We had the good fortune of connecting with Donqiue J and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Donqiue, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
ME. I am the most important factor. Period! I love what I do! I genuinely care about the women that I encounter in my businesses so I focus on building relationships with them. I believe that everyone I meet is for a reason and it’s bigger than one Retreat or one photography session. Out of all the people in the world there’s a reason why I encounter the women that I do. We have something to learn from each other. Rarely the lessons are hard ones, but it’s still a lesson learned. Another thing that contributes to my success is that I create an entire experience around anything I do! The experience can’t be matched! I think the most common thing I hear is that my attention to detail is amazing. So yeah, building genuine relationships with my attendees/clients and also creating a detailed experience has definitely contributed to the success of my brand.

What should our readers know about your business?
My Natural Hair Retreat™️ is a 3-day All-inclusive Retreat for women who are loose naturals or loc’d. My Retreat allows WOC to come into a safe space and take their capes off. We get pampered with a private chef, luxury accommodations, mimosas, like minded women(aka no negativity), and more! We get to enjoy being free without judgment from anyone. Creating this event was important to me as a Black Woman exiting the military with my self esteem at its lowest it had ever been. I was essentially like who am I? I feel like the military stripped me of my “Black Girl Magic” that I possessed my entire life. I couldn’t be myself without judgement I was basically the outcast. I literally was like F it and cut my hair off months before I got out the military to start my Natural Hair journey (standards made it difficult to wear natural hair while active duty at the time). I started a Natural Hair group on Facebook called “Coil Game Matters.” The support and encouragement in my group coupled with my first experience with a Women’s Retreat made me realize I need to meet some of these women and provide the support from the group in person. From there the Natural Hair Retreat™️ was born!! The entire experience has been amazing! It has been hard work…. but amazing! I literally have to plan for 6 months to a year before the Retreat. Every year I realize I need more assistance to make it better and better. I have been blessed with more and more sponsorships from major brands like Creme of Nature, RevAir, Lottabody, Eden, and Curls to name a few. Of course I can’t forget about my small businesses that have supported like Naturally Unique by SOS, Imani Cowrie, and Just Joy Hair! I appreciate these sponsors because they help increase the experience of my beautiful Natural Hair Besties. I am putting in work to make sure that I can increase the sponsors and in return hire the assistance that is needed to make my event bigger and better every year! Once I have the assistance I need it’s a wrap!! Everyone will know about the Natural Hair Retreat 🙂 Until then I will keep putting in the hard work required to build my NHR into everything I envision. Remember nothing you do will be easy. It’s about the dedication and hustle it takes to make it through the building phase. If you’re in the building phase KEEP GOING!! Don’t stop!! You have already done what most people dream of doing. The reward is greater than the sacrifice. I promise.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Shoutout to my Momma, Sharon, because it doesn’t matter if I’m selling peanuts on the corner she is going to support me lol She will tell everyone she knows it’s the best peanuts she’s ever tasted in her life and buy 50 packs!!! That’s my baby right there!! After that comes my friends and family who support me! I can’t put a name on this one because I have a lot of dope people who just message me randomly to wish me well with positive energy. Some of them literally support any venture I have no matter what! I thank God for them and manifest greatness in their lives because that’s REAL!

Website: www.embracingmyroots.com

Instagram: @naturalhair_retreat

Facebook: EOR Natural Hair Retreat

Other: www.unconvntl.com IG: unconventional_s.h.i.t

Image Credits
Lavish Touch Photography

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