Meet Donna Jenay of Nancy’s Kitchen Products

Today we’d like to introduce you to Donna Jenay.

Donna, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Nancy’s Kitchen Products started in 2014 in the kitchen of my Marietta apartment when I was 25 years old. I’d just moved to the Atlanta area with no friends or family in the area and was looking to explore my new surroundings as well as myself. Being here alone and with a job that wasn’t really paying much led me to a lot of nights spent Netflix and chilling with my dog in our empty home, instead. One day, the idea to create a hair product line just hit me! I had a natural hair blog in college and was already seen as someone who was knowledgeable about natural hair and natural hair care in my immediate friend circles. I decided that when my tax money came for that year, I’d buy a few items of cheap furniture and use the rest to launch my business.

I chose the name Nancy’s Kitchen because it pays respect to my late grandmother Nancy who left a glowing legacy of love and equal parts wit and wisdom. She, like many other black mothers and grandmothers, did and taught her children to do hair in the kitchen. Nancy’s Kitchen pays tribute to her and all other Kitchen Beauticians of the near and distant past and present. I started with three products in my Silk Buttercream line and have since expanded it to six products, which include a cleaner, two conditioners, a styler, oil and a 3-n-1 masque. I plan to expand with even more collections and products this year!

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Definitely not a smooth road! Since launching back in 2014, I have become a mother, a single mother, fought depression and battled to maintain my sense of self. I still don’t have much family in the area so the tasks of mommy and businesswoman have been a lot to juggle – especially when you tack on the fact that I have a pretty demanding 9-5, as well. I’m a one-woman army as I execute all product formulation, order processing, marketing & design details, customer service, so forth and so on. It can be exhausting, but I always try my best to maintain gratitude.

We’d love to hear more about your business.
My mission with Nancy’s Kitchen is to provide quality hair care solutions that cater to the health of kinky, coily and curly hair types and to dismiss the notion that any of these textures are “difficult” or in need of correction. The ingredients are chosen carefully based upon what will nourish the hair types of the demographic I serve. I also make it a point to include women with kinky hair textures on my social media postings to both celebrate and normalize the celebration of coarse textures.

What were you like growing up?
Growing up, I constantly strived for excellence. I took pride in my education, being a good person and being a good friend. I was raised to always do the right thing, to keep God first and to be the best that I can be in all that I do. As I entered into my teen years and young adulthood, my focus shifted to my creative side. I was in my high school’s gospel choir as well as a small ensemble that met after school. My interest in the arts continued after high school as I perused graphic design as my major at Morgan State University.

Pricing:

• Silk Buttercream Cleansing Wash, $16
• Silk Buttercream Argan Conditioner, $17
• Silk Buttercream Curl Quencher, $18
• Silk Buttercream Curl Smoothie, $18
• Silk Buttercream Hair Growth Oil, $12
• Miracle Leave-In w/ Rice Water, $16

Contact Info:

• Website: www.NancysKitchenProducts.co
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/nancyskitchenproducts.co
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/nancyskitchenproducts
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/nancys_kitchen

Suggest a story: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.