With a big social media presence, big personality, and an even bigger mission to show around the way girls that dreams come true with faith and determination, Jesseca Dupart and Kaleidoscope Hair Products continue to be a force to be reckoned with in the beauty industry.
Affectionately known as “Big Booty Judy,” the New Orleans native and hairstylist burst onto the social media scene in 2014 promoting Miracle Drops, an elixir guaranteed to combat hair loss in men and women. Just as she predicted, the product became a best-seller, and as they say, the rest is history!
Fast forward to right now, and the beauty boss is living her best life as the owner of a 400,000 square foot warehouse that employs hundreds of Kaleidoscope employees amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and is crushing sales with the expanded Kaleidoscope Hair Products line in Target, Walmart, and Sally Beauty Supply.
Hype Hair recently had a little tea time with the mompreneur to chat about entrepreneurship and everything in between!
Hype Hair: You started with your hair salon in New Orleans. What initially sparked your passion for hair?
Jesseca: I’ve been doing hair since I was a child. My mom always tells me stories about how I used to put barrettes in my dad’s hair, so it was something that I always wanted to pursue. Although, I didn’t realize it would turn into all of this.
Hype Hair: Your marketing tactics for the Miracle Drops involved you being comical and chasing down celebrities to use the product. How did you come up with that?
Jesseca: It’s crazy because my mind doesn’t sleep. I have an ongoing note in my phone, so when I get an idea I put it there. It’s like a child in a candy store getting to do what you couldn’t when you were younger… The thing with the celebrity run up happened ironically because Michael Blackston was in New Orleans and I was working on a skit at the same hotel he was staying in. He guided the concept of me popping up at the hotel and my team and I kept it going.
Hype Hair: Infusing celebrities into a brand is always helpful, but many entrepreneurs don’t have the budget for this amid Covid-19. What are some creative ways to publicize services and products without breaking the bank?
Jesseca: First of all, I didn’t have money in the beginning! When I started we created on iPhones, used Party City costumes, and we even went to thrift stores. So I would say use what’s in front of you, which is social media—Instagram reels, Tik Tok, and transitional videos. Because now [during this pandemic] content can be raw. Your clothes can be crooked; they don’t have to be ironed! Before things had to be pristine and edited a certain way, but now it’s just about raw, real, and fun creativity.
Hype Hair: Let’s talk about legacy building! You’ve expanded Kaleidoscope into so much more than a beauty brand. Can you elaborate on the importance of diversifying your streams of income?
Jesseca: A lot of people get it effed up and feel like they have to do several things at one time to be successful. The fact is, you have to find that one thing you’re successful at before you birth the second, third, and fourth business. If you have a passion, you then explore how to take the money that you’re making from it to make more money. For example, my real estate company started as a tax shelter for me. Instead of paying Uncle Sam $600,000 in taxes one year, I put it into real estate and a business was birthed out of that. I would say focus on that one thing that you have a passion for before you add on others.
Hype Hair: Speaking of entrepreneurship, it is not for the faint! How do you handle rumors and criticism? What keeps you motivated when you’re being attacked on social media?
Jesseca: The other day I was watching the Whitney [Houston] story, and it reiterated that the higher you go, the more you’re seen because you’re no longer blending in with the crowd. You can either stay as is, or take the attacks and continue to elevate. No matter who you are or what you’re doing, you have to make that choice. I’m human. However, when people talk badly about me, I try not to respond 97.3 percent of the time. I just focus on the positive and try to mitigate any collateral damage. And of course, PRAY THROUGH THE PROCESS!
For more information on Jesseca Dupart and Kaleidoscope Hair Products, follow @darealbbjudy on Instagram.
By Michelby L. Whitehead • Photo credit: Drea Nicole