Small Business Spotlight Feature: iRock Natural

 Small Business Spotlight Feature: iRock Natural @iRockNatural 

Peace all, it's that time again to showcase another small business. For the next two weeks Im Just Jackie will be featuring iRock Natural. Take a moment to read my interview with Melani Jones, owner of iRock Natural, to learn more about Melani & her company. And take advantage of the discount code!!!

Q.  What is your name and where are you from?
A.  My name is Melani L. Jones and I am from Matoaca, Virginia.

Q.  Can you tell us a little about your company (name, what you offer, when established, etc)?A.  iRock Natural is the name of my company. We offer trendy tees, jewelry, and tote bags for EVERY natural! We have a wide selection of various logos to include those for the curly girls, loc’d ladies and gents, and a children’s line. iRock Natural was officially established on March 16, 2012 (one year down!).

Q.  What was your inspiration behind starting the brand and for each design?
A.  My inspiration for the name, iRock Natural, came one day when I driving home from work. The name just dropped into my head and I knew I had to do something with it. At that time, I had not been natural for long myself but I loved it and wanted a way to show that. So I decided I would do tees as a way for others to show their love for their natural hair. It started with tees and has since grown into the jewelry and tote bags.

As far as the inspiration for each design, sometimes that just comes to me as well. Most times I have just been jotting down ideas and put them together to get the tag line and the design for each tee. I also get a lot of help from my family as I bounce the majority of my creative ideas off of them. They give me that extra feedback I need when creating new designs.

Q.  What distinguishes iRock Natural from other brands?
A.  I think what distinguishes iRock Natural is that I really strive to have something for every natural at every point of their journey. I take customer’s feedback and requests to be able to provide items that people would enjoy wearing.

Q.  What challenges have you faced with starting the line?
A.  TIME MANAGEMENT!! There never seems to be enough hours in the day to get everything done that I’d like. But I’ve learned to just do what I can and leave the rest for the next day.

Q.  What personal goals would you like to accomplish with your business?
A.  My personal goals for iRock Natural are to branch off into doing some self-esteem/empowerment type activities. I think that deciding to go back to your natural hair opens up a new sense of awareness. You have to really learn to love yourself when you may not fit into the societal norm. So I hope eventually to be able to pass on that sense of self-love to others in large group settings.

Q.  Do you have any advice that you would offer to an aspiring entrepreneur?
A.  JUST START! You may not know it all but don’t think that’s a reason to stop you from taking steps towards being an entrepreneur. There are a lot of helpful resources that can assist with starting a business, so be sure to tap into those. Also, don’t ever limit yourself. You never know what you can accomplish when you put in the time and effort to make things happen.

Q.  And finally, how do we get our hands on iRock Natural? 
A.  My website: www.iRockNatural.com I am always available by email as well (for questions/concerns, etc) at iRockNatural@gmail.com. Facebook: iRock Natural, Twitter: @iRockNatural, and Instagram: @irock_natural

Thanks so much Jackie for the opportunity to feature iRock Natural!!!

Save 20% off any purchase over $25 with coupon code Jackie20. The coupon code will be good for the duration of the feature (April 13 - April 26, 2013)

 Small Business Spotlight Feature: iRock Natural