Susan Randall Strachan: Wife, mother, entrepreneur — making it all work
THE first thing you notice about this Kingston-born businesswoman is her bubbly personality and the pleasant smile on her face.
“I’m naturally a happy person. It would take a great deal to get me down. I love life, I love people, and I definitely love others to see my faith shining through,” Strachan told All Woman.
Now based in New Jersey, Strachan is busy promoting her cosmetic line NBI All Natural.
She explained how she balances being involved in the church, giving her family quality time, and running the business.
“I created a balance for each role I played and made sure I put each role in its respective place. As a mother and wife I tended to my family’s needs first,” she said.
Being a dedicated Christian, Strachan said God is always at the forefront of her life and she credits Him with every success that comes her way.
With one of those all too frequent chuckles, she said as a woman she just taps into that ‘good old- fashioned girl strength’!
Strachan, who has invested a lot of time in building the NBI All Natural brand, manufacturing hand-made products such as hair and skin oil, curl-defining custard and super-shine hair growth serum — all having a base in the Jamaican black castor oil — said she made it a family effort. She has 23 branded products, and is seeking to permeate the markets not only in the United States but all over the world.
“My family became a part of all aspects of its development from the thought process to the creation; they were there every step of the way.” By using this strategy she was able to ensure quality time with her family.
Strachan left Jamaica in 1984, but said every chance she gets she renews her love affair with the country of her birth.
“I can honestly say I credit my sense of determination and my will to succeed to my Jamaican upbringing. One thing I learnt while living there is that no matter what the situation, if you get creative you’ll find a way around it,” she declared.
A licensed cosmetologist with over 25 years’ experience under her belt, Strachan said she knew it was an industry she was destined to enter.
For as long as she can remember, the idea of creating magic with hair has always fascinated her.
“I would always comb my mother’s hair and try to help her while she set her hair with rollers. I would always have a comb ready to comb anyone’s hair who would allow me,” she smiled.
She said she worked in the corporate world for a while, but something was missing. She found that ‘something’ when she immersed herself in producing the one thing that fulfilled her — cosmetics.
“Take away the businesswoman and you will see someone who is down-to-earth, God-fearing, loving, caring, kind-hearted and easy-going; an individual who gets along with everyone and still believes that there is more good than bad in the universe, and when good seeds are sown, nothing or no one can hinder your harvest,” she said, adding that she still lives by this belief because a humble heart is a magnet for miracles.
