Jamelia Donaldson is a model. TreasureTress is the founder of Europe’s first and largest natural hair product discovery box for women with naturally kinky and curly hair.
Her cutting-edge hair products, according to Forbes, allow women with curly hair to experiment with new products that match their age, hair type, and preferences through a beautifully presented box of customized hair goodies delivered to customers each month.
The British-born entrepreneur grew up in a family where academic achievement was valued highly. As a result, as a young child, her first desire was to become a lawyer. However, she was unable to meet the admissions requirement for law school.
Donaldson wasted no time in exploring other career options after being disheartened by her inability to study law. Her desire to travel the world influenced her decision to study business and international relations.
According to Urban Journal, she is required to complete a one-year internship as part of her course requirements, which included one month in China and eight months in New York, where she discovered the subscription box model, the future model that would become TreasureTress.
She spent time attending events and immersing herself in the hair community before launching TreasureTress. She recognized a void in the natural hair care market and launched TreasureTress on Instagram.
“I began by starting up Treasure Tress as an Instagram page whilst still working in the financial services role, to see how much engagement the brand got,” she told Urban Journal.
TreasureTress quickly went viral, necessitating the creation of a landing page. Donaldson stated that she used the buzz surrounding her business to collect data and test the waters, which is an important business strategy for any entrepreneur looking to break into the market.
She then began building subscription boxes as a side hustle. She had previously interned at Coleman Entertainment Group, which was founded by renowned publicists BJ Coleman. She was able to learn from the best in the game and take away valuable lessons.
Donaldson chose what goes into the subscription boxes after considering a number of factors. “It is determined by a number of factors. “It could be products we’ve tried and loved, a line that has yet to hit the market, an old school favorite that has perhaps lost steam, or one that we simply can’t get enough of,” she explained.
Starting TreasureTress was not easy for her.
She started the business with no money, no savings, and no funding from her parents, a common story among Black entrepreneurs. She was able to start her business, however, because she had a day job.
In this regard, Donaldson advised potential entrepreneurs to “work for as long as you can whilst you’re starting your company. That way, you can save money, learn key skills, and you have that safety net. “
She continued, “I always said, when I leave that role, I’m going to make sure I leave on good terms in case I ever need to return.”