08:42,240 --> 00:08:45,440 Speaker 2: I couldn't do. I mean, we didn't have that luxury. 158 00:08:45,480 --> 00:08:49,000 Speaker 2: Although when we first started out, I imagine that I 159 00:08:49,040 --> 00:08:51,160 Speaker 2: would just be doing hair all day and my sister 160 00:08:51,200 --> 00:08:53,080 Speaker 2: would be handling everything else. 161 00:08:53,600 --> 00:08:54,880 Speaker 3: It didn't work out that way. 162 00:08:54,960 --> 00:09:00,120 Speaker 2: We had to divide everything up pretty much equally, and 163 00:09:00,160 --> 00:09:02,640 Speaker 2: most of the time that worked for us, and sometimes 164 00:09:02,679 --> 00:09:04,200 Speaker 2: it was really tough on us. 165 00:09:05,160 --> 00:09:07,600 Speaker 1: When were you able to hire people to help you? 166 00:09:07,640 --> 00:09:09,559 Speaker 1: How long was it just you and your sister blood? 167 00:09:09,600 --> 00:09:10,960 Speaker 1: Whatt't hear twins? 168 00:09:11,000 --> 00:09:12,280 Speaker 4: I was literally just about the same. 169 00:09:13,520 --> 00:09:16,400 Speaker 1: We need details, Mika, we need number figures. 170 00:09:16,800 --> 00:09:19,880 Speaker 2: So when we first opened our business in nineteen ninety seven, 171 00:09:19,960 --> 00:09:22,720 Speaker 2: it was a two chair salon, and within that first 172 00:09:22,800 --> 00:09:26,280 Speaker 2: year Tity and I were able to hire an assistant. 173 00:09:27,120 --> 00:09:30,640 Speaker 2: We made a profit in that first year, and we 174 00:09:30,760 --> 00:09:35,240 Speaker 2: tried to keep our prices at a premium and keep 175 00:09:35,280 --> 00:09:39,200 Speaker 2: our expenses low. With that formula, we were able to 176 00:09:39,320 --> 00:09:41,760 Speaker 2: hire someone within the first year, and I think in 177 00:09:41,800 --> 00:09:45,320 Speaker 2: the first year we went through maybe two or three 178 00:09:45,360 --> 00:09:48,400 Speaker 2: assistants because there's a high, high turn over an assistance. 179 00:09:48,720 --> 00:09:51,560 Speaker 2: And then over the years we always managed to have 180 00:09:52,320 --> 00:09:58,680 Speaker 2: an assistant in the salon. But when we started mixing product, 181 00:09:59,320 --> 00:10:02,240 Speaker 2: Tit and I we're paying attention to the signs, and 182 00:10:02,280 --> 00:10:05,320 Speaker 2: the signs for growth were oh my god, our backs 183 00:10:05,320 --> 00:10:08,720 Speaker 2: are hurting, Oh my god, we're staying up way too late, 184 00:10:09,040 --> 00:10:12,680 Speaker 2: and oh my god, people are ordering this stuff faster 185 00:10:12,800 --> 00:10:15,559 Speaker 2: than we can make it. So those signs, and we 186 00:10:15,640 --> 00:10:19,120 Speaker 2: call it common sense, we paid attention to them, and 187 00:10:19,120 --> 00:10:21,360 Speaker 2: that's when we understood we have to call someone in 188 00:10:21,400 --> 00:10:24,160 Speaker 2: here to help us. And before we knew it, we 189 00:10:24,160 --> 00:10:28,640 Speaker 2: were rocking every single floor in this brownstone, you know, 190 00:10:28,760 --> 00:10:32,120 Speaker 2: with some some some form of work. And we got 191 00:10:32,120 --> 00:10:34,520 Speaker 2: our money's worth from this purchase that we made in 192 00:10:34,600 --> 00:10:38,520 Speaker 2: nineteen ninety seven in the Bedford Stuyvestant section of Brooklyn. 193 00:10:38,640 --> 00:10:39,960 Speaker 3: So that was a good investment. 194 00:10:40,920 --> 00:10:43,960 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's where we held our business down. 195 00:10:44,320 --> 00:10:46,719 Speaker 1: Hold on to that with every ounce of strength you 196 00:10:46,960 --> 00:10:48,679 Speaker 1: have them. 197 00:10:49,000 --> 00:10:50,920 Speaker 4: It reminds me of Newark, like how Newark is, Like 198 00:10:50,960 --> 00:10:52,920 Speaker 4: that's where I live now, and I'm trying my best 199 00:10:52,920 --> 00:10:55,040 Speaker 4: to buy property because i just don't want five to 200 00:10:55,120 --> 00:10:57,079 Speaker 4: ten years. I'm like, oh, man, I should have. 201 00:10:57,880 --> 00:11:02,360 Speaker 2: It's a great investment and for too, for you know, entrepreneur, 202 00:11:02,480 --> 00:11:05,800 Speaker 2: it's a wonderful place to start your business. And you 203 00:11:05,880 --> 00:11:09,120 Speaker 2: can dual purpose set thing in so many ways, triple purpose. 204 00:11:09,200 --> 00:11:10,920 Speaker 2: So I encourage you to get your house. 205 00:11:11,640 --> 00:11:13,640 Speaker 1: I've got a question about that because in the book, 206 00:11:13,720 --> 00:11:16,520 Speaker 1: you in the same sort of section where you're talking 207 00:11:16,520 --> 00:11:18,480 Speaker 1: about buying the house right before that, you talk about 208 00:11:18,520 --> 00:11:21,319 Speaker 1: a tax issue that you guys face, which I think 209 00:11:21,360 --> 00:11:23,840 Speaker 1: a lot of you know, new entrepreneurs can deal with. 210 00:11:23,880 --> 00:11:25,480 Speaker 1: Can you talk about the tax issues that you had 211 00:11:25,559 --> 00:11:28,080 Speaker 1: early early on and then sort of where the buying 212 00:11:28,120 --> 00:11:29,720 Speaker 1: property came into that later. 213 00:11:31,240 --> 00:11:33,560 Speaker 2: I honestly don't think TT and I had a real 214 00:11:33,640 --> 00:11:38,200 Speaker 2: good understanding of how taxes work in this country. And 215 00:11:38,280 --> 00:11:41,200 Speaker 2: we also didn't understand that we had a third partner. 216 00:11:41,800 --> 00:11:43,600 Speaker 2: TT and I always thought that it was just she 217 00:11:43,720 --> 00:11:47,280 Speaker 2: and I in business. And because we made a profit 218 00:11:47,480 --> 00:11:50,760 Speaker 2: very early on, we had to break the IRS off 219 00:11:51,000 --> 00:11:54,040 Speaker 2: a piece, and that's a big, pretty big chunk. So 220 00:11:54,679 --> 00:11:56,920 Speaker 2: in the beginning, I think in the first year, we 221 00:11:56,960 --> 00:11:59,960 Speaker 2: had to pay a tax bill of around seventeen thousand, 222 00:12:00,679 --> 00:12:02,920 Speaker 2: and that was more than she and I had ever 223 00:12:03,000 --> 00:12:06,240 Speaker 2: paid the IRS. And we were used to the IRS 224 00:12:06,280 --> 00:12:09,560 Speaker 2: giving us money back. And you know, I asked TT, 225 00:12:10,040 --> 00:12:14,440 Speaker 2: because T was the TT knew everything Mandy and Tiffany, 226 00:12:14,800 --> 00:12:17,480 Speaker 2: I asked t T do we have to always pay 227 00:12:17,520 --> 00:12:20,480 Speaker 2: this kind of bill? And said, well, the more money 228 00:12:20,480 --> 00:12:22,880 Speaker 2: you make, the more we have to pay in taxes. 229 00:12:22,920 --> 00:12:26,360 Speaker 2: And that was new news to me. And in that 230 00:12:26,559 --> 00:12:29,880 Speaker 2: moment I realized that we had a third partner, So 231 00:12:30,000 --> 00:12:33,319 Speaker 2: I said, tt, isn't there a thing where if you 232 00:12:33,960 --> 00:12:37,240 Speaker 2: buy a house you have some expenses, you can offset 233 00:12:37,679 --> 00:12:40,480 Speaker 2: some of those taxes. And she set up and then 234 00:12:40,520 --> 00:12:44,800 Speaker 2: that's when we ran to Bedsty and we got that brownstone. 235 00:12:44,840 --> 00:12:47,280 Speaker 2: But we purchased the brownstone as a result of this 236 00:12:47,960 --> 00:12:51,760 Speaker 2: new understanding of how taxes work and that it wasn't 237 00:12:51,800 --> 00:12:53,559 Speaker 2: just she and I in business together. 238 00:12:53,720 --> 00:12:55,360 Speaker 3: We had a third partner, the irs. 239 00:12:56,520 --> 00:12:58,800 Speaker 1: So you were taking advantage of some tax breaks for 240 00:12:59,080 --> 00:13:01,800 Speaker 1: first time homeowners around that time, right, yes. 241 00:13:01,760 --> 00:13:06,160 Speaker 2: Yes, And this is nineteen ninety nine when we bought 242 00:13:06,160 --> 00:13:08,839 Speaker 2: our brownstone, when Betsty was the hood. 243 00:13:09,440 --> 00:13:11,760 Speaker 1: At you guys, that's incredible. I mean, I don't think 244 00:13:11,760 --> 00:13:14,960 Speaker 1: a lot of people would have been so you know, 245 00:13:15,160 --> 00:13:20,440 Speaker 1: scrappy or creative with when faced with a challenge like that. 246 00:13:20,559 --> 00:13:23,400 Speaker 1: I mean, to me, that's that's pretty extraordinary. 247 00:13:23,920 --> 00:13:26,920 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, it's it's it's it's a hurting things. 248 00:13:27,000 --> 00:13:29,200 Speaker 2: It hurts your feelings when you have to give up 249 00:13:29,240 --> 00:13:32,400 Speaker 2: that money that you work so hard for, but you 250 00:13:32,480 --> 00:13:34,880 Speaker 2: try to find ways to hold on to as much 251 00:13:34,920 --> 00:13:37,120 Speaker 2: as you can, and that was what we were thinking about. 252 00:13:37,200 --> 00:13:38,920 Speaker 2: So I'm so glad we did it. 253 00:13:40,360 --> 00:13:42,360 Speaker 1: Now. I talked about your dad earlier, and I wanted 254 00:13:42,360 --> 00:13:43,880 Speaker 1: to bring him up because he's a big part of 255 00:13:43,880 --> 00:13:45,760 Speaker 1: the book. He's a big part of your you know, 256 00:13:45,840 --> 00:13:48,719 Speaker 1: he was your primary caretaker for a while. Him and 257 00:13:49,360 --> 00:13:52,080 Speaker 1: of course your your grandmother in the namesake of the company, 258 00:13:52,520 --> 00:13:55,959 Speaker 1: Miss Jesse herself. But I brought it up your dad 259 00:13:56,000 --> 00:13:59,760 Speaker 1: earlier because this resonated with me, because I feel like 260 00:13:59,800 --> 00:14:02,480 Speaker 1: I learned a lot from my parents' mistakes. And you 261 00:14:02,520 --> 00:14:06,000 Speaker 1: certainly talk about and are candid about watching your father 262 00:14:06,679 --> 00:14:09,800 Speaker 1: struggle with his own you know, weaknesses or you know, 263 00:14:09,920 --> 00:14:12,479 Speaker 1: his challenges that he faced, you know, as an entrepreneur. 264 00:14:12,520 --> 00:14:15,640 Speaker 1: And what were some of the biggest lessons you learned 265 00:14:15,640 --> 00:14:18,520 Speaker 1: from seeing him sort of half his ups and downs. 266 00:14:18,800 --> 00:14:20,360 Speaker 1: He was in real estate for a while, and then 267 00:14:20,400 --> 00:14:22,560 Speaker 1: you guys, of course, you had that cleaning business, and 268 00:14:22,600 --> 00:14:24,760 Speaker 1: that was sort of a struggle. And what did you 269 00:14:24,800 --> 00:14:28,040 Speaker 1: take away from that and use as you were launching 270 00:14:28,080 --> 00:14:28,680 Speaker 1: your own business. 271 00:14:30,120 --> 00:14:34,400 Speaker 2: I learned that business is really about tenacity. I sat 272 00:14:34,720 --> 00:14:39,960 Speaker 2: and witnessed my dad have aspirations and have dreams of 273 00:14:40,040 --> 00:14:44,600 Speaker 2: bettering himself, bettering us, and he kept trying, you know, 274 00:14:44,760 --> 00:14:48,800 Speaker 2: my dad kept trying My dad did not have formal training, 275 00:14:49,160 --> 00:14:51,720 Speaker 2: but he had a desire to be free, and he 276 00:14:51,880 --> 00:14:53,920 Speaker 2: had a desire to be his own boss. 277 00:14:54,600 --> 00:14:55,800 Speaker 3: I think most of. 278 00:14:55,680 --> 00:15:00,640 Speaker 2: His aspirations, really, I think Tity and I were the 279 00:15:01,480 --> 00:15:06,040 Speaker 2: fruit of his dreams and his labor. I think for him, 280 00:15:06,160 --> 00:15:09,200 Speaker 2: although he was not able to see you know, that 281 00:15:09,320 --> 00:15:13,120 Speaker 2: million dollar check or that million dollar deal, my dad 282 00:15:13,240 --> 00:15:16,240 Speaker 2: was grooming TT and I for us to really. 283 00:15:16,680 --> 00:15:17,600 Speaker 3: Hit home runs. 284 00:15:18,520 --> 00:15:23,600 Speaker 2: So we saw a very proud, smart man do his thing. 285 00:15:24,040 --> 00:15:27,600 Speaker 2: But he wasn't perfect, and we saw him make mistakes. 286 00:15:28,280 --> 00:15:31,880 Speaker 2: Any entrepreneur can tell you, particularly the entrepreneurs who don't 287 00:15:31,880 --> 00:15:35,720 Speaker 2: have formal training, it's not pretty, you know. So to 288 00:15:35,800 --> 00:15:39,760 Speaker 2: be in business with, you know, your very strong minded dad, 289 00:15:40,520 --> 00:15:45,120 Speaker 2: that wasn't always rosie for us, and you know sometimes 290 00:15:45,120 --> 00:15:49,480 Speaker 2: our relationship suffered because of it. I could honestly tell you, 291 00:15:49,840 --> 00:15:55,720 Speaker 2: in terms of training, there is no better training course 292 00:15:55,840 --> 00:15:59,320 Speaker 2: than TT and I could have taken or did take 293 00:15:59,760 --> 00:16:03,040 Speaker 2: then for us to work with our dad. He's sparred 294 00:16:03,080 --> 00:16:05,360 Speaker 2: with us and he trained us to be the best. So, 295 00:16:06,240 --> 00:16:08,920 Speaker 2: you know, I consider Ticky and I to be very fortunate, 296 00:16:09,000 --> 00:16:12,160 Speaker 2: and we love him. He's an amazing man. 297 00:16:13,000 --> 00:16:16,360 Speaker 4: What advice do you give, like, because my biggest struggle 298 00:16:16,440 --> 00:16:20,240 Speaker 4: is work life balance. I'm recently engaged, you know, and 299 00:16:20,280 --> 00:16:22,760 Speaker 4: it's just like everyone's always pulling at you. Me and 300 00:16:22,800 --> 00:16:25,240 Speaker 4: my best friend just had an argument like two days ago. 301 00:16:25,280 --> 00:16:28,840 Speaker 4: I totally forgot that my god son on his birthday 302 00:16:28,960 --> 00:16:31,400 Speaker 4: and she's like, what the hell, Tiffany? And I just 303 00:16:31,440 --> 00:16:33,760 Speaker 4: feel like I'm always stretched, Like, well, how do you 304 00:16:34,720 --> 00:16:38,280 Speaker 4: manage it all? You know, and without making yourself crazy 305 00:16:38,360 --> 00:16:39,560 Speaker 4: or feel guilty all the time. 306 00:16:40,680 --> 00:16:44,760 Speaker 2: I think something's going to give, and really it will 307 00:16:44,760 --> 00:16:49,160 Speaker 2: go in order by itself. It really falls. It really 308 00:16:49,200 --> 00:16:52,480 Speaker 2: balls down to what's important. What's most important to you. 309 00:16:53,040 --> 00:16:56,160 Speaker 2: If your boyfriend or your fiance is most important, that's 310 00:16:56,200 --> 00:16:58,520 Speaker 2: going to get most of your attention. If your business 311 00:16:58,560 --> 00:17:00,920 Speaker 2: is most important, that's going to get most of your attention. 312 00:17:01,520 --> 00:17:04,080 Speaker 2: I think for you, you know, in terms of well 313 00:17:04,080 --> 00:17:05,920 Speaker 2: what do I do and how I do? I think 314 00:17:06,080 --> 00:17:10,720 Speaker 2: using common sense is the key. And you mentioned the 315 00:17:10,760 --> 00:17:14,280 Speaker 2: word balance. Balance is a wonderful tool, you know, to 316 00:17:14,359 --> 00:17:17,560 Speaker 2: put in play, but really it's about what's important to 317 00:17:17,640 --> 00:17:20,520 Speaker 2: you and then you'll be able to prioritize how you 318 00:17:20,560 --> 00:17:22,960 Speaker 2: want to handle things. So I think you should pay 319 00:17:23,000 --> 00:17:26,439 Speaker 2: attention to what's important and then you'll be able to 320 00:17:26,440 --> 00:17:27,600 Speaker 2: put everything in order. 321 00:17:29,200 --> 00:17:31,320 Speaker 1: Do you have I mean you you have a son, right, 322 00:17:31,680 --> 00:17:33,000 Speaker 1: he's a how old teenager? 323 00:17:33,080 --> 00:17:36,920 Speaker 3: Right? He's a teenager. He's sixteen. He'll be seventeen in 324 00:17:36,960 --> 00:17:38,280 Speaker 3: May and May. 325 00:17:38,640 --> 00:17:41,359 Speaker 1: Oh well, happy birthday to him. 326 00:17:41,720 --> 00:17:43,399 Speaker 3: Yeah, he's proud of his seventeen. 327 00:17:43,840 --> 00:17:46,800 Speaker 1: Oh god, good luck with that. I wanted to ask 328 00:17:46,880 --> 00:17:49,160 Speaker 1: you because I and I want to be sensitive, because 329 00:17:49,160 --> 00:17:51,320 Speaker 1: I know your sister. You guys were obviously very close, 330 00:17:51,359 --> 00:17:54,280 Speaker 1: and she passed away only a couple or a few 331 00:17:54,359 --> 00:17:57,280 Speaker 1: years ago, but you you talk about in the book, 332 00:17:57,320 --> 00:17:59,399 Speaker 1: you know she was more than your business partner and 333 00:17:59,400 --> 00:18:01,320 Speaker 1: your sister. She as a co parent, she was a 334 00:18:01,359 --> 00:18:05,080 Speaker 1: you know, a partner, and you know I I would 335 00:18:05,160 --> 00:18:08,400 Speaker 1: love to sort of ask you if you have advice 336 00:18:08,560 --> 00:18:10,600 Speaker 1: for people out there who are you know, a lot 337 00:18:10,600 --> 00:18:13,080 Speaker 1: of people go into business with family or with you know, 338 00:18:13,160 --> 00:18:18,600 Speaker 1: best friends or partners, and sometimes the worst can happen 339 00:18:18,720 --> 00:18:21,760 Speaker 1: and one of you may no longer be able to 340 00:18:21,800 --> 00:18:24,600 Speaker 1: be a part of the company, or may unfortunately something 341 00:18:24,600 --> 00:18:27,920 Speaker 1: may happen. Is there anything you can you know, learn 342 00:18:27,960 --> 00:18:32,240 Speaker 1: from your experience of you know, of your sister's passing, 343 00:18:32,280 --> 00:18:35,040 Speaker 1: that you'd like to pass on to entrepreneurs and how 344 00:18:35,080 --> 00:18:38,639 Speaker 1: they can not prepare but protect themselves, or you know, 345 00:18:38,720 --> 00:18:41,040 Speaker 1: any advice for what to do after something like that 346 00:18:41,119 --> 00:18:43,960 Speaker 1: happens that you you know, think might be useful or 347 00:18:43,960 --> 00:18:44,919 Speaker 1: that you found useful. 348 00:18:46,040 --> 00:18:52,160 Speaker 2: Yes, Teeth and I built our business together, so there 349 00:18:52,359 --> 00:18:55,840 Speaker 2: wasn't really one area that she or I didn't know about. 350 00:18:56,440 --> 00:19:00,439 Speaker 2: So in tit's passing, It's not a new experience for 351 00:19:00,560 --> 00:19:03,000 Speaker 2: me to do some of the carry out some of 352 00:19:03,000 --> 00:19:05,479 Speaker 2: the duties that I would normally do if Tit were 353 00:19:05,520 --> 00:19:09,639 Speaker 2: here in her absence. Just so fortunate. I'm just so 354 00:19:09,800 --> 00:19:12,600 Speaker 2: fortunate to be able to carry that on. So I'm 355 00:19:12,640 --> 00:19:15,919 Speaker 2: really just doing what I've always done, just more of it. 356 00:19:16,560 --> 00:19:21,359 Speaker 2: So that was that was something that armed me with 357 00:19:22,200 --> 00:19:24,800 Speaker 2: being able to carry on the business in her absence. 358 00:19:25,119 --> 00:19:27,359 Speaker 2: But I just wanted to back up a moment before 359 00:19:27,640 --> 00:19:30,280 Speaker 2: you know, you get to that. In choosing your partner, 360 00:19:30,320 --> 00:19:33,480 Speaker 2: you touch a little bit on family businesses and partnerships. 361 00:19:34,200 --> 00:19:37,800 Speaker 2: You know, Mandy, family doesn't always guarantee that you're going 362 00:19:37,840 --> 00:19:40,280 Speaker 2: to get a good partner. You know, we just spoke 363 00:19:40,320 --> 00:19:43,280 Speaker 2: with Tiffany, and you know, maybe out of the four sisters, 364 00:19:43,320 --> 00:19:45,920 Speaker 2: one of the sisters might be a better business partner 365 00:19:45,960 --> 00:19:47,480 Speaker 2: than the other. 366 00:19:47,960 --> 00:19:50,840 Speaker 3: It's just like that. It doesn't mean that anyone's bad 367 00:19:51,000 --> 00:19:51,399 Speaker 3: or good. 368 00:19:51,560 --> 00:19:56,640 Speaker 2: It's just really chemistry. And you know, choosing a partner, 369 00:19:56,680 --> 00:19:59,760 Speaker 2: you have to find someone that you have chemistry with, 370 00:20:00,240 --> 00:20:05,119 Speaker 2: someone who you trust, someone who there's a nice harmony 371 00:20:05,160 --> 00:20:08,560 Speaker 2: going on, and I think from their decisions can be made. 372 00:20:08,640 --> 00:20:11,120 Speaker 2: Sometimes the decisions will go your way, sometimes it will 373 00:20:11,119 --> 00:20:14,320 Speaker 2: go your partner's way, and then you know, sometimes you 374 00:20:14,359 --> 00:20:17,400 Speaker 2: guys will both make decisions together. So I think that's 375 00:20:17,480 --> 00:20:20,840 Speaker 2: really important when you're choosing a partner. And then all 376 00:20:20,880 --> 00:20:24,800 Speaker 2: the other stuff in terms of formalizing your business or 377 00:20:24,920 --> 00:20:28,040 Speaker 2: you know, maybe disputes might come along, you know, later 378 00:20:28,119 --> 00:20:30,439 Speaker 2: on down the line. I think those things can be 379 00:20:30,520 --> 00:20:35,040 Speaker 2: worked out. But choosing a business partner is kind of 380 00:20:35,119 --> 00:20:38,119 Speaker 2: like choosing a boyfriend, you know, or a spouse. You 381 00:20:38,160 --> 00:20:40,639 Speaker 2: really want to find someone you like and someone you 382 00:20:41,440 --> 00:20:43,080 Speaker 2: have good harmony in chemistry with. 383 00:20:43,880 --> 00:20:46,280 Speaker 1: So we need to we've skipped around, I feel like 384 00:20:46,320 --> 00:20:48,919 Speaker 1: with your story and we haven't even so. You started 385 00:20:48,960 --> 00:20:51,280 Speaker 1: as a hairstylist in your salon, like you said, a 386 00:20:51,320 --> 00:20:54,280 Speaker 1: two chair salon you and TT when was it that, 387 00:20:54,400 --> 00:20:57,240 Speaker 1: I mean, you weren't making your own products from the beginning, 388 00:20:57,320 --> 00:20:59,639 Speaker 1: So how many years when was it that you started 389 00:20:59,640 --> 00:21:03,439 Speaker 1: making the Miss Jesse's hair care products? And how the 390 00:21:03,440 --> 00:21:05,760 Speaker 1: heck do you just do that? Do you just mix 391 00:21:05,840 --> 00:21:06,679 Speaker 1: it up in your kitchen? 392 00:21:07,359 --> 00:21:09,719 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's a great question, Titty and I bought our 393 00:21:09,760 --> 00:21:14,520 Speaker 2: Brownstone in nineteen ninety nine. I had an aha moment 394 00:21:15,080 --> 00:21:19,520 Speaker 2: at bath time with my son, probably in two thousand, 395 00:21:19,800 --> 00:21:22,640 Speaker 2: during the year that he was first born. I couldn't 396 00:21:22,680 --> 00:21:27,399 Speaker 2: maintain my straight styled hair straight and that started a 397 00:21:27,440 --> 00:21:30,840 Speaker 2: conversation with our clients who were coming to our house. 398 00:21:30,960 --> 00:21:33,840 Speaker 2: Because we'd gotten kicked out of a salon, out of 399 00:21:33,840 --> 00:21:37,400 Speaker 2: our two chair business that I mentioned earlier, we had 400 00:21:37,400 --> 00:21:38,800 Speaker 2: to refuge to our house. 401 00:21:39,280 --> 00:21:41,119 Speaker 3: That was an opportunity for us. 402 00:21:41,080 --> 00:21:46,320 Speaker 2: Mandy, because we were pressed. We needed to pay our mortgage. 403 00:21:46,359 --> 00:21:46,800 Speaker 3: I was a. 404 00:21:46,760 --> 00:21:50,960 Speaker 2: Single parent, and we were trying our best to think 405 00:21:51,040 --> 00:21:55,800 Speaker 2: outside the box. That opportunity came at bath time. I 406 00:21:55,880 --> 00:21:58,920 Speaker 2: was always a great hairstylist, so I got very good 407 00:21:59,040 --> 00:22:02,679 Speaker 2: at styling curly, kinky and wavy hair, and quickly I 408 00:22:02,760 --> 00:22:05,720 Speaker 2: became an expert. But at the time, there were no 409 00:22:05,760 --> 00:22:10,040 Speaker 2: Miss Jesse's and Target, Walmart, Walgreens, CBS. So what we 410 00:22:10,080 --> 00:22:12,800 Speaker 2: did was we took it to our kitchen table the 411 00:22:12,840 --> 00:22:15,520 Speaker 2: way we saw our grandmother do as she made things 412 00:22:15,520 --> 00:22:18,280 Speaker 2: from scratch, you know. Teky and I would sit there 413 00:22:18,320 --> 00:22:20,480 Speaker 2: and mix a little bit of this with a little 414 00:22:20,480 --> 00:22:22,680 Speaker 2: bit of that. We would use products that were on 415 00:22:22,720 --> 00:22:25,480 Speaker 2: the shelf and add this and add that to it. 416 00:22:25,960 --> 00:22:30,000 Speaker 2: But it was Teety, around three o'clock in the morning 417 00:22:30,040 --> 00:22:34,280 Speaker 2: that cracked that nut and came out with curly pudding. 418 00:22:34,400 --> 00:22:36,280 Speaker 2: She showed me what we would all know to be 419 00:22:36,400 --> 00:22:41,200 Speaker 2: as curly pudding. And that product was a wonderful product 420 00:22:41,240 --> 00:22:44,040 Speaker 2: because it did everything it said it was going to do. 421 00:22:44,680 --> 00:22:47,320 Speaker 2: And the good news is it did it without chemicals. 422 00:22:47,720 --> 00:22:51,240 Speaker 2: So that was a new discovery, particularly for the woman 423 00:22:51,400 --> 00:22:54,760 Speaker 2: with the tighter coil curl. And not only were Tety 424 00:22:54,840 --> 00:22:57,959 Speaker 2: and I you know, whipping up curl magic at our 425 00:22:58,040 --> 00:23:01,240 Speaker 2: kitchen table, but before where we knew it, not only 426 00:23:01,280 --> 00:23:04,520 Speaker 2: were we, you know, offering solutions for women in their hair, 427 00:23:05,040 --> 00:23:09,760 Speaker 2: we we realized that we were helping to restore maybe 428 00:23:09,840 --> 00:23:12,880 Speaker 2: some esteem that maybe had been bruised over the years, 429 00:23:12,920 --> 00:23:17,640 Speaker 2: either intentionally or unintentionally, you know, and we were told 430 00:23:17,680 --> 00:23:20,640 Speaker 2: that maybe our hair was bad and not good so 431 00:23:20,680 --> 00:23:22,920 Speaker 2: we were doing a lot of things at once, and 432 00:23:22,960 --> 00:23:26,520 Speaker 2: it was a labor of love, and slowly but surely, 433 00:23:27,080 --> 00:23:29,040 Speaker 2: you know, we built our business and tried to do 434 00:23:29,080 --> 00:23:31,520 Speaker 2: the best work we could with service and product. 435 00:23:32,080 --> 00:23:34,280 Speaker 4: You know what really touched me is when I went natural, 436 00:23:34,359 --> 00:23:36,240 Speaker 4: like nobody was really going now. And I have, like 437 00:23:36,400 --> 00:23:40,159 Speaker 4: my parents are both Nigerian, so I have like really tight, 438 00:23:40,280 --> 00:23:43,840 Speaker 4: kinky curls, like you know, and when I went natural, 439 00:23:43,960 --> 00:23:46,520 Speaker 4: there was like I was just literally just typing stuff 440 00:23:46,520 --> 00:23:49,560 Speaker 4: on my computer, using honey in my hair, using anything 441 00:23:49,600 --> 00:23:52,520 Speaker 4: that you know, anyone you know shared I think it 442 00:23:52,560 --> 00:23:55,320 Speaker 4: like I said, it was Naturality was literally the only 443 00:23:55,359 --> 00:23:58,480 Speaker 4: website and so I'd be like making like products in 444 00:23:58,520 --> 00:24:01,199 Speaker 4: my kitchen and then my hair would look crazy, and 445 00:24:01,200 --> 00:24:02,719 Speaker 4: I'm like, I don't know what to do. And when 446 00:24:02,760 --> 00:24:06,920 Speaker 4: I I couldn't believe when I saw your products, I thought, wait, 447 00:24:07,000 --> 00:24:11,640 Speaker 4: someone's actually making something like for us. It blew me away, honestly, 448 00:24:11,800 --> 00:24:14,199 Speaker 4: and it's it's surreal to have you here because and 449 00:24:14,240 --> 00:24:16,400 Speaker 4: I just want to thank you for that. Because when 450 00:24:16,400 --> 00:24:18,520 Speaker 4: I went natural, people would tell me why. I remember 451 00:24:18,600 --> 00:24:20,280 Speaker 4: my mom telling me, I guess you never want to 452 00:24:20,280 --> 00:24:23,760 Speaker 4: get married? Huh Oh No, yeah, that was like really mommy, 453 00:24:23,840 --> 00:24:25,840 Speaker 4: because you know, like natural hair was not. It wasn't 454 00:24:26,040 --> 00:24:28,160 Speaker 4: like now everyone's doing it, it's so cool. But back 455 00:24:28,240 --> 00:24:31,639 Speaker 4: then it wasn't something that that, you know, that women 456 00:24:32,080 --> 00:24:35,200 Speaker 4: did without ridicule. You know, women with older black women 457 00:24:35,200 --> 00:24:37,320 Speaker 4: would stop me on the street and say, baby, you're 458 00:24:37,320 --> 00:24:38,800 Speaker 4: so cute. Why would you do that to your hair? 459 00:24:38,840 --> 00:24:41,840 Speaker 4: I'm like, dude, what it literally grows like this like 460 00:24:43,119 --> 00:24:46,600 Speaker 4: talk to God, yes, exactly, exactly, bring it up with Jesus, 461 00:24:46,640 --> 00:24:50,480 Speaker 4: you know, so like what I mean, what made When 462 00:24:50,480 --> 00:24:53,640 Speaker 4: did you kind of realize, wow, so many women are 463 00:24:53,880 --> 00:24:55,840 Speaker 4: aren't needing this. Was there a moment when you were 464 00:24:55,880 --> 00:24:58,680 Speaker 4: just like I remember like a watching this like story 465 00:24:58,680 --> 00:25:01,760 Speaker 4: with Lisa Price when she realized, oh that like Oprah 466 00:25:01,800 --> 00:25:04,320 Speaker 4: had ordered her products. When did you realize, like, wow, 467 00:25:04,320 --> 00:25:07,359 Speaker 4: we really hit on a nerve here that there's nothing 468 00:25:07,400 --> 00:25:09,480 Speaker 4: like this out here for women with hair like ours. 469 00:25:10,119 --> 00:25:13,280 Speaker 2: Well, our products came out during the time that women 470 00:25:13,640 --> 00:25:17,919 Speaker 2: just started a conversation online and at the time they were. 471 00:25:17,800 --> 00:25:20,640 Speaker 3: Called chat rooms. So you know, some of the sites you. 472 00:25:20,720 --> 00:25:24,879 Speaker 2: Visited are are where many of our customers came from. 473 00:25:25,359 --> 00:25:28,919 Speaker 2: And because women were chatting, if we got a customer here. 474 00:25:29,359 --> 00:25:32,439 Speaker 2: We would actually post before and after pictures and we 475 00:25:32,480 --> 00:25:35,080 Speaker 2: would share that information and then they would share it 476 00:25:35,160 --> 00:25:38,400 Speaker 2: and would go up on these message boards and before 477 00:25:38,480 --> 00:25:41,199 Speaker 2: you know it, before we knew it, our phone was 478 00:25:41,280 --> 00:25:44,480 Speaker 2: ringing so much. We couldn't, you know, there wasn't enough 479 00:25:44,560 --> 00:25:47,880 Speaker 2: hours in the day to take on everyone. So the booking, 480 00:25:48,240 --> 00:25:51,200 Speaker 2: you know, was way far out, so we can accommodate 481 00:25:51,280 --> 00:25:55,240 Speaker 2: all the interests. But you know, Teity and I understood 482 00:25:55,320 --> 00:25:59,199 Speaker 2: that women with a tighter coil curl. There was nothing 483 00:25:59,240 --> 00:26:01,920 Speaker 2: for her in the market. There was nothing speaking to her. 484 00:26:02,040 --> 00:26:05,119 Speaker 2: There were no real, you know, solutions. She had to 485 00:26:05,160 --> 00:26:07,600 Speaker 2: go online and try to find someone to have a 486 00:26:07,640 --> 00:26:11,399 Speaker 2: conversation with. And that bad time, it just it was 487 00:26:11,520 --> 00:26:17,040 Speaker 2: right on time. You know. We didn't intentionally, you know, 488 00:26:17,160 --> 00:26:20,520 Speaker 2: set out to create products like this. It just kind 489 00:26:20,560 --> 00:26:24,280 Speaker 2: of happened while a conversation was going on, and also 490 00:26:24,440 --> 00:26:27,000 Speaker 2: during the time that the Internet really just started to 491 00:26:27,080 --> 00:26:30,720 Speaker 2: kick off. So I think we were blessed and we 492 00:26:30,720 --> 00:26:35,200 Speaker 2: were just armed with the right information and the right intention, 493 00:26:35,840 --> 00:26:38,280 Speaker 2: and I think that combination put us in a position 494 00:26:38,320 --> 00:26:39,800 Speaker 2: where we were able to be helpful. 495 00:26:41,040 --> 00:26:43,840 Speaker 1: Now, I want to talk a little bit about the 496 00:26:43,880 --> 00:26:46,800 Speaker 1: business side of things. So you you create this amazing 497 00:26:46,880 --> 00:26:50,520 Speaker 1: curly putting, you are excited, you've maybe you know, went 498 00:26:50,560 --> 00:26:52,800 Speaker 1: out and got some packages and you started bottling it 499 00:26:52,880 --> 00:26:55,159 Speaker 1: up and sharing it around. But how do you go 500 00:26:55,240 --> 00:26:58,040 Speaker 1: from that? I mean, did you did you need investments? Eventually? 501 00:26:58,080 --> 00:27:00,239 Speaker 1: When did you go big leagues? And how how did 502 00:27:00,280 --> 00:27:03,760 Speaker 1: you sort of bootstrap the venture? Because like you said, 503 00:27:03,800 --> 00:27:06,400 Speaker 1: you had a sun to raise, you had a mortgage, 504 00:27:06,400 --> 00:27:10,439 Speaker 1: you had bills. Yeah, can you kind of speak about that? 505 00:27:11,200 --> 00:27:11,480 Speaker 3: Yep. 506 00:27:11,600 --> 00:27:16,240 Speaker 2: So early on, Mandy Tty and I learned a good lesson. 507 00:27:16,359 --> 00:27:17,479 Speaker 3: It was a hard lesson. 508 00:27:18,000 --> 00:27:21,600 Speaker 2: We learned that it is in our best interest to 509 00:27:22,040 --> 00:27:26,840 Speaker 2: have a manageable business. When we first experienced our our 510 00:27:27,680 --> 00:27:31,680 Speaker 2: first success in the two chair salon, we expanded to 511 00:27:31,720 --> 00:27:33,240 Speaker 2: a salon around. 512 00:27:32,880 --> 00:27:34,560 Speaker 3: Two blocks up. 513 00:27:35,080 --> 00:27:37,960 Speaker 2: We had two blocks up and we ended up getting 514 00:27:37,960 --> 00:27:40,760 Speaker 2: a place that was three sides, three times a size, 515 00:27:41,160 --> 00:27:44,639 Speaker 2: three times the rent, and it was just too fast 516 00:27:44,680 --> 00:27:46,960 Speaker 2: and too soon, and we lost it all. And that's 517 00:27:47,080 --> 00:27:49,919 Speaker 2: we lost our business and we had to refuge to 518 00:27:49,960 --> 00:27:54,240 Speaker 2: this brownstone. I mean, that failure later turned into a success, 519 00:27:54,400 --> 00:27:57,560 Speaker 2: But there was a lesson that always stuck with us, 520 00:27:57,840 --> 00:28:01,120 Speaker 2: and we understood that we needed to have a manageable business. 521 00:28:01,520 --> 00:28:03,600 Speaker 2: So what we did was we kept we put a 522 00:28:03,640 --> 00:28:07,280 Speaker 2: premium on our services and our products, and we tried 523 00:28:07,320 --> 00:28:11,000 Speaker 2: to keep our expenses down. So TK and I did 524 00:28:11,040 --> 00:28:14,119 Speaker 2: a lot of sacrificing. Although I was a single parent, 525 00:28:14,680 --> 00:28:18,040 Speaker 2: you know, TT and I, we were roommates. We shared 526 00:28:18,080 --> 00:28:21,880 Speaker 2: the same car, we shared clothes. TT co parented with 527 00:28:21,960 --> 00:28:25,800 Speaker 2: me during the time in the nineties, that was a 528 00:28:25,920 --> 00:28:28,919 Speaker 2: very exciting time in New York City. Many of my 529 00:28:29,080 --> 00:28:31,680 Speaker 2: friends were out at the party, but you know, TK 530 00:28:31,840 --> 00:28:35,280 Speaker 2: and I stayed back. We reinvested whatever money we made 531 00:28:35,359 --> 00:28:39,200 Speaker 2: back into the business. And the business happened to be 532 00:28:39,440 --> 00:28:42,000 Speaker 2: in the Brownstone and the house that we lived in, 533 00:28:42,280 --> 00:28:45,640 Speaker 2: So we were able to dual purpose many things, and 534 00:28:45,720 --> 00:28:49,120 Speaker 2: we were able to be resourceful until finally we were 535 00:28:49,160 --> 00:28:51,920 Speaker 2: able to hire more people to help us. 536 00:28:51,840 --> 00:28:52,640 Speaker 3: With our business. 537 00:28:52,960 --> 00:28:56,720 Speaker 2: But that in combination with us creating a winning product 538 00:28:57,040 --> 00:29:00,880 Speaker 2: and also creating real solutions that worked for people like 539 00:29:01,000 --> 00:29:04,880 Speaker 2: Tiffany and for people like Miko and Tee D and Mandy. 540 00:29:05,280 --> 00:29:08,000 Speaker 2: You know, there's so many of us out here, And 541 00:29:08,040 --> 00:29:10,760 Speaker 2: that's the thing about here. With texture, it's not just 542 00:29:10,880 --> 00:29:15,040 Speaker 2: one way. There's something for everyone. And I think God 543 00:29:15,200 --> 00:29:19,000 Speaker 2: just gave us the magic formula to come up with 544 00:29:19,040 --> 00:29:20,600 Speaker 2: something that was going to be helpful. 545 00:29:20,880 --> 00:29:22,920 Speaker 3: All those ingredients together. 546 00:29:23,760 --> 00:29:27,200 Speaker 2: Served us well and we were able to build our 547 00:29:27,240 --> 00:29:31,320 Speaker 2: business slowly but surely. Now you know I talked to 548 00:29:31,360 --> 00:29:35,160 Speaker 2: you about, you know, manageability. You know, by the time 549 00:29:35,200 --> 00:29:39,160 Speaker 2: that we partnered up with large retailers, we understood that 550 00:29:39,200 --> 00:29:43,400 Speaker 2: it was important for us to grow into the business slowly. 551 00:29:43,920 --> 00:29:47,080 Speaker 2: A lot of us don't understand that when you partner 552 00:29:47,200 --> 00:29:49,920 Speaker 2: up with the wal Mart or Walgreens, it can be 553 00:29:50,080 --> 00:29:55,320 Speaker 2: very expensive, you know, to partner up with the retailer 554 00:29:55,480 --> 00:29:57,200 Speaker 2: like that. You know, you may have to take out 555 00:29:57,240 --> 00:30:00,440 Speaker 2: a loan in order to make you know, enough curly 556 00:30:00,480 --> 00:30:04,520 Speaker 2: putting to fill all seven thousand stores. So growing into 557 00:30:04,520 --> 00:30:07,840 Speaker 2: the business slowly was something that we were being very 558 00:30:07,880 --> 00:30:11,800 Speaker 2: mindful of, and I think that was part of the 559 00:30:11,880 --> 00:30:15,040 Speaker 2: key to us keeping our shirt on as we learned 560 00:30:15,480 --> 00:30:18,880 Speaker 2: this new business. So Ticky and I were excellent at 561 00:30:18,920 --> 00:30:23,120 Speaker 2: curly making curly pudding, excellent at styling hair, but knew 562 00:30:23,200 --> 00:30:30,240 Speaker 2: nothing about dealing in retail. So what an education there? 563 00:30:30,360 --> 00:30:34,480 Speaker 2: But taking baby steps really helped us out a lot. 564 00:30:34,800 --> 00:30:38,280 Speaker 4: What would you say, like was your biggest mistake, Like 565 00:30:38,320 --> 00:30:40,040 Speaker 4: you know, a mistake that and then how do you 566 00:30:40,080 --> 00:30:43,120 Speaker 4: get over those things? Like because I think especially with women, 567 00:30:43,240 --> 00:30:45,920 Speaker 4: we make these mistakes and then you know, if you're 568 00:30:45,960 --> 00:30:48,320 Speaker 4: starting a business and you let that be the thing 569 00:30:48,360 --> 00:30:51,040 Speaker 4: that makes you stop. So what was your biggest like 570 00:30:51,320 --> 00:30:53,720 Speaker 4: challenge that you had or one of them? And how 571 00:30:53,760 --> 00:30:55,960 Speaker 4: do you get past when you have these challenges? 572 00:30:57,000 --> 00:31:00,960 Speaker 2: I think our biggest challenge happened very early on when 573 00:31:01,000 --> 00:31:04,040 Speaker 2: we lost our business. I mean, you have to understand 574 00:31:04,080 --> 00:31:07,280 Speaker 2: as an entrepreneur, that is the ultimate form of failure 575 00:31:07,680 --> 00:31:11,000 Speaker 2: when you lose your business. So that happening to us 576 00:31:11,040 --> 00:31:15,440 Speaker 2: early on was memorable to us. But along the way, Tiffany, 577 00:31:15,560 --> 00:31:19,400 Speaker 2: there were so many We stumbled a lot. You know, 578 00:31:19,480 --> 00:31:22,520 Speaker 2: we had to learn a new business. And one thing 579 00:31:22,560 --> 00:31:25,880 Speaker 2: that comes to mind is when we got the opportunity 580 00:31:25,960 --> 00:31:31,600 Speaker 2: to be in our first largest retailer. We ended up 581 00:31:31,800 --> 00:31:35,600 Speaker 2: going in and we were so excited we signed every 582 00:31:35,680 --> 00:31:41,479 Speaker 2: contract with no attorney present and yeah, and you know 583 00:31:43,200 --> 00:31:46,640 Speaker 2: that industry has been an industry that's you know, everything 584 00:31:46,760 --> 00:31:50,520 Speaker 2: is pretty much in place, and people have ways in 585 00:31:50,560 --> 00:31:54,240 Speaker 2: which they've they've they've done business and who are tity 586 00:31:54,320 --> 00:31:59,600 Speaker 2: and I to come along and say anything. But we 587 00:31:59,680 --> 00:32:05,080 Speaker 2: manage to create a space where we can survive while 588 00:32:05,120 --> 00:32:09,080 Speaker 2: doing business with some of our large retailers, and we 589 00:32:09,080 --> 00:32:12,080 Speaker 2: were able to go back in and renegotiate terms that 590 00:32:12,400 --> 00:32:15,719 Speaker 2: made sense for a small business of our size, and 591 00:32:15,760 --> 00:32:18,920 Speaker 2: I think that you know, those terms made all the 592 00:32:18,960 --> 00:32:21,760 Speaker 2: difference when it came time for us to do business 593 00:32:22,080 --> 00:32:23,320 Speaker 2: with our new partners. 594 00:32:24,320 --> 00:32:27,000 Speaker 1: When was the first time you saw Miss Jesse's in 595 00:32:27,040 --> 00:32:29,080 Speaker 1: a store? 596 00:32:29,120 --> 00:32:32,200 Speaker 2: Okay, so the first time I saw Miss Jesse's in 597 00:32:32,280 --> 00:32:35,760 Speaker 2: a store. It was actually a store that Tt and 598 00:32:35,840 --> 00:32:39,800 Speaker 2: I chose. People were ringing our doorbells, like late in 599 00:32:39,840 --> 00:32:42,600 Speaker 2: the evening, early in the morning when we lived here 600 00:32:42,640 --> 00:32:43,480 Speaker 2: in Brooklyn on. 601 00:32:43,440 --> 00:32:44,400 Speaker 3: On Hancock Street. 602 00:32:44,920 --> 00:32:48,400 Speaker 2: So we needed to find a place a retailer, and 603 00:32:48,480 --> 00:32:52,000 Speaker 2: we ended up going to this place called Soda Fun 604 00:32:52,040 --> 00:32:54,840 Speaker 2: in the Fort Green section of Brooklyn. But it was 605 00:32:54,880 --> 00:32:58,480 Speaker 2: a thrift store, a cool thrift store on decalb Avenue, 606 00:32:58,880 --> 00:33:02,040 Speaker 2: and that was the first place that sold our product. 607 00:33:02,520 --> 00:33:05,440 Speaker 2: Then there was a store that I loved. It was 608 00:33:05,560 --> 00:33:09,560 Speaker 2: called it is called Ricky's. And Ricky's had everything from 609 00:33:09,560 --> 00:33:14,920 Speaker 2: like cost Halloween costumes to cool makeup or rare you know, 610 00:33:15,400 --> 00:33:16,800 Speaker 2: a hairstyling products. 611 00:33:16,800 --> 00:33:19,400 Speaker 3: It had a little bit of everything. And one day 612 00:33:20,160 --> 00:33:20,960 Speaker 3: we went in there. 613 00:33:21,000 --> 00:33:23,360 Speaker 2: I had my son, he was around five, and we 614 00:33:23,400 --> 00:33:27,480 Speaker 2: went in there and we bum rushed the stock band 615 00:33:28,160 --> 00:33:31,080 Speaker 2: and we asked them why he didn't have Miss Jesse's there, 616 00:33:31,560 --> 00:33:34,400 Speaker 2: and we asked him to hook us up and he. 617 00:33:34,440 --> 00:33:37,160 Speaker 1: Did not, telling him that it was your product. 618 00:33:37,320 --> 00:33:39,920 Speaker 2: Oh, we told him this is he did, Yeah, hook 619 00:33:39,960 --> 00:33:42,520 Speaker 2: a sister up. We want to be in here. Who 620 00:33:42,560 --> 00:33:43,440 Speaker 2: do we talk to? 621 00:33:44,040 --> 00:33:46,280 Speaker 3: Let us know? Blah blah blah. 622 00:33:46,320 --> 00:33:49,440 Speaker 2: And he told us everything he knew and we gave 623 00:33:49,520 --> 00:33:51,680 Speaker 2: him a case of product and we told him to 624 00:33:51,720 --> 00:33:54,680 Speaker 2: pass it on and he did. Next thing, you know, 625 00:33:54,760 --> 00:33:57,760 Speaker 2: we got a call and apparently Ricky's they had a 626 00:33:57,800 --> 00:34:03,560 Speaker 2: meeting every Tuesday they analyzed you know, new product or 627 00:34:03,680 --> 00:34:06,560 Speaker 2: you know, had those kinds of meetings, and they made 628 00:34:06,560 --> 00:34:11,000 Speaker 2: their first order and they had twenty five stores. So 629 00:34:11,080 --> 00:34:14,360 Speaker 2: that was huge for us. That was our first large distribution. 630 00:34:14,880 --> 00:34:17,399 Speaker 2: So that was our next step of growth. And then 631 00:34:17,600 --> 00:34:21,400 Speaker 2: ultimately when we saw our product on the end cap 632 00:34:21,840 --> 00:34:27,839 Speaker 2: in Target at the Atlantic Terminal location in Brooklyn, that 633 00:34:28,040 --> 00:34:30,359 Speaker 2: was that was larger than life for us. 634 00:34:30,440 --> 00:34:32,440 Speaker 3: And you know, the rest is history. 635 00:34:32,719 --> 00:34:34,560 Speaker 1: Do you feel like it's been a couple I mean 636 00:34:34,600 --> 00:34:38,319 Speaker 1: nearly two decades since you know, the beginning of Miss 637 00:34:38,440 --> 00:34:41,120 Speaker 1: Jesse's Do you feel like you're in a place now 638 00:34:41,160 --> 00:34:44,279 Speaker 1: where you are you're comfortable financially, you don't have to 639 00:34:44,320 --> 00:34:47,680 Speaker 1: worry anymore, or do you sort of still feel that early, 640 00:34:47,920 --> 00:34:52,160 Speaker 1: you know, entrepreneurial. I don't know if anxiety is too 641 00:34:52,160 --> 00:34:53,960 Speaker 1: strong of a word, but yeah, where's your what's your 642 00:34:53,960 --> 00:34:55,760 Speaker 1: mindset like now with the company? 643 00:34:56,320 --> 00:34:59,960 Speaker 3: Yeah? So it goes, It goes in phases. 644 00:35:00,120 --> 00:35:04,200 Speaker 2: There's days I feel like I'm a brand new entrepreneur 645 00:35:05,040 --> 00:35:08,200 Speaker 2: and I feel really scrappy, and then there's other days 646 00:35:08,239 --> 00:35:10,520 Speaker 2: where I realize that, you know, Tiky and I have 647 00:35:10,680 --> 00:35:13,680 Speaker 2: put in the hard work and today's a day where 648 00:35:13,719 --> 00:35:16,960 Speaker 2: we're to enjoy the fruits of our labor. So it 649 00:35:17,000 --> 00:35:19,960 Speaker 2: all depends on the day, and I mean, what a 650 00:35:20,000 --> 00:35:22,759 Speaker 2: wonderful position to be in there. There are times when 651 00:35:22,800 --> 00:35:26,640 Speaker 2: we're able to enjoy it, but as an entrepreneur, the. 652 00:35:26,640 --> 00:35:27,880 Speaker 3: Work is never done. 653 00:35:28,239 --> 00:35:32,960 Speaker 2: And because we still own our business, and I don't 654 00:35:32,960 --> 00:35:35,839 Speaker 2: know if you guys know, I still refer to our 655 00:35:35,880 --> 00:35:39,920 Speaker 2: business as our and wei because Tiki's still here with me. 656 00:35:40,440 --> 00:35:45,239 Speaker 2: But you know, I I've just lost track of my 657 00:35:45,320 --> 00:35:47,120 Speaker 2: thought right now, just thinking about t T. 658 00:35:47,560 --> 00:35:49,880 Speaker 3: Let's see, where was I Mandy? 659 00:35:49,920 --> 00:35:50,440 Speaker 2: What what we. 660 00:35:50,480 --> 00:35:53,120 Speaker 1: Were just talking about? How you have to take time 661 00:35:53,160 --> 00:35:55,360 Speaker 1: to enjoy all the work you put in. 662 00:35:56,080 --> 00:36:00,440 Speaker 2: Yes, as an entrepreneur, it's not uncommon for you to 663 00:36:00,520 --> 00:36:04,520 Speaker 2: be working twenty four hours a day. It's not uncommon 664 00:36:04,560 --> 00:36:07,480 Speaker 2: for you to be a multitasker. And there were so 665 00:36:07,600 --> 00:36:10,160 Speaker 2: many years where Teaky and I were making the money, 666 00:36:10,160 --> 00:36:15,480 Speaker 2: but we weren't enjoying it. And now, particularly after Teeky's passing, 667 00:36:15,960 --> 00:36:24,200 Speaker 2: I make happiness and health and enjoyment a priority right 668 00:36:24,320 --> 00:36:28,640 Speaker 2: up there with business, because you know, business can be 669 00:36:28,719 --> 00:36:32,319 Speaker 2: good one day and be bad the next, and you know, 670 00:36:32,400 --> 00:36:34,839 Speaker 2: while you have it, you have to enjoy it. So 671 00:36:36,200 --> 00:36:38,640 Speaker 2: I have you know, I'm fortunate to be able to 672 00:36:38,680 --> 00:36:41,120 Speaker 2: pick my mood, you know, all depending on how the 673 00:36:41,200 --> 00:36:41,920 Speaker 2: day is going. 674 00:36:42,880 --> 00:36:43,200 Speaker 3: What's that? 675 00:36:43,280 --> 00:36:45,439 Speaker 1: What's your guilty pleasure? What do you like to treat 676 00:36:45,480 --> 00:36:45,960 Speaker 1: yourself to? 677 00:36:46,719 --> 00:36:46,959 Speaker 4: Oh? 678 00:36:47,000 --> 00:36:48,840 Speaker 3: My god, I love to eat. 679 00:36:50,000 --> 00:36:52,680 Speaker 1: I respect you so much more. 680 00:36:53,400 --> 00:36:54,200 Speaker 3: I love to. 681 00:36:54,280 --> 00:36:58,440 Speaker 2: Eat, and I love sweets, and you know, I you know, 682 00:36:58,680 --> 00:37:01,400 Speaker 2: it's not just eating us to you know, do something 683 00:37:01,680 --> 00:37:06,239 Speaker 2: like I really enjoy like textures and flavors, so I 684 00:37:06,360 --> 00:37:12,239 Speaker 2: really enjoy the experience of eating and yeah, that's that's 685 00:37:12,280 --> 00:37:13,520 Speaker 2: my thing, and I don't. 686 00:37:13,680 --> 00:37:14,120 Speaker 3: I don't. 687 00:37:14,280 --> 00:37:17,440 Speaker 2: I love salt and I love sugar too, so I 688 00:37:17,520 --> 00:37:18,359 Speaker 2: love the whole thing. 689 00:37:19,040 --> 00:37:22,120 Speaker 1: Back to this thing about health, I. 690 00:37:22,239 --> 00:37:25,480 Speaker 2: Know right well, you know it's so it's so funny, 691 00:37:26,600 --> 00:37:29,719 Speaker 2: I've been I love to walk too. So living in Brooklyn, 692 00:37:30,520 --> 00:37:33,320 Speaker 2: we have the bridges, so I walk over the bridge. 693 00:37:33,320 --> 00:37:36,480 Speaker 2: Our business is now in the city, so it's not 694 00:37:36,560 --> 00:37:39,040 Speaker 2: uncommon for me to walk over the bridge to the 695 00:37:39,080 --> 00:37:42,960 Speaker 2: city and back home. I try to walk in between 696 00:37:43,040 --> 00:37:45,200 Speaker 2: because you know, it's not uncommon for me to have, 697 00:37:45,520 --> 00:37:48,080 Speaker 2: you know, eaten some dark chocolate with some almonds that 698 00:37:48,160 --> 00:37:51,040 Speaker 2: I love. So I'll try to offset that with a 699 00:37:51,080 --> 00:37:53,560 Speaker 2: good walk. And I love to ride my bike. Those 700 00:37:53,560 --> 00:37:57,640 Speaker 2: are my two. The workouts and the classes that that's 701 00:37:57,680 --> 00:37:58,840 Speaker 2: so challenging for me. 702 00:37:58,960 --> 00:37:59,560 Speaker 3: I hate that. 703 00:37:59,600 --> 00:38:02,960 Speaker 2: Stuff, but I try to push myself. But I just 704 00:38:03,000 --> 00:38:05,479 Speaker 2: try to keep moving, you know the best I can. 705 00:38:06,200 --> 00:38:08,720 Speaker 1: I love that you're just out there in Brooklyn biking around. 706 00:38:08,840 --> 00:38:11,080 Speaker 1: I might need to. I'm not going to be weird. 707 00:38:11,920 --> 00:38:14,840 Speaker 3: Every listen, every every everyone in Brooklyn. 708 00:38:15,000 --> 00:38:17,680 Speaker 2: I mean, you know, everyone in Brooklyn. It has a 709 00:38:17,719 --> 00:38:20,759 Speaker 2: community feel. We're all trying to do something and it's 710 00:38:20,800 --> 00:38:24,160 Speaker 2: cool to be out and to be seen in Brooklyn. 711 00:38:24,239 --> 00:38:27,439 Speaker 2: So it's it's you can style and look cute while 712 00:38:27,440 --> 00:38:29,279 Speaker 2: you are on your bike out here in Brooklyn. So 713 00:38:29,360 --> 00:38:31,279 Speaker 2: don't don't get me wrong. 714 00:38:32,239 --> 00:38:35,800 Speaker 4: Said, finding time to exercise kind is so challenging. 715 00:38:36,360 --> 00:38:39,399 Speaker 2: Mm hmmm, yes it can be, but you know, as 716 00:38:39,440 --> 00:38:41,520 Speaker 2: we're getting older, it is a priority. 717 00:38:41,760 --> 00:38:43,640 Speaker 3: And I say that with all my heart. 718 00:38:43,760 --> 00:38:46,400 Speaker 2: As much as I hate it, I try to move 719 00:38:46,640 --> 00:38:49,000 Speaker 2: move it around because I want you know, if you 720 00:38:49,080 --> 00:38:52,200 Speaker 2: don't use it, you'll lose it. And then, like I said, 721 00:38:52,280 --> 00:38:54,520 Speaker 2: you know, life is short. So when I get to 722 00:38:54,560 --> 00:38:57,359 Speaker 2: be in my sixties or seventies, you know, I I 723 00:38:57,400 --> 00:38:59,520 Speaker 2: do want to be I want to have my mobility. 724 00:38:59,560 --> 00:39:03,040 Speaker 2: That that become a new concern of mine. So I'm 725 00:39:03,040 --> 00:39:04,080 Speaker 2: trying to keep it moving. 726 00:39:04,920 --> 00:39:06,600 Speaker 4: Well. I hear it in your voice. I mean, because 727 00:39:06,880 --> 00:39:08,799 Speaker 4: I know a lot of businesswomen who have gotten very 728 00:39:08,800 --> 00:39:13,880 Speaker 4: successful and somehow have like lost touch with you know, 729 00:39:13,960 --> 00:39:17,040 Speaker 4: the why why they started, and they've kind of like 730 00:39:17,160 --> 00:39:19,120 Speaker 4: there's no humility left. I guess for lack of a 731 00:39:19,160 --> 00:39:21,799 Speaker 4: better word, how do you I mean, I can hear it, 732 00:39:21,840 --> 00:39:24,920 Speaker 4: and I'm sure you can feel it. Mandy, that you know, Miko, 733 00:39:25,040 --> 00:39:27,600 Speaker 4: you seem so humble and so down there, Like, how 734 00:39:27,640 --> 00:39:30,480 Speaker 4: do you maintain that with all the success. 735 00:39:32,440 --> 00:39:34,520 Speaker 2: I come from a very humble family. 736 00:39:35,360 --> 00:39:37,440 Speaker 3: My mom is a Buddhist monk. 737 00:39:37,760 --> 00:39:42,360 Speaker 2: Now, our dad struggled, you know, as he tried to 738 00:39:42,480 --> 00:39:45,640 Speaker 2: figure out, you know, all the ins and outs of 739 00:39:46,640 --> 00:39:50,319 Speaker 2: being or becoming a different entrepreneur, because he tried many 740 00:39:50,360 --> 00:39:54,040 Speaker 2: different things. Our grandmother was a woman who. 741 00:39:55,440 --> 00:39:56,320 Speaker 3: Was down to earth. 742 00:39:56,480 --> 00:40:00,319 Speaker 2: She kept it absolutely one hundred and I I think 743 00:40:00,440 --> 00:40:04,480 Speaker 2: tit and I we're a product of those kinds of people. 744 00:40:05,040 --> 00:40:08,880 Speaker 2: I raise my son that way. I think it's it's best. 745 00:40:09,520 --> 00:40:14,400 Speaker 2: And I don't think money should change that dynamic. I 746 00:40:14,440 --> 00:40:18,040 Speaker 2: think money is a tool that you can use to 747 00:40:18,920 --> 00:40:22,160 Speaker 2: do many things. But I don't think that money has 748 00:40:22,280 --> 00:40:26,399 Speaker 2: much to do with character or your personality or your 749 00:40:26,440 --> 00:40:29,120 Speaker 2: decision making when it comes to. 750 00:40:31,200 --> 00:40:32,400 Speaker 3: Many things. How about that? 751 00:40:34,160 --> 00:40:37,200 Speaker 1: I feel like money almost brings out exactly who you are, 752 00:40:37,800 --> 00:40:40,479 Speaker 1: how you what When you put a pile of money 753 00:40:40,600 --> 00:40:43,279 Speaker 1: or success in front of somebody, you'll find out very 754 00:40:43,360 --> 00:40:47,200 Speaker 1: quickly sort of what kind of person they are, Yeah, 755 00:40:47,239 --> 00:40:49,600 Speaker 1: based on how they how they use that and approach it. 756 00:40:49,640 --> 00:40:53,200 Speaker 1: And it sounds like you've got such a good sense 757 00:40:53,239 --> 00:40:56,360 Speaker 1: of that and what matters and and all of that. 758 00:40:56,480 --> 00:41:00,160 Speaker 1: And I mean one of the things that working on 759 00:41:00,200 --> 00:41:02,080 Speaker 1: this show, we're very candid, almost to the point of 760 00:41:02,200 --> 00:41:06,200 Speaker 1: it's it's you know, it's borderline tm I, but let's 761 00:41:06,200 --> 00:41:08,680 Speaker 1: be let's be real because people know too much. I 762 00:41:08,800 --> 00:41:12,440 Speaker 1: sometimes I forget how candid we are, and then someone's like, Mandy, 763 00:41:12,520 --> 00:41:14,920 Speaker 1: I'm so glad you talked about couple's therapy. And I'm like, say, 764 00:41:14,920 --> 00:41:15,959 Speaker 1: how do you know that about my life? 765 00:41:16,040 --> 00:41:16,880 Speaker 4: Oh? 766 00:41:17,080 --> 00:41:19,400 Speaker 1: So I do. I have been talking about you know, 767 00:41:20,080 --> 00:41:22,080 Speaker 1: you know, I'm planning a wedding, and we sort of 768 00:41:22,080 --> 00:41:24,520 Speaker 1: both are in you know, Tiffany's an entrepreneur and I'm 769 00:41:24,560 --> 00:41:28,799 Speaker 1: I'm a manager for a personal finance news site, and 770 00:41:28,920 --> 00:41:30,880 Speaker 1: it's you know, we talk about the anxieties and the 771 00:41:30,920 --> 00:41:35,239 Speaker 1: ups and downs. And I've found this year, more than ever, 772 00:41:35,440 --> 00:41:37,960 Speaker 1: it's been important for me to kind of protect my brain, 773 00:41:38,120 --> 00:41:42,120 Speaker 1: protect my mind and like take some like mental self care. 774 00:41:42,160 --> 00:41:44,239 Speaker 1: And I just wonder if there's anything that you do 775 00:41:44,320 --> 00:41:46,759 Speaker 1: to sort of like keep your mind right or are 776 00:41:46,800 --> 00:41:51,560 Speaker 1: you always just so zen and and wise and like balanced. 777 00:41:51,960 --> 00:41:54,480 Speaker 3: No, not always anything. 778 00:41:55,080 --> 00:41:59,239 Speaker 2: I'm still growing and I'm still changing, but I'm very 779 00:41:59,239 --> 00:42:03,600 Speaker 2: protective of my mind and I'm very protective of my space, 780 00:42:04,280 --> 00:42:08,520 Speaker 2: and I like to choose wisely when it comes to 781 00:42:08,560 --> 00:42:12,120 Speaker 2: the people that I surround myself around. I find people 782 00:42:12,160 --> 00:42:14,799 Speaker 2: with good hearts, whether they're the people that I work with, 783 00:42:14,840 --> 00:42:18,359 Speaker 2: the people that I do business with. In my personal relationship. 784 00:42:18,640 --> 00:42:21,799 Speaker 2: It really affects me, and it affects me in more 785 00:42:21,880 --> 00:42:24,960 Speaker 2: ways than I realize. And as I get older, I 786 00:42:25,080 --> 00:42:25,759 Speaker 2: find that. 787 00:42:27,320 --> 00:42:28,799 Speaker 3: It's important that I. 788 00:42:30,320 --> 00:42:35,839 Speaker 2: Am mindful of who I surround myself with and what 789 00:42:35,920 --> 00:42:38,040 Speaker 2: kinds of environments I placed myself in. 790 00:42:38,200 --> 00:42:40,040 Speaker 3: So if I were to. 791 00:42:40,000 --> 00:42:43,080 Speaker 2: Have any control over anything like that, I try my 792 00:42:43,200 --> 00:42:46,440 Speaker 2: hardest to manage that space. 793 00:42:47,040 --> 00:42:50,480 Speaker 3: But you know, therapy is. 794 00:42:50,440 --> 00:42:56,640 Speaker 2: Something that I've been enjoying. I've done it for the 795 00:42:56,680 --> 00:43:01,120 Speaker 2: past two years, and particularly apt Ta Tiki died. I 796 00:43:01,160 --> 00:43:04,160 Speaker 2: thought it was really important that I speak with someone. 797 00:43:04,800 --> 00:43:07,600 Speaker 2: But what I found about therapy is that it's not 798 00:43:10,080 --> 00:43:16,680 Speaker 2: just a place for people who are having major issues challenges, 799 00:43:16,840 --> 00:43:19,560 Speaker 2: although it's a wonderful place for people if they are 800 00:43:19,640 --> 00:43:23,680 Speaker 2: having those those you know, those challenges, but. 801 00:43:23,760 --> 00:43:26,080 Speaker 3: It's a wonderful place just to have a. 802 00:43:26,040 --> 00:43:30,640 Speaker 2: Standing appointment for you to let your hair down and 803 00:43:30,840 --> 00:43:34,319 Speaker 2: talk about whatever you want to talk about. Hopefully the 804 00:43:34,360 --> 00:43:39,200 Speaker 2: person you're talking to you don't have too much of 805 00:43:39,200 --> 00:43:42,280 Speaker 2: a personal relationship with them where they'd be offended. Although 806 00:43:42,640 --> 00:43:45,920 Speaker 2: it's not uncommon for us to get attached to our therapists, 807 00:43:46,160 --> 00:43:48,360 Speaker 2: but I found it. It's been very helpful to me, 808 00:43:48,440 --> 00:43:53,200 Speaker 2: and it's therapy has helped helped me to articulate how 809 00:43:53,280 --> 00:43:57,600 Speaker 2: I feel, what I want, and it's been It's been 810 00:43:57,640 --> 00:44:00,720 Speaker 2: a helpful tool for me in many areas, including business. 811 00:44:00,840 --> 00:44:03,719 Speaker 2: So it's a way for me to practice how to 812 00:44:04,680 --> 00:44:07,840 Speaker 2: articulate what's in my mind, and it made me a 813 00:44:07,840 --> 00:44:13,400 Speaker 2: better communicator. So therapy has been it's been great. But 814 00:44:13,640 --> 00:44:17,960 Speaker 2: as I'm getting older, I feel like I'm getting wiser 815 00:44:18,040 --> 00:44:20,400 Speaker 2: because I feel like I'm able to look at things 816 00:44:20,480 --> 00:44:24,400 Speaker 2: more three dimensionally and I have more context now and 817 00:44:24,480 --> 00:44:28,799 Speaker 2: I'm able to look at things more dynamically. So I 818 00:44:28,880 --> 00:44:31,000 Speaker 2: try to apply it as best as it can. 819 00:44:32,080 --> 00:44:34,120 Speaker 1: If you could go back and talk to yourself when 820 00:44:34,160 --> 00:44:37,040 Speaker 1: you were twenty, maybe when you were miserable in f 821 00:44:37,080 --> 00:44:39,600 Speaker 1: I T. Or when you were you know, just trying 822 00:44:39,600 --> 00:44:42,440 Speaker 1: to start your haircare business, or you know, in beauty 823 00:44:42,440 --> 00:44:44,600 Speaker 1: school dealing with the drama that you talk about in 824 00:44:44,640 --> 00:44:48,920 Speaker 1: your book some cat fights in beauty school. It was 825 00:44:48,960 --> 00:44:52,480 Speaker 1: actually really funny. But what would you what advice would 826 00:44:52,520 --> 00:44:54,560 Speaker 1: you give to your younger self? I know, I like 827 00:44:54,719 --> 00:44:57,360 Speaker 1: I like asking people that question. I feel like it's 828 00:44:57,880 --> 00:44:59,360 Speaker 1: I think we'd all like a chance to kind of 829 00:44:59,400 --> 00:45:02,520 Speaker 1: go back and give our younger selves a hug. But yeah, 830 00:45:02,520 --> 00:45:03,920 Speaker 1: what would you tell your younger self? 831 00:45:05,280 --> 00:45:09,880 Speaker 2: I would tell a younger Miko that it's okay to 832 00:45:09,960 --> 00:45:15,960 Speaker 2: be me. And for many years I felt ashamed. I 833 00:45:16,160 --> 00:45:22,000 Speaker 2: felt embarrassed about being pink. I'm really really pink and 834 00:45:22,440 --> 00:45:26,000 Speaker 2: very girly. And I was raised by a dad who 835 00:45:26,080 --> 00:45:28,920 Speaker 2: I think he was scared to death of my pinkness. 836 00:45:29,239 --> 00:45:34,040 Speaker 2: He thought that that may have been weakness, and I 837 00:45:34,080 --> 00:45:37,120 Speaker 2: think he didn't want anyone to really hurt me. And 838 00:45:37,280 --> 00:45:39,719 Speaker 2: as a result, I think my dad might have been 839 00:45:39,760 --> 00:45:41,160 Speaker 2: a little harder on me. 840 00:45:42,760 --> 00:45:43,759 Speaker 3: In those areas. 841 00:45:43,880 --> 00:45:48,759 Speaker 2: So I was ashamed of being a girl girlish and feminine, 842 00:45:49,440 --> 00:45:53,680 Speaker 2: and some of the areas that I really excelled in 843 00:45:53,840 --> 00:45:58,480 Speaker 2: were you know, beauty, you know, hair, beauty, makeup, And 844 00:45:58,600 --> 00:46:03,239 Speaker 2: I wish that I I owned it and embraced it 845 00:46:03,280 --> 00:46:05,440 Speaker 2: as a younger Megoh, And I think that would have 846 00:46:05,840 --> 00:46:09,960 Speaker 2: given me a different kind of confidence. My sister was 847 00:46:10,000 --> 00:46:14,720 Speaker 2: always very smart. T read every single encyclopedia in our house. 848 00:46:15,160 --> 00:46:17,840 Speaker 2: And I think that T had a wonderful confidence and 849 00:46:17,920 --> 00:46:20,800 Speaker 2: posture as a younger t T because she was able 850 00:46:20,800 --> 00:46:24,200 Speaker 2: to attach herself to something she was good at. And 851 00:46:24,760 --> 00:46:27,480 Speaker 2: I would have liked to have known that it was 852 00:46:27,560 --> 00:46:30,160 Speaker 2: okay for me to be me, and I think that 853 00:46:30,320 --> 00:46:32,000 Speaker 2: I would have been a more confident Meeka. 854 00:46:32,480 --> 00:46:34,960 Speaker 1: Well, it has been such a pleasure talking to you. 855 00:46:35,600 --> 00:46:38,600 Speaker 1: It has been I'm such a fan. You have no idea. 856 00:46:38,680 --> 00:46:40,600 Speaker 1: Miss Jessie's is such a big part of my life 857 00:46:40,600 --> 00:46:42,359 Speaker 1: and it's it's and when you and you know I 858 00:46:43,560 --> 00:46:46,839 Speaker 1: it's easy to like kind of roll your eyes at 859 00:46:47,000 --> 00:46:48,719 Speaker 1: you know, black women when we talk about her hair 860 00:46:48,719 --> 00:46:51,160 Speaker 1: and how important it is, but it truly is life 861 00:46:51,280 --> 00:46:54,040 Speaker 1: changing when you have when you feel like, you know, 862 00:46:54,120 --> 00:46:56,080 Speaker 1: you can take pride in your hair for once, and 863 00:46:56,560 --> 00:46:59,000 Speaker 1: you know, and just so thank you for taking a 864 00:46:59,080 --> 00:47:01,520 Speaker 1: chance and for making these products and for you know, 865 00:47:01,640 --> 00:47:05,960 Speaker 1: keeping Tet's spirit alive and continuing on. Yeah, thank you 866 00:47:06,040 --> 00:47:08,920 Speaker 1: so much, and for coming on our little show especially. 867 00:47:09,400 --> 00:47:11,000 Speaker 3: Oh no, it's my pleasure. 868 00:47:11,160 --> 00:47:16,600 Speaker 2: I enjoy meeting and talking with particularly women and hearing 869 00:47:17,080 --> 00:47:19,279 Speaker 2: how you guys are doing your thing. 870 00:47:19,560 --> 00:47:20,680 Speaker 3: I wish tit and. 871 00:47:20,600 --> 00:47:26,040 Speaker 2: I had had more friends like you guys as we 872 00:47:26,040 --> 00:47:28,719 Speaker 2: were building our business. When we were building it, it 873 00:47:30,080 --> 00:47:32,359 Speaker 2: just it seemed like it was just she and I. 874 00:47:33,000 --> 00:47:35,839 Speaker 1: But if you ever need to test jelly, I will 875 00:47:35,960 --> 00:47:40,480 Speaker 1: sign right up. Are you available for Savannah? April seventh? 876 00:47:40,520 --> 00:47:55,320 Speaker 1: Would you like to come test my hair? And she's 877 00:47:55,400 --> 00:47:55,920 Speaker 1: so sweet? 878 00:47:55,960 --> 00:47:56,520 Speaker 3: Is she real? 879 00:47:57,080 --> 00:47:58,920 Speaker 4: I know? Honestly I was. I wanted to be like, 880 00:47:59,160 --> 00:47:59,919 Speaker 4: can you be my friend? 881 00:48:00,080 --> 00:48:02,279 Speaker 1: But I was like, let me not just keep you 882 00:48:02,320 --> 00:48:04,440 Speaker 1: in my pocket when I'm having a bad day, like do. 883 00:48:04,400 --> 00:48:06,000 Speaker 4: You want to go to dinner or coffee? 884 00:48:06,200 --> 00:48:07,879 Speaker 1: Or I want to be like I'll be your friend. 885 00:48:07,920 --> 00:48:11,759 Speaker 1: Are you looking for friends? I'm free, I'm available. 886 00:48:12,080 --> 00:48:15,200 Speaker 4: That Like, it's that's what I you know, she is 887 00:48:15,400 --> 00:48:18,640 Speaker 4: a reminder of that's what I want to aspire to. 888 00:48:18,760 --> 00:48:21,200 Speaker 4: That like, despite the you know, as you've become more 889 00:48:21,200 --> 00:48:24,200 Speaker 4: and more successful, that same energy that she gives us, 890 00:48:24,239 --> 00:48:27,200 Speaker 4: that same genuineness and kindness and you could still feel 891 00:48:27,200 --> 00:48:29,279 Speaker 4: it and see it. And I'm like, you know that 892 00:48:29,400 --> 00:48:32,960 Speaker 4: it's possible to maintain that and be wildly successful. And 893 00:48:32,960 --> 00:48:35,359 Speaker 4: I'm just so glad. She's an awesome example, like what 894 00:48:35,680 --> 00:48:39,240 Speaker 4: an awesome, awesome, amazing, like spirit wow. 895 00:48:39,239 --> 00:48:41,400 Speaker 1: Yay, Well, I can't wait to use my curly pudding 896 00:48:41,440 --> 00:48:44,560 Speaker 1: in the warning. How often do you get to meet 897 00:48:44,560 --> 00:48:45,799 Speaker 1: the person who changed your hair? 898 00:48:46,040 --> 00:48:54,440 Speaker 4: Like I know that's yeah, that was a good, good choice, Mandy,