Jesseca Dupart could truly be called the queen of social media marketing, and if anything, her photo should be beside the definition of "level up" in the dictionary. From her early viral videos rolling up on celebrities with her edge control and Miracle Drops, to building a following of more than 2 million followers on IG (and turning many of them into die-hard customers), she's launched her haircare brand, Kaleidoscope, into a multi-million-dollar empire.
As a teen mom, the New Orleans native pursued a career as a licensed cosmetologist and advanced into bringing her dreams of owning a salon to reality in 2006, building a loyal clientele for over a decade. A tragic fire served as a challenge but propelled her to go bigger and harder, and she reopened her salon in 2014, launching Kaleidoscope Hair Products in the same year. In 2017, she decided to pursue the other side of the industry as a product-line boss full-time, and extended the legacy by launching KaleidoKares, an organization that gives back to the community. She's done all of this while juggling duties of being a proud partner (to bae and hip-hop icon DaBrat), grandmother, and businesswoman.
Courtesy of Kaleidoscope
If there's one woman who can remind us all that there are no excuses to go for yours, it's Jesseca. Find out more about what her version of "balance" is, how she's continuing to make sure Kaleidoscope becomes a household name, and her advice for young women looking to boss up on their own terms:
xoNecole: You've built up a huge presence on social and launched your brand into success via word-of-mouth. What was the key to infiltrating the market and cultivating a unique brand?
Jesseca Dupart: I was doing something called the 'Edge Police,' and I would hire people who were popular online. [Comedian] Michael Blackston was coming to New Orleans, and I reached out to his team to see if I could get him to do a video. Initially, I was just bringing him the products to make a video, but instead, we decided to shoot a mini-skit where I knocked on the door, and I told him, "I saw the woman you were downstairs with and she was baldheaded." Honestly, that one video basically walked me into the door with other people. It went from one celebrity to another.
I will say, the lesson in that was to never be afraid to reach out.
Before I reached out to him, I got a million no's. It took one yes to open a door that I didn't even think would be the one.
Tell us a few lessons about the day-to-day aspects of running a business that you wish you'd learned early in your career?
Honestly, I wish I'd learned [the practice of] team-building and hiring properly. I've never had to do a resume ever, so looking at them was like [reading] a different language. Also, I had to learn about how to follow up or call referrals. That has been one of the biggest lessons for me to date.
Another lesson was scaling at the right time and not necessarily being scared to invest money into the business. You have to make sure you're paying attention to what's growing and the speed at which it's growing. Pay attention to the products that are moving fast and be sure to keep up with your inventory.
The third lesson involves understanding the changes of social [media]. Since it's ever-changing, never get discouraged with the way it changes. I'm a person who has a passion for content, so we would do these big campaigns, and but then social changed, and it's like, "They're not interested in two-minute videos." That can be a hit on someone who's a creative who likes to do larger projects. So, it's just about knowing how to pivot when the changes come.
What tips do you have for someone just starting out today—those looking to launch a brand that can surpass the viral moments and stand the test of time, as your brand has?
My biggest thing was what I found when I paid attention to social [media]. You'd see [brands] that had a great ride but then they would start to slow down. So, in my first 18 months of doing business, I put all of my profit back into it. I would not touch it for a long time. I didn't want to touch my profit at $2,000 and say, "Hey, we did good this week." I wanted to touch it at $200,000. So, you might have to sit through and celebrate with your friends on their successes that might have come faster than yours. You might have to watch social and celebrate things but never celebrate too early. Always keep your foot on the gas and keep your eye on the end goal.
A lot of money can come fast, but if you don't spend it correctly, you'll lose the business. There's a difference between a lifestyle and a moment. It could be, "I have this great business. I was able to buy this fancy car," but then you don't have enough money to keep up inventory or enough to scale to put into marketing because you've spent it all. I think the focus should be on creating a brand and making sure you reinvest in your company, versus trying to create an image.
That's great advice! And as a mom, businesswoman, and partner doing all that you do, what does work-life balance look like for you?
I'll tell you when I find out. That is the hardest thing in the world. If I'm in the bed, and I'm on the phone, it might look like I'm on Instagram being nosey or doing this, that, or the other, but sometimes I'll be up all night writing down ideas. Sometimes, I'm closing out emails or doing other things for the business. The balance? I haven't found it yet. When is a slow time in business? The times where I think it's slow are the times when we have to put the structure together for when business picks up. It's hard.
That's understandable, but what do you do for self-care? What is something that Jesseca does just for Jesseca—a treat or must-have for you?
Honestly, I am a stickler about having my hair looking a certain way, so I keep products around. And after stepping from behind the chair and taking this journey of wearing my own natural hair, I just like styling my own hair.
I also absolutely love music. It's the perfect combination of Jesus and Jeezy. If I need to get pumped up or get my creative juices going, I turn on trap music. In the morning, I'll put on a Joel Osteen podcast and some Christian music to make sure I'm starting off grateful and in the right mental space.
Where do you see Kaleidoscope in the future?
I never put limits on God. Every time I try to put a plan out or say where I think I'm going to be, we surpass it. I can say that I love marketing and I have a passion for teaching people how to sell products or services—how to position their products and how to offer an experience, those sorts of things.
In 10 years, besides being a household name, I want Kaleidoscope to have as much distribution as possible not only in the haircare aisle but in other aisles. We want to tap into different markets and expand as far as God blesses us to reach.
Find out more about Jesseca Dupart and Kaleidoscope products via her Instagram or the brand's website.
Featured image courtesy of Kaleidoscope
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Anyway, I personally think that the less shallow folks out here may contemplate calling things “quits” or they at least distance themselves a bit from their partner (and what I’m referring to is serious relationships) due to all of the stress and strain that oftentimes comes with the holidays whether it be financial, familial, due to their tight schedules or something else.
Listen, I would hate for you and your man to miss the fun and happiness of experiencing this time of year, all because you are so overwhelmed or irritated that you can’t really enjoy it. That’s why I have a few practical tips for how to avoid allowing the typical holiday season stress from INFECTING your relationship.
Manage Your Expectations
GiphyUnmanaged expectations. If there is a main reason why the holiday season tends to be so stress-filled for so many people, I’d bet good money that this is the cause. And when you’re in a long-term relationship, expectations can manifest themselves in all sorts of cryptic and/or unexpected ways. You might have relatives who assume that you are going to be with them for Thanksgiving or Christmas when you have other plans in mind. You might be thinking that you are going to spend one amount for presents while your man is thinking something totally different. When it comes to scheduling, your signals may be crossed.
And you know what? To all of these scenarios, this is where clear and consistent communication come in. Don’t assume anything. Don’t dictate anything either. From now until New Year’s, mutually decide to check in once a week, just to make sure that you are both on the same page as it relates to the holidays and what you both are thinking will come along with it. The less blindsided you both feel, the less stressed out you will be. Trust me on this.
Set (and Keep) a Budget
GiphyOkay, so I read that last year, 36 percent of Americans incurred some type of holiday-related debt. Hmph. Last year, there was still some sense of normalcy in this country, chile, so I can only imagine what finances are gonna look like over the next several weeks. That said, since I don’t know a lot of people who don’t find being broke stressful, make sure that you and your bae set a budget and then stick to it this year — no ifs, ands or buts.
Because really, y’all — it doesn’t make sense to deplete savings and/or max out credit cards for a few days of giggles only to be damn near losing your mind because you don’t know how to make ends meet come Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
And by the way, this tip doesn’t just speak to things like food and gifts; I also mean travel. If it doesn’t make a ton of sense (or cents) to be all over the place this year — DON’T BE.
Keep Matthew 5:37 at the Forefront
GiphyIf off the top of your head, you don’t know what Matthew 5:37 says, no worries, here ya go: “But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.” That verse right there? Oh, it’s a boundaries lifesaver! I say that because do you see “maybe” or “I’ll think about it” in there? Nope. LOL. It says that you should tell people “yes” or “no” and leave it at that — and that complements Anne Lamott’s quote, “’No’ is a complete sentence” impeccably well. Yeah, you’ve got to remember that anything beyond a yes or no to a request is privileged information; you don’t owe anyone details or an explanation.
Besides, if you are really honest with yourself, when someone asks you something and you give a “Umm, let me think about it” kind of reply, more times than not, you already know what your answer is going to be — so why not let you both off of the hook? Give your response. Commit to that. And let everyone (including yourself) get on with their lives and schedules.
I promise you that when it comes to those holiday parties, you are pissing more folks off by not RSVP’ing or doing so and not showing up than just saying, “Thank you but not this year” off the rip.
Remember That Your Personal Space Is Privilege Not a Right
GiphyA friend of mine recently bought a new house and invited me over to come see it. He’s a single man with no children, so as I was taking in all of the space that he had, especially as I walked through his finished basement, I joked about relatives coming to live with him. “Hell no” and “absolutely not” were pretty much his immediate responses as he went on to say that some folks even had the nerve to be offended when he told them that he had no intentions on taking DNA in.
Ain’t it wild how people think that your stuff is their right? And yes, that brings me to my next point. Your home is your sanctuary space. If you want to host folks this year — cool. If not, ALSO COOL. Please don’t let folks (family included) guilt you into how they want you to act or even into what they would do if the shoe was on the other foot. You are not them — and as one of my favorite quotes states, “If two people were exactly alike, one of them would be unnecessary.” (A man by the name Larry Dixon said that.)
Hell, my friends? They know that I am good for sending them random things that they need or even want all throughout the year. Coming over to hang out at my pace, though. Uh-uh. Chalk it up to being a card-carrying member of the ambivert club yet I like keeping my living space personal — and I sleep like a baby, each and every night, for feeling that way.
Always remember that your space, your time, your resources, your energy and shoot, yourself period (including your relationship), are all things that are your own. You get to choose how, when and why you want to share them. The holiday season is certainly no exception.
Cultivate Some “You Two Only” Traditions
GiphyIt’s not uncommon for some couples to hit me up after the holiday season to “detox.” Sometimes it’s due to the financial drama (and sometimes trauma) that they experienced. Sometimes it’s because they allowed their relatives (especially in-laws) to get more into their personal business than they should’ve. More than anything, though, it tends to be because they didn’t get enough quality time together and so ended up feeling “disconnected.”
Please don’t let that happen. Listen, I’m not even a holidays kind of woman and yet, I will absolutely sit myself down with some hot chocolate and chocolate chip cookies to enjoy a Hallmark holiday film or two. Aside from the fact that most of them are lighthearted and sweet, I also like that they usually focus on couples loving on each other amidst all of the holiday beauty and ambiance — which is something that all couples should set aside some time to do.
Maybe it’s a vacation. Maybe it’s a staycation. Or maybe it’s my personal favorite, A SEXCATION. Whether it’s for a few days, the weekend or even overnight — don’t you let the holidays go by without setting aside time for you and your man to celebrate one another. Don’t you dare (check out “Are You Ready To Have Some Very Merry 'Christmas Sex'?”).
GET. SOME. REST.
GiphyI once read that 8 out of 10 people get stressed out over the holidays and 3 out of 10 lose sleep during to it — and when you’re stress-filled and sleep-deprived, that can absolutely lead to hypersensitivity, making mountains out of molehills and even not being in the mood for sex.
Your relationship can’t afford to go through any of this, so definitely make sure to prioritize rest. I don’t care how unrealistic it might seem during this time, sleep should never be seen as a luxury; it will always and forever be a great necessity.
That said, try to get no less than six hours of shut-eye in (check out “6 Fascinating Ways Sex And Sleep Definitely Go Hand In Hand”) and even ask your bae to take a nap with you sometimes (check out “Wanna Have Some Next-Level Sex? Take A Nap, Sis.”). Not only will sleep help to restore your mind, body and spirit but, when it’s with your partner, it’s an act of intimacy that can make you both feel super connected, even in the midst of what might feel like chaos.
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Holiday season stress is real. Still, never give it the permission or power to throw your relationship off. Put you and your man first and let the holidays be what they are gonna be, chile.
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And so, since this is the time of year when catching a cold (and/or the flu) is common, let’s talk about the impact that sleep (and again, a lack thereof) has on your immune system. That way, you can remain as healthy as possible during the fall and winter seasons.
1. Less Sleep Means More Colds
GiphyLike I stated in the intro, I’m pretty sure you’ve heard somewhere that the fall and winter are the seasons when people are most susceptible to catching a cold or coming down with the flu. And that’s exactly why I thought I would start this all off by sharing the fact that some studies reveal that if you get less than six hours of sleep, on a consistent basis, you end up making yourself more vulnerable to coming down with both. In fact, some research says that only 18 percent of people who get six-plus hours of rest caught a cold while almost 40 percent who got less than that did.
The logic behind it all is sleep gives your body time to build up the proteins and cells (like cytokines and T-cells) that you need to fight off certain viruses. So, if nothing bothers you more than having a stuffy nose or stubborn cough when it’s cold outside, getting more sleep is one way to prevent that from happening to you.
2. Less Sleep Means More Allergy Symptoms
GiphyAt the end of the day, an allergy is basically what transpires whenever your immune system “overreacts” to something that other people’s systems do not. And since sleep is what helps to keep your immune system nice and strong — well, I’m sure you get how less allergy-related symptoms and more sleep go hand in hand. Also, since sleep helps to decrease bodily inflammation (more on that in a bit) and inflammation can also intensify allergy symptoms, that’s just one more reason to get as much shut-eye as possible.
3. Less Sleep Means Potential Diabetes and Heart Disease
GiphyDid you know that in 2024, Black women were diagnosed with diabetes 24 percent more than any other adult demographic. Also, it continues to be a reality that heart disease is the leading cause of death for Black women. These two sobering statistics alone should be enough of an incentive to do whatever you can to keep the risk of diabetes and heart disease way down.
One way to do that is by getting more sleep. Aside from the fact that sleep strengthens your immune system to where it is easier for you to fight off illness and diseases, sleep can keep your blood sugar levels in a healthy space; plus, when it comes to your heart, it gives it, along with your arteries and blood vessels a break.
4. Less Sleep Means Less Time for Your Body to Push “Reset”
GiphyIf you really stopped to consider all that your body goes through during the day (you can read some about that here), you definitely would respect it enough to do your best to thank it by giving it no less than six hours of sleep, each and every night. Sleep is what helps to slow your brain and body down so they are able to “refuel” for the next day. After all, how can your body prevent you from getting sick if your immune system is too worn out to fight ailments off? Exactly.
5. More Sleep Helps You to Fight Off Infections
GiphySpeaking of, in order for your body to fight off infections, there are certain cells and antibodies within you that need to be healthy and strong — one way that they get and stay that way is by you getting a good amount of sleep. For instance, remember when I touched on cytokines earlier? Well, the same way that they help to prevent colds, they also help to prevent infections too. And since sleep lowers your cortisol (stress) levels, rest gives your body the time and space to build up an army that can fight off free radicals and other health-related challenges while you are awake.
6. More Sleep Lowers Bodily Inflammation
GiphyWhenever a health-related issue is mentioned on this platform, inflammation is something that is mentioned quite a bit. Probably the easiest way to explain inflammation is it’s how your body responds/reacts whenever something is happening to your body that shouldn’t be, whether it’s an illness, an injury, a germ or something that you may be allergic to.
If you happen to have chronic inflammation, some symptoms that are associated with that include fatigue, stiff joints, skin rashes, weight gain and moodiness.
The interesting thing about all of this is if you aren’t getting enough rest, you could be triggering inflammation in your body. That’s because studies reveal that a lack of sleep can elevate molecules that are associated with inflammation. So, if you don’t want inflammation to increase within your system, you should definitely catch more zzz’s.
7. More Sleep Regulates Hormones
GiphyWhen it comes to hormones like serotonin, estrogen and cortisol, believe it or not, they play a role in how your immune system acts and overreacts. That’s because, if your hormones are out of balance, that can cause your immune system to work harder than it actually should and that can make you more vulnerable to sickness. One way to keep your hormones leveled out? SLEEP.
That’s because sleep gives your body the opportunity to rest, repair and restore your hormone levels. On the other hand, when you are sleep deprived, that can put/keep your hormones on the ultimate roller coaster ride. #notgood
8. More Sleep Strengthens Vaccines
flu shot GIF - Find & Share on GIPHYGiphyIf you’re someone who is good for getting some sort of vaccine around this time of the year, make sure that you rest up before and after getting your shots. Not only does adequate rest before a vaccination help your immune system to be better receptive to your shots but sleep also helps your body to build up enough antibodies to make your vaccinations effective after getting them. Because if you’re gonna get pricked, shouldn’t it be worth it? My thoughts exactly.
Get some freakin’ sleep! Your immune system depends on it.
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