Having damaged her hair while processing it during her days as a student at Immaculate Conception High School, Jhunelle Thompson developed a great appreciation for being herself in her natural state. Exploring new natural hairstyles, enjoying the growth that followed and being able to give others hair advice boosted her self-confidence and inspired her to be the hair expert that she is today at just 21.

Guided by the mantra “What is meant for me will never miss me, What misses me was never meant for me”, Thompson views every opportunity that arises as destiny.

It is against that background that Thompson made her first step into entrepreneurship by establishing Jhune’s 4B Life in April 2020.

“In April 2020, I started a natural hair blog on Instagram because there came a point where people from all over social media would see me post a picture and ask me how I got my hair into a certain style and I would assist them with tips on how to grow theirs. This was the birth of Jhune’s 4B Life,” explained Thompson.

After stumbling upon YouTube videos about how satin bonnets are integral in any natural hair regimen, her creative juices began to flow. As a struggling student with financial burdens, this was the key to her business idea that would shape her future as a girl boss. The name draws inspiration from her 4B hair type, her nickname Jhune and the fact that hair care has become such a large part of her life. This business offers satin bonnets, scrunchies, edge wraps, durags and pillowcases, all manufactured by Thompson from her home. The energetic and extroverted entrepreneur also offers distressed locs services. Her products are sold entirely based on online orders received through her social channels.

Being a business owner at such a young age certainly has its rewards as Thompson learns how to develop her brand.

“I love the satisfaction that I get when people purchase my products or use my services and are pleased with what they get. I love reviews because it shows me what I can improve, if need be,” said Thompson.

Her journey has been nothing short of inspirational having successfully sponsored over 20 events such as Miss UTECH Jamaica 2020 and the UWI Marketing Association’s Back to School giveaway to name a few. She has also been an avid participant in pop up shops and in October 2021 she launched her own website to increase brand visibility. The philanthropist inside her also ensures that she helps others with the money earned from her business. She has donated to two non-profit organisations namely the Girls Do Good Foundation for a period poverty drive and the Jamaica Cancer Society for a breast cancer awareness drive.

“I love making people happy and I love giving people a reason to laugh and enjoy life. Most people tend to describe me as a very empathetic person. I am always thinking about how others feel and what I can do to help the situation,” said Thompson.

Managing Jhune’s 4B life can also be time-consuming and mentally taxing because it requires her to balance her small business while being a student – she is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Real Estate Management and Valuations at the University of Technology – and caring for her personal life.

“You have to have self-discipline because business owners do not work a 9-5, we work 24/7. Seeing that I run my own show, I have to allocate time to do certain tasks. A few tasks of mine include sewing bonnets, doing faux locs, creating posters, managing inventory, responding to messages, making frequent posts and the list goes on. You have no time to be idle. There is no such thing as free time,” said Thompson.

She is also constantly using her mistakes as learning lessons. Past errors such as not budgeting and keeping a clear record of all orders have helped to improve her services. Regardless of the lows that may accompany business operations sometimes, Thompson stays motivated with prayer, family, close friends, customers and social media supporters.

Thompson hopes to expand Jhune’s 4B by acquiring a commercial space, entering new distribution channels and adding staff.

“I have every intention to expand my business. In five years, I see myself having a better work area or office space seeing that I am currently managing my business from the comfort of my own home. I also see my bonnets in hair salons, shops and other beauty supply stores. I also would like to have more members on board which would lift some pressure off myself,” expressed Thompson.