As the CEO and Founder of Kaleidoscope Hair Products, Jesseca Harris-Dupart knows the importance of having the drive to run a successful business. Hours after returning from her honeymoon with wife Da Brat, the newlywed took to Instagram to share that she was “back to work.”
For Harris-Dupart, social media not only plays a major role in amplifying her successful haircare brand but also serves as a community of inspiration for herself and others. “Knowing that a lot of people pay attention to my page inspires my drive,” she tells BET Lifestyle exclusively about how she navigates 18-20 hour days.
The beauty CEO prides herself in knowing that if someone is feeling uninspired, they can easily scroll through her timeline to get a dose of hustle inspiration. “It’s way bigger than finances. It’s also about impact and influence. It's like sowing seeds,” she explains.
Anyone interested in having a successful business knows the challenges of building a brand, especially when it comes to overcoming adversity. She offers this advice to help you achieve your dreams, “You have to be prayerful, resilient, and honestly partially crazy because you have to believe that it's possible! You have to believe that the impossible is possible. If you can’t find a way out, make a way out.”
Harris-Dupart speaks from experience. The former hairstylist launched Kaleidoscope Hair Products after a client “cheated” on her with another hairstylist and experienced hair loss. Out of her desire to help fix her client’s hair came a profitable haircare brand that’s available in several retail giants, including Target and Walmart.
ICYMI: Kaleidoscope has sold millions of products since its debut.
Just in time for Spring, Kaleidoscope recently launched a collection that’s quickly selling out due to its hydrating formula.
“I feel like our community—especially the African American community—suffers with lack of moisture. It's one of the biggest complaints,” she shared before revealing why she wanted the new Miracle Drops Collection to prioritize nourishing ingredients. “I think my favorite would be the Miracle Drops 3 Minute Mask ($16) because it works fast. It's a very powerful mask that actually helps with shedding, split ends, and dryness. It’s like magic in a bottle.”
Our wash day is going to be an entire mood. Cheers to Harris-Dupart for being an inspiration for others looking to take the beauty world by storm!
** Editor’s Note: This story/interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
By Siraad Dirshe · Updated December 6, 2020
If you’ve ever stumbled, intentionally or otherwise, on your Instagram explore page chances are you’ve heard of Jesseca Dupart or her brand Kaleidoscope Hair. The brand, which boasts celebrity endorsements from Trina, Angela Yee and Monica, has close to 200,000 followers on Instagram and a loyal customer base that swears by the brand’s products, such as the Miracle Drops. Dupart, who got her start as a hairdresser, recently sat down with The Breakfast Club to talk all things entrepreneurship, beauty and social media. Keep reading from some great insight from the beauty mogul. Persistence and patience will get you far “I’m not college educated, but look how far I’ve come. I’m 36 now and I’ve been able to see a few million dollars off of being very persistent, passionate, creative, and going against what everyone said I couldn’t do,” she said. Small and steady wins the race “Right now it’s all about strategy. We have the opportunity to go into big stores, but right now we’re in OTC stores, which are kind of the mom and pop stores. Once you have that massively, then you can move into those bigger stores,” Dupart tells The Breakfast Club. Be prepared, extra prepared “I am overly prepared. I got a warehouse that was 6,000-square-feet when I only needed 2,000-square-feet, and then we grew into it. So I’m always overly prepared,” she said. You have to invest in yourself, or no one else will “The first month of business I didn’t make anything. But because I was a full-time hairstylist. I had some financial backing and put that money into the business. I didn’t start touching my profit until about two years in,” Dupart shares.
Jesseca Dupart is a force to be reckoned with. In 2014, she re-launched her Atlanta Salon after experiencing a devastating fire and included her new product line Kaleidoscope Hair Products which were designed to help her clients who were experiencing hair loss due to weaves and color damage. Her four staple products, including her best-selling Miracle Drops grew her multi-million-dollar business to legendary proportions and the rest is history. The brand has received celebrity endorsements from Tina, Angela Yee, Monica, Christina Milian, and Blac Chyna to name a few. Kaleidoscope is one of the fastest growing brands in the haircare industry, slated to double in size and door count this year alone – with new retail partnerships (CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid, and more) and a new, highly-anticipated haircare collection launching in March. We sat down with Jesseca to talk about her entrepreneurial journey, hair growth tips, and her relationship with her faith.
Tell us about your relationship with your hair growing up?
From a young age, around 7, I remember cutting and styling my dolls’ hair. A fond childhood memory I have is sitting on my dad’s back with his head full of barrettes. He would let me play around with his hair all the time. After that while in middle school and high school, I started doing my friends’ hair along with my own.
How would you describe your entrepreneurial journey to creating Kaleidoscope?
Crazy! That’s the best way to describe the whirlwind now known as Kaleidoscope. What started as something I was offering to my clients (I was a hairstylist for over 20 years) became something that retired me from behind the chair. Learning to leverage social media while offering products that work was perfect synergy for growth. Taking over social by storm over the years was FUN because it let me be creative in my own unapologetic way.
You reopened your business in 2014, what were some business strategies you applied to the new salon?
- Being fiscally responsible was paramount – finding a better option for some of the things I may have purchased prior.
- Marketing that is disruptive - instead of traditional marketing I opted into things like funny spoofs, remakes of music videos, driving an educational point of what our product does but in an entertaining way.
- Also letting go of any fear!
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Ingredients are a staple of any haircare, what types of ingredients did you source for your products?
I sourced many natural ingredients that promote blood circulation in the scalp to help with hair growth and overall hair health, such as Coconut Milk, Aloe Vera, and Castor Oil.
Your best-product is the miracle drops which focus on hair growth. What was the inspiration for this line and production process like?
Because our customers love the Miracle Drops (Original, Extra Strength and Coconut) and we already have the Miracle Drops in our edge pomade and leave in conditioner, it was a natural next step to extend the collection. I figured this was the best way to conquer two of the most common hair concerns – length retention and lack of moisture – all at once.
Hair growth is an essential focus for your brand and products, what has your experience been with hair growth?
Like many, I have colored my hair multiple times, and for the most part I am able to bounce back. It was the last time I colored my hair in particular that almost forced me to transition to be fully natural. It has been quite an exciting journey growing out my curls. During this time I did a lot of research to develop the perfect formulation for the Miracle Drops Collection.
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What are three tips would you provide to women looking to grow their hair out this season?
- I am an advocate of hydration, so one drink A LOT of water while taking your KaleidoGrow Vitamins daily, and apply the Miracle Drops every other day.
- It is super important to remember to use low tension protective styles during the spring and summer.
- Whether relaxed or natural, remember to get your ends trimmed regularly.
What would be the holy grail products for first time customers to your brand and why?
The holy grail of Kaleidoscope Hair Products would be Miracle Drops (Original), Miracle Drops Edge Pomade (for a full and sleek hairline), and Miracle Drops Leave-In (perfect on all hair types and extensions).
Philanthropy and faith remain at the cornerstone of the brand and who you are as businesswoman, how has this impacted how you approach business?
My whole business is rooted in my faith, and I've been blessed to be surrounded by other believers as well. I will never take it lightly that God has blessed me to be in the position I am in, so in turn, I do my best to bless others in whatever capacity that may be. I approach many of my business and personal decisions in prayer first. When I created the #praythroughtheprocess movement it was not because I wanted a cute hashtag, but it was my way of encouraging myself and others to remember to keep their faith rooted in God, and to know your today does not have to be your tomorrow.
What can we look forward to from your brand in 2022?
You can look forward to major growth and visibility for Kaleidoscope in 2022! We have more than doubled our distribution in retail this year. In addition to our partnerships with Walmart, Target, and Sally Beauty, Kaleidoscope Hair Products is now in CVS, Walgreens, and Rite Aid (June 2022).