When Detroit resident Gwen Jimmere started her hair company, she only had $32 in her banking account and was just laid off from her full time, corporate job all while going through a divorce. She would run her small business from her basement while taking care of her infant son.
Launched in 2013, Jimmere created Naturalicious by making products in her kitchen and selling them from her home. The brand now serves
over 700,000 customers worldwide with great reviews. She is the first African American woman to hold a patent for a natural haircare product.Today, Jimmere is celebrating the seventh anniversary of her company with a new 4,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Detroit. The new office will be home to 13 full-time employees including those from Services to Enhance Potential (STEP), a nonprofit that connects businesses with people with special needs looking for employment. The new location is equipped to meet increasing orders due to customer demand.
In addition to the new manufacturing facility, Jimmere is also gearing up to open her first flagship Naturalicious salon. Naturalicious Certified Stylists will be there to provide excellent service while educating customers on how to care for their hair texture and what product ingredients to use in a relaxing setting. Her goal is to expand to more brick-and-mortar locations to spread the brand’s message.