Gwen Jimmere, owner of Naturalicious and the first black woman to have a natural hair product patent
Thirty-six year old Gwen Jimmere is the first African-American woman to have a patent for natural hair products, which she started making at her home in her late 20s. It was her last option to generate income while going through a difficult divorce. The Cleveland native, who currently resides in Detroit with her son, started the hair products company Naturalicious in 2013 and it was a breath of fresh air for naturalistas looking for an all-in-one product. After starting Naturalicious, Jimmere received her utility patent for her products in 2015.
Natural hair has always been important to Jimmere and taking care of natural hair can be a task for some. That’s one of the main reasons why Jimmere has invested herself and her product to taking the stress out of maintaining natural hair, and she’s just getting started. Jimmere now sells 13 different products and has 7 employees. The Kent State University alumnus is proving that with hark work, some elbow grease, and perseverance the sky is the limit.
Read more about Gwen Jimmere in Episode 14 of People You Should Know.
Gwen Jimmere
- You went from making products in your kitchen to making history as the first African-American woman to hold a patent for a natural hair product. How does it feel to reach this level of success?
I still can’t comprehend the level of success I have currently reached. It feels amazing to know that hard work and dedication can, and will, pay off.
- How did you come up with the recipe for your products and how long did it take you to perfect it?
A lot of it was trial and error, also having a mother who is extremely knowledgeable about herbs and oils for skin, hair, and nails. I was in my kitchen and buying ingredients that were more exotic- ones that I’ve never heard of. It took me six months to come up with formula that worked on my hair and then I tested it on my friends and family and found it worked on theirs too.
- Naturalicious was initially started because you had been fired from your job, caring for a 2-year-old, and going through a divorce. How difficult was it to beat the odds and push through?
It was extremely hard, especially being a single mom and trying to support my son, Caiden, on my own. However, I always knew that I had it in me. I just had to work hard and trust that everything was going to work out in the end. I designed my beauty brand for hardworking, beautiful, boss babes around the world. Hopefully women will hear my story, feel inspired, and know that all women are capable of anything they set their mind to.
- What type of patent do you have and what does it all entail?
I have a Utility Patent that covers the formula and ingredients of my product.
- What was the process like to get your patent and why is it so important for young entrepreneurs to have one?
The process was one I did on my own. It took me eight months to learn patent law, the history of it, and what could be the future of it in terms of legislation. I felt like it was law school, while being a single mom, and I was one year in with my company at that time, so there wasn’t a ton of revenue. I had to take time to learn patent law, and by doing so I was sacrificing things I could’ve been doing for the business. I wasn’t being paid for it, but it was worth it in the end.
Everyone should own a trademark on his or her business name, logo, and have copyrights. Patents are important because essentially you own your creation, invention, and design. It’s very easy for others to steal and take credit for what you’ve done- especially larger companies who have more money to market it. It’s all about having intellectual property.
- Do you have any special events coming up?
Chewsy Lovers Food and Wine Weekend in Florida – we’re the title sponsor for this event. It’s all about reconnecting and rekindling couples. Naturalicious is having a spa suite, along with luxury gifts for attendees, etc. It’s in October in Florida.
- Before running Naturalicious full-time, you were in the marketing and communications field. How were you able to transfer those skills to benefit your company?
When it comes to business, a lot of businesses rely on marketing of their business. So, starting the company with nothing, and not having capital to do a huge marketing push forced me to get creative. Creativity can trump a lot and can go viral. For me, having that background in social media to connect brands at the time where people weren’t doing that was critical. I learned how to personalize large brands using little to no budget. When it came time to run my company, I already knew how to do it.
- Why was it so important for you to create products for natural hair?
Busy boss babes who want beautiful hair without sacrificing an entire day to wash and style it have found the answer to their prayers in the Naturalicious line of all natural hair care products. Designed for both tight and loose textures, the Hello Gorgeous Hair Care System boasts an innovative formula that does the work of 12 products in only 3 steps. Made with quality ingredients and luxurious packaging to match, it’s the perfect, problem- solving product for women who live by the motto: quicker, better, faster.
- Tell me about the Hello Gorgeous Hair Care System.
The Hello Gorgeous Hair Care System is the only sulfate, paraben, mineral oil, petroleum, gluten, and cruelty-free line of products that actually smashes your hair care routine into smithereens! How, you ask? By combining all 12 processes for boss-babe worthy hair into just 3 simple steps. It’s what great hair days are made of.
- What three tips would you give to a young woman that wants to take her homemade products to market and be a full-time entrepreneur?
Have faith in yourself, but work hard. Never stop working, and don’t stop pushing yourself.
