Salon owners Miko and her sister Titi Branch got the inspiration to create the hair care line from their grandmother Miss Jessie Mae Branch. Giving their products a touch of their grandmother's southern hospitality and their New York professional grace, Miss Jessie's has branded itself as having "the best darn" conditioners, styling creams, deep treatments, and cleansers. Today, Miss Jessie's has over 15 products on the market for professional and personal use. The products can be found on their website, in select beauty supply stores, Targets, and Walmart's.
I began my natural journey in 2011 and has used Miss Jessie's products since. I will admit their products will make you break the bank, but they are long-lasting and will give your curls what they need to POP! Aside from our mini photo shoot, Miko chatted hair and delivered great advice on being an entrepreneur.
What was your inspiration in creating the Miss Jessie's brand?
First of all, I've always been a girly-gril and interested in hair and beauty, but really my life had changed. When it came to product my hair had changed. Originally we specialized with straight hair, but when I had my son my hair changed and I could no long keep a straight style. I had to start wearing it curly because I started giving my son baths. As I started to wear my hair with more texture, I started to realize that my clients started responding to it, and that’s what started the conversation about curly hair. Then we decided that we were going to get really serious about it. We stopped relaxing hair, we did all natural hair and this was back in 1999. The year 2000 we got really serious about it, and then as we started working with it more and more there were no products on the market to really support it. So then we decided, you know, we need to come out with our own stuff. So in 2004 we came out with our first product, which was Curly Pudding. My sister and I have been partners, sisters, and friends all of our lives. We did this together, we’re still together, and now we’re up to our 15 product. And right now we just debuted our “Leave-In Condish .“ But in 2014 we’re gonna celebrate our 10-year anniversary on the product company, so we’re gonna come out with 3 new products in 2014.
Starting with hardly any natural hair care products on the market until Miss Jessie's, to seeing shelves packed with natural products today, are you proud of the success of so many natural hair products on the market?
I'm so very proud to see where we started and where we’ve came. And I use the word "we" because as TiTi and I, my sister and I, started Miss Jessie's we inspired other people and other people came up with their own creations! Now to just see us all on shelves, we just feel so much pride and so much joy; we’re just so proud of everyone who had the courage to come up with their own stuff. Because before Miss Jessie's and before some of the other products, there were just companies, we didn’t even know who was making the product! So now to just know there's just something for us, by us we’re just so proud of it.
What's your personal favorite Miss Jessie's product?
Well, it all just depends on the day and it all depends on the days that I wear my hair. There’s days I wear it straight, there’s days that I wear it in an afro, and theres other days when I want it to be more controlled. Right now when I waear my hair really fluffy I use Pillow Soft Curls, when I want it more controlled I’m really into Jelly Soft Curls. But! I’m a Super Sweetback Treatment feign/fan! I love it! It’s a deep conditioner. No matter if I wear my hair straight, curly, wavy it never fails me.
What message do you want to send to other women to inspire them to be natural and to flaunt their natural look?
It’s really okay to be you. Its not just for natural women it's for any kind of expression. If you wanna express yourself with straight hair, curly hair, an afro, braids; whatever you wanna do and whatever makes you feel the most beautiful that’s what you do! My sister and I really wanted to take time to show women, really it's okay to sport what we were born with. There's a lot of pride, a lot of beauty in here. I think women should really experess beauty in whatever they feel.
What advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs and getting their business started?
Just do it! Just do it! Keep the negativity away from you, stay focused and know whatever you wanna do you can do it.
Congratulations to Miss Jessie's for 10 plus awesome years of success. (I look forward to getting my face on an ad one day).
CONVERSATION