Hello again!
How are you? If you are friends with me on Facebook, you'll know that I am now a mom. Yes, I've crossed over to the parenting world. My beautiful baby girl's name is Esther. :) I will be sharing my emotional journey about giving birth real soon. Look out for it.
In other news, I now have a driver's license! Not just any license, a Japanese driver's license! I am really proud of myself. For anyone who has gone through the process of acquiring a driver's license in Japan, you will know that it is not easy. It is really, really difficult. And EXPENSIVE. But I'm so glad that I was able to overcome the challenges and I will now enjoy the reward of being able to actually drive a car. Excited much.
And now for today's post.
I really do admire entrepreneurs, hence my reason for doing these series. So, when I see someone doing their thing, I am intrigued. I am especially intrigued by persons who make their own craft. There is one such person I discovered on Facebook. She is a Jamaican here in Japan. Her name is Lee-Ann. Everyone, let's say hello.
Hi, Lee-Ann. Thanks for agreeing to be featured on my blog! Please tell us about yourself and what brought you to Japan.
Thanks, Re-Keisha. My name is Lee-Ann Haslam. I am from Kingston, Jamaica. I came to Japan because I was interested in Japanese culture. I completed my Masters here and decided to stay.
Oh, that's cool. How did you get started in your business?
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| Lee-Ann's goodies on display at the Jamaican One Love Festival in Tokyo |
Well, I graduated from Tokyo University of Art. I have always been creative.
I made my beauty products for my family, friends and myself especially for many years. My mom used to work as an aesthetician for Estée Lauder and growing up she taught me a lot - how to make scrubs, toners, things for hair/ body, and especially face. I'm natural and moved to Japan 10 years ago when we did not have a lot of the conveniences we have now with ordering things online, and when there was the move towards healthy products that promote instead of change ourselves. I therefore had to learn how to, for example, handle my hair, make deep conditioners, oils, etc.
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| An order being prepared. |
Recently, two Christmases ago I decided I wanted to make personal presents for my mom and friends. I made a few and they liked it so much they wanted more. They pushed me lovingly to go commercial and sell to others. Since then, I've been making a few organic soaps, scrubs/ masks and butters and seeing the response. So far I'm glad people like them and even better, I'm glad I can help people and babies/children with skin conditions. People don't realize just how important good soap is and what it can do to/ for your skin. I'm not a size three but I've always felt no matter what I'm beautiful and I deserve to treat myself well like a queen and my bathe time/ rub up after is my daily treat to myself. Why shouldn't I treat myself well. So these "treats" I'm slowly but steadily, little by little, sharing with others on a commercial basis since this year January.
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| One out of many of Lee-Ann's creations. |
A little while after I started, an old college friend requested I make a soap that can help his baby with eczema. I drew from previous knowledge and research and created a pure vegan organic oatmeal soap for her. Her name is Awrya. I wasn't sure exactly how the result would be as she has eczema pretty bad. All I can say is a few months later when I sent the soap to them he mailed me appreciatively saying they love the soap. She thought it was food so she bit into it. After one bath, the redness went away and the eczema calmed down. I didn't expect it to work so fast and was surprised as there was nothing to help. His wife also noticed and asked about the soap.
Satisfied customers make me happy. I'm a small business and as far as I'm concerned that's my job. These days, I'm noticing a lot more about people's skin, especially when I see children scratching. I just want to give them a good quality bar of soap.
My best selling products, which are all organic are, bars: Oatmeal (treats skin conditions), Coconut (gently nourishes) and Mango (aphrodisiac). New Rhassoul Shampoo/Body Bar for gentle ph balanced clean hair, especially for curlies, and New Body Scrub Whipped Soap. Also, shea and coconut infused hair/body butters and ginger/coffee scrub.
I try to use as many natural products as possible from Jamaica like our castor oil and cold pressed coconut oil. I love them :). I gain knowledge and exotic ingredients from my travels as well, and only use grade A kosher 100% organic quality.
Oh, I should also mention that I do glass art, which was my major. It's important to me, too.
Amazing! Do you have any words of advice for someone here who has a talent that they can capitalize on?
To someone who has talent my best advice is contact those of us here who are doing or did something you want to do. We tend to help each other. I appreciate the other entrepreneurs here. We all help each other, especially in the Jamaican community: Dean Jackson, Kerry-Ann Jahjastarz, Sasha Seals, Gregory Arnold and Didan Ashanta to name a few:)
Keep negative thoughts at bay, do your research and go for what you want.
Also, they can join business groups such as Tokyo Black Professionals and the like, or FEW (Females Empowering Women). Those are of great help.
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| Lee-Ann with some of the other Jamaican entrepreneurs here. Photo taken at the One Love Festival in Tokyo. |
Thank you, Lee-Ann! It was really a pleasure talking to you! I will definitely be trying one of your products soon.
There you have it, guys. You may see all that Lee-Ann offers on her Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/LeeCreatesPage
If you enjoyed this post, please help me by sharing with your friends.
Also, please like my Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/jamaicangirlinjapan
Until next time :)
