Miss Jessie’s CEO: Family Has Influenced Brand, Beauty Rituals and Brawls
Miss Jessie’s CEO Miko Branch. (Photo: Miss Jessie’s)
Miko Branch has learned a lot from family. Mom bestowed the importance of beauty from within: through water, exercise and meditation. Her late sister Titi Branch co-founded their brand, which revolutionized the hair care industry. Growing up, grandma taught the two girls that beauty is about being gracious and courteous, and ultimately, she inspired the company name: Miss Jessie’s.
From kitchen concoction-beginnings to salon and store shelves, Miko’s products have changed things for curly-haired women and girls. The company has been incredibly successful, but Miko still samples other brands’ beauty products. “I love toiletries – everything from hair products, to nail polishes, to skincare, to makeup. I love trying it all,” she says.
Beyond favorite makeup (we asked for her picks), we’re dying to know the ins-and-outs of how she and Titi created the business. On Thursday, June 11 at New York City’s 92Y, Miko will share encouraging stories and sign copies of her book Miss Jessie’s: Creating a Successful Business from Scratch — Naturally.
Despite Miko’s success, her path has involved some unfortunate drama in recent months, following her sister’s passing. Miko is fighting a public battle with Titi’s beau, and she’s not holding back.
The new book by Miko and Titi Branch. (Photo: Miss Jessie’s)
Read on, as Miko reveals who made her a woman, the beginnings of Miss Jessie’s, what the future holds and Titi’s legacy.
Yahoo Beauty: “Miss Jessie’s" is named after your grandmother. What did she teach you and your sister about being independent?
Miko Branch: She taught us to be resourceful. She taught us if there was something that wasn’t in the market you want or need, make it yourself. If there is something you want to do, do it. Do not allow the fact that there is nothing available to prevent you from creating it yourself.
What did your grandma teach you about beauty?
She taught us that beauty is not only external, but really comes from an internal place and intention. Treat people the way you want to be treated. Be kind. Be gracious. Be courteous. By the time you get to the exterior, choosing the right colors and being knowledgeable of the right grooming routine will really illuminate that internal beauty, making it even more special.
What ingredients did your grandmother’s homemade hair concoctions consist of, and what did they do for hair?
Everything you could find on a kitchen table- eggs, mayonnaise, butter, oil, or sometimes even some fragrance from natural jasmine oil or vanilla. She would mix all these things together to make wonderful concoctions. Sometimes she would even take a product that was already on the shelves and improve it with her own personal touches, transforming it into her own. She added ingredients, such as oil and butter to make these products even more emollient and add a little extra “oomph.” This made our hair particularly soft and ultimately easier to manage and comb through. It also made our hair brilliantly shiny.
How did you feel when you first saw your product on a shelf? Where was it?
The reaction was sheer joy. Our products practically sold out during our initial launch in Target in 2010, so we found ourselves sprucing up what was left on the shelves, even during that first visit. Titi and I had created this business from scratch. We truly created something out of nothing, so to see our project part of a mass channel, like Target, truly made us feel like we did it.
Do you use other hair products that aren’t Miss Jessie’s?
I do, and I use them for a few reasons. Because I’m in the product business, having awareness of the current climate of the hair care and beauty product market, of course, works to our advantage. I test and use many products, as that is the best way to become knowledgeable of what is out there. I also am a beauty product junkie by nature.
What other non-hair beauty products are your go-tos?
I love NARS’ selection of wonderful eye shadows, because I love how they are finely milled and go on smoothly. I also love MAC makeup, specifically the lipsticks and lip glosses, because of the variety of colors the brand carries, the smooth consistency, and I even like the delicate hint of flavor each lipstick and gloss has. I’m also a fan of good drugstore makeup finds, like Wet and Wild’s eyeliners or Very Black Mascara by Maybelline.
Your background is African American and Japanese. What have you learned about beauty from your mom’s family?
I’ve learned many things from both sides from the family. My mother really emphasized the notion that beauty comes from within. She does everything from regularly drinking lots of water, to exercising, and she finds that these little constructive life habits have not only helped to preserve the healthy, youthful glow, but also contribute to further enhancing her overall natural beauty. My mother is also a Buddhist Monk, so she strongly believes in having a beautiful mind and achieves this through meditation. Titi and I were exposed to this idea of internal beauty’s ability to provide a more genuine, in depth portrayal of one’s beauty, than what external beauty is capable of projecting on it’s own.
What have you learned from your dad’s side?
We learned these same lessons on my father’s side, however, the delivery was slightly different, as this wisdom largely imparted by our grandmother, Miss Jessie, who was notorious for her “tell it like it is” disposition. She taught us that kindness to others was the highest signifier of one’s own beauty, always endorsing the importance of “treating others as you want to be treated”. Miss Jessie was also a fashionista, so doing things like wearing a beautiful hat on Easter, wearing the right slip with your dress, and having all the stylish accouterments for your look, will lend itself to exterior beauty. These factors are only intended to compliment your interior beauty, which will surely shine through if one possesses a kind heart.
The brand and salon have been groundbreakers – what is your proudest accomplishment career-wise?
Career-wise, my proudest accomplishment is having had the special opportunity to work alongside and build the business with my sister. Working with my sister Titi and growing as a businesswoman under her tutelage, has made me the strong person I am today, and I will forever consider myself blessed for that experience. Creating the product line from scratch, coming up with creative and effective hair solutions, has also lent itself to many proud moments throughout my career. However, I would be remiss if I did not mention the opportunity to become a legitimate trailblazer and leader in the beauty business with my sister, while at the same time helping women with more than just their hair. I value the manner in which our company has created a platform for me to act as a positive role model for women, encouraging positive self esteem through embracing their natural, beautiful selves.
What is next for you?
What’s next for me is to remain focused as I sort out the many complex facets of my business and my personal matters. It is important that I always keep my mind, and keep my heart and health sound. It is crucial that I stay focused on these key points, as I attempt to process, understand and navigate the recent events that have impacted both my family and our business. It is my hope that maintaining this mindset will continue to act as a compass of positivity within all these facets of my life. Ultimately, I would like to see the pay off of all my work, be an example for my son, as he embarks on his journey towards becoming a happy, successful, independent adult.
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