We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jamera NaQuai a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Jamera, so good to have you with us today. We’ve got so much planned, so let’s jump right into it. We live in such a diverse world, and in many ways the world is getting better and more understanding but it’s far from perfect. There are so many times where folks find themselves in rooms or situations where they are the only ones that look like them – that might mean being the only woman of color in the room or the only person who grew up in a certain environment etc. Can you talk to us about how you’ve managed to thrive even in situations where you were the only one in the room?
Living in Utah, I am often times the only black person in the room. I’ve learned that the most effective way for me to engage people is to simply smile. Greeting people with a big smile makes me appear more approachable and leaves people with a great first impression. Sometimes interacting with people who are different from you for the first time can be intimidating for lots of different reasons, but by being genuine personable, it opens the door for people to engage with me and have conversations that we might not have had otherwise!
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I am the CEO & Founder of a body care company called Naturally NaQuai. I hand-make roll-on fragrance oils, body butters, and body salves. I got into body care because I noticed that a lot of the products in big stores have ingredients in them that are not beneficial or healthy for our bodies. I believe that our bodies are a home for love and my intent is to curate natural products with ingredients that are derived from the earth.
My favorite part about what I do is knowing that I can offer honesty and pride to people’s bodies by using ingredients that are not only safe- but help people feel good as well. I love watching a person’s face light up when they smell a scent they love or watching their bodies heal because of something that I made!
In other exciting news: I am opening a store front on State street! I don’t have an exact opening day yet, as I am still in the beginning stages of getting it set up, but I am so incredible excited to be able to sell my products face to face and meet my customers in person! I post updates on the space often on my business Instagram @naturallynaquai if you’re interested in following along on the journey of getting the space ready and more info on the location and grand opening when I’m ready! I’m having so much making the space my own and am so excited to share the space with the SLC community.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
The first quality I needed was patience. Not only did I have to do a lot of research on the ingredients I use in my products, but I also went through a lot of trial and error. Some ingredients don’t mix well together and would ruin the consistency of a product and have to start all over.. Or maybe a scent didn’t come out the way I intended. It can get frustrating at times but perfecting a product recipe in the end makes it all worth it.
Another skill I needed was math. Math was my least favorite subject but doing this has turned me into a conversion whiz. I am constantly measuring different oils and I’ve gotten so good at it the last year and a half.
The last quality I believe that helped me was that I have a genuine interest in what I do. I’m not in this for the money. I do this because I believe that holistic health is a powerful tool that so many people glance over. Everything that our bodies need can be sourced from the earth. I truly belief that. Helping people feel good about themselves and their bodies makes me feel accomplished and impactful.
For anyone early in their journey: practice. And it just going through the motions, but intentional practice. Establish your goals and the steps that you are going to take to get there. What are your passionate about and why? Be prepared to fail again and again. It’s going to happen. But don’t give up just because it didn’t work out the first time. Everything isn’t a loss. Sometimes it’s a lesson.
How would you describe your ideal client?
My ideal client is anyone who loves to smell good! If you’re into perfumes, lotions, etc. Then I have something for you. I have over 20 different scents from masculine, to feminine, to unisex! I know that you will find a scent that you love. If you have dry skin, I have body butters and body salves that will leave your skin moisturized and heal eczema, acne, and chemical burns without the use of harsh chemicals. If you’re intentional about the things that you use on your body, then I would love to share my products with you.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.naturallynaquai.com
- Instagram: @naturallynaquai
- Facebook: Naturally NaQuai
- Other: TikTok: @jameranaquai
