Meet Valarie Harris

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Valarie Harris a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Valarie, appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?

My resilience comes from a lifetime of having to overcome childhood trauma, loss of loved ones, pain, Adversity and being a single mother, realizing that I was the first line of defense to these children God granted me. And no Matter the weight of these things, I still had to find a way to provide for my family and be present. While working to give my children, a better future than my past.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

My name is Valarie Harris, also known as Twinky The artisan. I am a mother and business woman. I specialize in natural hair and body care products. A journey that stems from my own personal adverse experience with soap. Which led me down the rabbit hole to start studying natural soaps and other products. I begin taking classes studying and making soap in 2021. I was determined to provide a safe alternative for me and my children. Later a friend of mine came to me and asked if I could help him with his chronic eczema, we spent a year working together to create a solution, in turn Twinky’s 13+ hair and body oil was born. In time I slowly transitioned into a business. I became obsessed with learning about different medicinal herbs, and natural alternatives to commercial products and incorporating herds and other helpful ingredients into my products that could help, not only my family and friends but also others that may need help or that were also looking for something different. I found that not only could I provide a safer alternative i could also create soaps and other products that would help with different skin conditions and things that many people deal with. So my Journey began. I started out working with the local churches, doing vendors events and then I launched my website. Twinkysbeauty.com.
My company provides natural products such as whipped Shea and Tallow body butters, solid body butters, cold process soaps of all kinds, from herbal soaps to fresh pressed soaps made with 100% juice, essential oil soaps, sea moss soaps, nut butters soaps and tallow soaps, body oil, hair growth promoting oil, natural lip balms, and natural deodorants, Also, I am constantly adding to the list of products in our inventory. Recently on June 20th this year 2024 I opened my first physical location, which is located at 959 West Huron St., Waterford, MI. located inside of The Women in Business working center inside of Colony Square Plaza. Which helps me work towards my ability to provide for my children and still be present for all of their needs and events.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Looking back, I would say my determination to provide a better life for my children was my main Driving force. My thirst for knowledge would be next if you’re going to do anything, be well educated in your craft study, study, study, and study some more, is the best advice I would give anyone. Also, my ability to learn from everyone around me. I made sure to reach out to people who were already skilled in the things that I was looking to do. From creating products to the ins and outs of busniess. Another thing I wanna mention is do not get discouraged when the people you felt should be on your journey are not. I learned that the most support comes from people you don’t know or have yet to meet. It’s not gonna be your friends and family that helps you get to the next level and that’s ok. This is your journey, and be ready because a lot of it you may have to walk alone.

Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?

In my journey, I’ve had a considerable amount of help the entire outreach team at Kirk in Hill Church, also Ms. Linda, Pastor Edwin and especially my friend Julie have been extremely helpful. Ashley Tally (Royal Queen) of Royal Delights Bakery 1642 N. Perry Pontiac mi. Was the first person to have my products in her store.
But saving the best for last the person that has been the most helpful and has had the most impact would be Eisha Branner, the Founder of E-Community Outreach services and The Women in Business Working Center and The Women in Business Networking Network. Eisha encouraged me to head to the next level. She introduced me to different people and resources that allowed me to really embrace my full potential. Even going so far as to having to help me wipe my own tears and pick myself up off the floor when the world was tearing me down. She has helped me with so much in my personal life, my business life, and even with my children, pushing me to be the best me possible while accepting me just as I am. Eisha motivates me to be me, just by being her. It’s one thing to hear someone talk it but, she walks it. I’ve watched her work so hard, day in and day out to help other people, while being a mom and run several businesses. While dealing with things that would break a lot of people, working So hard that I nick named her superwoman. I look at her and I’m reminded that I can make it through too. Not just survive it but also thrive. There’s been times where I would be going through it, suffering in silence and she would seek me out because even though I never said anything she’d know something was wrong and she would pour life into me or shake me up and tell me to get it together. All in a way that not only inspires respect but also leave me feeling like I got this. There’s been day she’d say Valarie I got you, and it would bring me to tears. Because I knew that she meant that, and I’ve never really had that before. And I needed it.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Twinkysbeauty.com
• Instagram: Queentwinky1026
• Facebook: Valarie Twinky’s Harris
• Other: TikTok Valarie Twinky’s Harris

Image Credits

Haley Stevens