Today we’d like to introduce you to Danielle Jefferson.
Hi Danielle, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
For people who don’t know, my name is Danielle Jefferson; I am the co-founder of Naturally Oranj alongside my husband, Terry Jefferson. Naturally Oranj, originally known as HoneyCurlz, is a healthy hair care product supplying business. In short, we sell hair products. These products are a more healthier option, with the help of us to walk you through a natural hair journey OR just a healthy hair journey. I started Naturally Oranj as a hobby for myself. As a college student, who moved away from home, I didn’t have access to my hairstylist, even some hair products I could only find at my local hair stores in Miami, and at that point, I used that as an opportunity to learn new things when it came to doing my hair. I didn’t know anything about doing hair. I thought washing my hair was as simple as it needed to be — scrub with shampoo, scrub with conditioner, go to a stylist to style it. Simple. I learned so much more about LOC methods, what my hair type was, what type of chemicals dry out hair, how important it is to deep condition every during wash day, what chemicals moisturized hair, and more. I’d make my own mixtures to deep condition my hair in my college apartment’s kitchen! When I saw how fast the state of my hair was changing, I realized I had something good going. My husband believed in this “hobby” I was growing a passion for and supported me through everything. I would post on social media the ingredients I was using and show people the before and after of my hair. They would message me asking me to wash their hair and show them how to use certain products. That’s when I realized it is not just me. There are so many people who feel they don’t have the option of wearing their hair in a natural state because they don’t know how to manage it, don’t know how to help its health, don’t know how to maintain its growth, and don’t know how to style it. And so that’s when I said yes. I started washing people’s hair for FREE. Teaching them how to manage their hair. They took the time trust me, so I took the time to help them. I decided I was going to do more research and formulate my own products. I created my shampoo and conditioner and then my fast hair growth oil. As my company grew and grew, it truly produced positive results for people. Growing hair at a rapid rate, curls being defined, less shedding, taming psoriasis, helping people with alopecia. The positive results were and still are endless. I am most proud of the impact and the positive change and the message these products are sending.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It hasn’t always been a smooth road. 2021, going into 2022 is where I can say I had to grow tough skin and be my most resilient self. I had to change the name of my company because a well-known billion-dollar company insinuated our names being similar was tarnishing their brand. Although it was my choice to change the name of my business, I didn’t feel it was a choice I made with 100% happiness. I don’t feel as if I truly had a choice either because if I had kept the name, I would be waiting for a trial date to fight for it still to this day, almost 2 years later. I would be fighting for a name, and not my business — because at the end of the day, I know I am capable of accomplishing my goals with ANY NAME. I was sad about the fact I started my business in 2018, and after almost 4 1/2 years of growth, almost getting to my $100K year, I had to stop and sell everything so I would get the opportunity to start over. I got comfortable with feeling sorry for myself throughout the beginning stages of all of these changes. I was almost content with not having a business at all. It even became hard to sell out of the inventory I had left, people were unfollowing my social media pages because I announced we were closing. The people who I thought were loyal customers were simply moving on. It’s like they were more ready for it to end. I felt like a failure. I had a motto in my head that “it takes 5 years to build an empire”. Coming into my 5th year, I wasn’t reaping in the benefits of any empire, I was learning the importance of having the legalities straightened out from the start and not only when you “need” to. If I have to be the example of making sure you trademark your business from the START and not when “YOU’RE READY,” then so be it. I had to face my audience and tell them my business was closing down. And as I started over with this new name, it was as if I never existed. No one who I was, no one bought a thing. I didn’t sell anything for months. After a while, I’d make about $20 in sales per week. I noticed I was up against an even bigger fight. In reality, I was facing an identity crisis with my business. It has been an entire year, and people are still asking me when am I going to launch, but I launched my rebranding back in February 2022. A year later I am doing a lot better. I’ve gained momentum backs and I just want to get back to doing what I do best at a steady pace.
As you know, we’re big fans of Naturally Oranj LLC. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Naturally Oranj is a natural hair care company. We create products that restores hair in a healthier way, enhances curls, and grows hair at a rapid rate. These products are catered to all hair types and textures. What sets us apart from others are our ability of producing products with healthy ingredients; we also educate both men and women about their hair. Everything we’ve made over the years are handmade by us! According to customers’ reviews, we are known for our herbal serum, it is second to none. It is our fast-acting hair growth serum, known to show visible results as early as 3 days of consistency. Our herbal serum surpasses the results of the well-known oil called Wild Growth when compared. Although we are popular in the city of Miami, we’re gaining attention in other areas in Florida and other states throughout the country. Our customers have shown their immense support to our company and love for these products. We want to give our customers more opportunities to reach their “hair goals,” to set higher standards using our products with the knowledge we give them. We want to create a new face in the natural hair care community with our up-and-coming company. We are a popular company among South Florida, other cities in the state, and around the country. We wanted to give our customers a more permanent opportunity to receive their items on hand in stores. Our website is www.naturallyoranj.com and our Instagram is @naturallyoranj if you would like to check us out and check out some of our customer responses and insights. I am really proud of this company and what it gone through to be here. I hope that I can continue to make a mark in the natural hair community but also educate others about the legalities of owning a business as I take ownership and make example of my own mistakes.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
Consistency, Passion, Sincerity, Resourceful. Honestly, it is with a sincere heart that I want to help others and the health of their hair. Being able to have the business and profit is the bonus. There were times I would wash people’s hair in my own kitchen for free! I started my company as a college student with a hobby of caring for my own natural hair. Consistency is key in taking care of a business and taking care of your hair. I try my best to follow by this — it’s how you stay relevant and it’s also how you can keep yourself motivated. Passion because without passion, I wouldn’t do it. Learn to love what you do, or you’ll hate “working” towards its success every day. Resourceful because staying quick on my feet, finding solutions rather than focusing on the problem makes a great leader for a business.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.naturallyoranj.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/naturallyoranj
- Facebook: Facebook.com/naturallyoranj
- Twitter: twitter.com/naturallyoranj
