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The Steve Harvey Morning Show

Motivation: Their grandmother Jessie Mae’s leadership, work ethic, and kitchen‑table lessons inspired their business approach.

The Steve Harvey Morning Show

iHeartPodcasts

Society & Culture, Comedy

4.52.2K Ratings

🗓️ 5 March 2026

⏱️ 20 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Listen and subscribe to Money Making Conversations on iHeartRadioApple PodcastsSpotify, www.moneymakingconversations.com/subscribe/ or wherever you listen to podcasts. New Money Making Conversations episodes drop daily.  I want to alert you, so you don’t miss out on expert analysis and insider perspectives from my guests who provide tips that can help you uplift the community, improve your financial planning, motivation, or advice on how to be a successful entrepreneur.  Keep winning!

Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Miko Branch.

Here is a clear, structured summary of the Miko Branch interview with Rushion McDonald, along with its purpose, key takeaways, and notable quotes, drawn directly from the transcript you provided.
All information cites the uploaded file.


SUMMARY OF THE INTERVIEW

In this Money Making Conversations Masterclass episode, Rushion McDonald interviews Miko Branch, co‑founder and CEO of Miss Jessie’s, a pioneering hair‑care brand serving people with textured, curly, kinky, and wavy hair.

Miko recounts how she and her late sister, Titi Branch, built Miss Jessie’s from their kitchen table in their Brooklyn brownstone, developing products designed to genuinely work for people with textured hair. She highlights the brand’s deeply personal roots—named after their grandmother Jessie Mae Branch, the first “CEO” they ever observed in action.

Throughout the interview, Miko explains how Miss Jessie’s expanded from grassroots marketing, word‑of‑mouth, and early internet chat rooms to becoming a national brand found in Walgreens, CVS, Target, and more. She stresses the brand’s emphasis on education, authenticity, and providing solutions for all textured hair types.

Miko also discusses signature product lines (Curly Pudding, Pillow Soft Curls, Daily Soft Curls, sulfate‑free shampoo) and how Miss Jessie’s became a leader in the natural hair movement—well before it became a mainstream trend.


PURPOSE OF THE INTERVIEW 1. To showcase Miss Jessie’s origin story and entrepreneurial journey

McDonald highlights how Miko built a multimillion‑dollar brand from her kitchen table.

2. To inspire current and aspiring entrepreneurs

Miko demonstrates how authentic problem‑solving creates brand loyalty and long-term success.

3. To educate listeners about textured hair and the natural hair care industry

The interview reinforces that natural hair is not a trend—it's an identity and lifestyle.

4. To highlight the importance of cultural heritage and family influence

Miko shares how her grandmother, her sister, and her Brooklyn salon shaped Miss Jessie’s values and innovation.


KEY TAKEAWAYS 1. Miss Jessie’s was built on authenticity and real consumer needs

The brand emerged from real hairstyling challenges Miko and Titi solved for themselves and their salon clients.. 

2. Education is central to the brand’s success

Miss Jessie’s teaches customers how to understand and care for their curl types—wavy, curly, kinky, multicultural, or transitioning.
McDonald says the site offers more information than any hair‑care brand he has interviewed.

3. Family legacy guides the company

Their grandmother Jessie Mae’s leadership, work ethic, and kitchen‑table lessons inspired their business approach.

4. The natural hair movement is here to stay

People increasingly embrace their God‑given texture; straightening is no longer the dominant norm.

5. Social media amplified—did not create—their success

Word‑of‑mouth began long before social media; platforms today simply extend their reach.

6. Miss Jessie’s serves everyone with texture—not just Black women

Men, boys, Latinas, mixed‑race individuals—anyone with curls or waves—can find a solution.

7. Product innovation drove their growth

Curly Pudding, Pillow Soft Curls, Daily Soft Curls, and sulfate‑free shampoos transformed textured hair care.

8. Their Brooklyn salon doubled as R&D

It allowed the sisters to test products directly on customers and ensure real‑world performance.


NOTABLE QUOTES (from transcript) On the company’s beginnings

  • “We started our business in our brownstone right at our kitchen table.”
  • “Curly Pudding was the groundbreaker—the game changer.”

On the brand’s philosophy

  • “The bottom line is being able to create products that are helpful.”
  • “Information and communication is key to success.”

On inclusivity

  • “Anyone who has texture… we have something for you.”

On natural hair

  • “Natural hair, curly hair is preferred… it’s how people want to express themselves.”
  • “Natural hair is not a trend—it’s here to stay.”

On social media and growth

  • “We were going viral before ‘going viral’ was a word.”.

On legacy

  • “Our grandmother Jessie was the first female CEO we’d ever seen.”.

#SHMS #STRAW #BEST

Support the show: https://www.steveharveyfm.com/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcript

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0:00.0

This is an IHeart podcast.

0:02.6

Guaranteed Human.

0:04.3

Welcome to my show.

0:05.6

I'm Rishon McDonnell, the host of Money Making Conversations Masterclass, where we encourage

0:09.8

people to stop reading other people's success stories and start planning your own.

0:14.1

Now, you don't want to miss an episode, so please take a moment right now to follow or

0:18.2

subscribe to Money Making Conversations Masterclass.

0:21.4

It's free.

0:27.0

You can follow me on IHeartRadio app, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your podcast. New Money Making Conversation Masterclass episodes drop daily. I want to keep you on alert

0:32.9

because my guests provide tips on how you can uplift your community, improve your

0:37.0

financial planning, motivation, or advice on how to be a successful entrepreneur. Now, let's get this

0:43.1

podcast started. My next guest is the co-founder and CEO of Ms. Jesse LLC, the company behind

0:49.5

the premium hair care product line. You know, I'm baldheaded, so, you know, we're going to talk about hair care, but we won't be

0:55.4

offended by it at all.

0:57.1

Miss Jesse exclusively caters to the diverse spectrum of all curly hair types.

1:02.3

I used to have curly hair type.

1:03.9

I used to be back in the day was out in college.

1:06.9

You couldn't say it.

1:08.4

Tell me nothing at all.

1:10.0

Please welcome the money-making conversation.

1:12.1

Miko Branch.

1:14.0

Miko, I had to have some little comments.

...

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