Shantae Morgan creates essential products
Published:Friday | May 17, 2019 | 12:00 AMVanessa James/Gleaner Writer
Young people, especially those of the millennial and Generation Z cohort, have recognised the need to start their own businesses as their main source of income. They also see the need to graduate from tertiary institutions with a degree to either complement the business, or to satisfy their parents’ desires. Shantae Morgan fits into the former category; during her studies, she is building a brand for her business, Tae’s Essentials.
The 18-year-old arts management student at the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts started her business out of the need to be financially independent.
“I wanted my own money so I would not have to pressure my mother for money for tuition, but I also wanted to avoid having a typical nine-to-five job,” Morgan stated.
As such, Tae’s Essentials was born October 2018 and for a business that is only a little over six months old, Morgan said business is good, but she is taking steps to make her venture a more lucrative one.
FINDING STORES
“I have been doing a lot of footwork lately, trying to get different stores to bring my line of items so I can reach more people and get more sales,” she said.
Morgan said she chose this type of business because she does not like using products in her hair and on her skin with ingredients which she cannot pronounce.
“I am very aware of what I use, and I want that for my customers also,” she said, “And by selling these natural products, I have the opportunity to inform people of the benefits of using products with natural ingredients, compared to others.”
Tae’s Essentials features coconut oil, cocomint oil and castor oil; all perfect for the hair and skin. She also started a new line of hair gel made of flaxseed.
“I have had good reviews from customers. They also love the hair gel because it does not flake like the other gels that are on the market,” Morgan stated.
She shared with Living that her products are made with brand Jamaica products because, this way, she can support other entrepreneurs, as she would want her business to be supported. Morgan also boasts that she makes the flaxseed hair gel by herself.
“It is time-consuming and I have to be very patient when making the hair gel, but it is all worth it when I hear the good reviews from my customers,” Morgan said, “It is actually the reviews that sometimes help me to get through the bad days when business is not going very well.”
SCHOOLWORK
Along with keeping up with her business, Morgan has to ensure that her grades are not slipping. She said she receives As and Bs in school, and works around her school schedule to ensure she keeps up with her responsibilities.
“I make some items, for example, the flaxseed hair gel, on the weekends or late nights, and deliveries for the business are done when I do not have classes, if the customer cannot pick up the item at Edna,” Morgan explained.
She said studying arts management has helped her business as she can draw on what she learned in class and apply it to her venture.
“Arts management is the business side of the performing arts, so things like market prices and customer research, I already know how to apply the concepts to Tae’s Essentials, so my degree is a good base,” Morgan stated.
The second-year student hopes to have her own store. She is working towards having Tae’s Essentials as the preferred brand and the number one choice for hair and skincare needs. As it relates to her degree, Morgan aspires to tour with artistes and bands.
Morgan is adamant that she does not want a desk job and this, along with making her mother proud of her, have been her motivations to get Tae’s Essential to the top of the beauty industry. She is working on growing her customer base as the majority of her customers now comes from colleges or are Instagram users.