Miss Jessie's: Creating a Successful Business from Scratch---Naturally

Miss Jessie's is a memoir and business guide rich with inspirational life lessons and unique business advice from Miko Branch, the Chief Executive Officer of the dynamic Miss Jessie’s — the company that revolutionized the hair care industry.

When Miko  and her sister, Titi, were children, their grandmother, Miss Jessie, taught them independence and showed them the value of being “do it yourself” women, all while whipping up homemade hair concoctions at her kitchen table. As co-founders of Miss Jessie's, Miko reveals how she and Titi applied those lessons to create a successful business from scratch. 

A family memoir with a wealth of practical business advice and handy hair tips, told in Miko's funny and relatable voice, Miss Jessie’s is her remarkable story — from her childhood learning independence as a latchkey kid in Jamaica, Queens, to building a highly regarded company with her sister in their shared home salon in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. Miko reflects on her hard-won insights working for her autocratic, iron-fisted father, and how the self-sufficiency she learned in childhood helped her blossom as a single mother with bills to pay, a child to raise, and a dream to pursue. She speaks honestly of her mistakes and successes, and of her role as an industry leader, negotiating multi-million dollar deals while at the same time restoring the self-esteem of natural and curly haired women.

Charming and enlightening, chock full of entertaining stories and invaluable instruction that can be applied to any business, and illustrated with 16 pages of photos, Miss Jessie's confirms that with effort the American Dream is possible.

Miss Jessie's is a memoir and business guide rich with inspirational life lessons and unique business advice from Miko Branch, the Chief Executive Officer of the dynamic Miss Jessie's—the company that revolutionized the hair-care industry.

When Miko and her sister, Titi, were children, their grandmother Miss Jessie taught them independence and showed them the value of being "do it yourself" women, all while whipping up homemade hair concoctions at her kitchen table. As a co-founder of Miss Jessie's, Miko reveals how she and Titi applied their grandmother's lessons to create a successful business from scratch.

Miss Jessie's chronicles the Branch sisters' remarkable story. When they were children, their stern father encouraged them to become self-reliant and not to depend on their looks to get ahead. Taking this message to heart, they blossomed into business owners and leaders in their field, using ingenuity and without borrowing a dime. They soaked up the entrepreneurial and creative culture of the early hip-hop era on the streets of Brooklyn in the late 1990s, and in the high-end salons of Manhattan. They blended these inspirations to establish a business that has gone from their kitchen table to the shelves of major retailers around the globe, revolutionizing the hair-care industry.

A charming and enlightening look at the women behind the brand, Miss Jessie's is chock-full of entertaining stories and invaluable instruction that can be applied to any business: an authentic expression that the American Dream is possible.

“…cheerful, encouraging…Branch’s peppy tone and passion for her topic make this an energetic and positive read, and by the time the sisters ace their historic meeting with Target, securing nationwide distribution and the future of their business, readers will cheer right along with them.” - Publishers Weekly

Miko offers lessons learned from her experience, solid advice for aspiring entrepreneurs, and family photos in this highly accessible blueprint for business success. - Vanessa Bush, Booklist

“…a charming and candid memoir/business book…Branch intersperses the storytelling with inspiring and helpful business…Miss Jessie’s is a valuable entrepreneurial guide wrapped in a delightful and uplifting story.” - Success Magazine

“I have been fortunate to know Miko and Titi Branch since my early days of founding NaturallyCurly.com. I have watched them turn their passion into one of the hottest brands in texture?a brand that is now a household name among women with curly, coily, or wavy hair. Miss Jessie?s is an inspiring success story about hard work, determination, and creativity, as well as a detailed look at how passion can revolutionize an industry.” - Michelle Breyer, co-founder and president of Naturallycurly.com