Inspiring Conversations with Jehda Archer of Unique Technique Beautique

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jehda Archer.

Hi Jehda, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
It all started as a kid growing up in the struggle went from not having clothes, lights, and water, to losing my oldest brother, and losing my father a year later. Leaving me and my 2 siblings with my mother. I’m going to school getting bullied for not having stylish clothes, even having to wear the same clothes water off light off I’m washing in pots of water I got from the neighbor’s the outside faucet.

Then to come home and get bullied in my household having nobody to run to all I could do was write and dream. And at the age of 14, my mother had turned to drugs my sister left went out on her own, brother was in the system. Leaving me with my mother in a hotel room.

At a young age dealing with my mother not having the money to keep us in a hotel room some days we slept on the stairs and outside the hotels sleeping on crackheads floor and still have to get up at 6 am and get ready for school. It builds up anger yes but everything I have been through build-up hunger it builds up knowledge, and so much more when I was 15 a freshman in high school.

I told my mom I want to build my own clothing brand and have my own store I had drawn out my ideas and everything I was so passionate I told her I want to do this because my dad taught me to walk for myself I want to be my own boss she said we were going to get bulk order t-shirts, said she knew what we needed to do to proceed however she never moved a muscle every time I brought it up again it was “stupid is.”

Everything I tried to do in school after school activities such I could not attend because she said no, I couldn’t stay after school for practice we stayed less than 2 mins walking from the school I walk home daily. She just wanted me home to sit with her and do an unproductive mess.

I joined dance and couldn’t attend rehearsal the last day we were about to perform ND I couldn’t perform because she wouldn’t let me stay for rehearsal which crushed me my own mother was blocking my success. Also, I’m dealing with her kicking me out whenever she gets drunk or high not giving me my legal documents, I needed to get out here and get a job. During senior year, I stopped going to school and started dealing with the wrong people for 7 months.

I’m like no this is not me I parted my ways. I have a doctor’s appointment and I see my social security number at the bottom of the paper as I’m signing it, I tear a piece of the corner write that number down, and went to the courthouse with my school id to verify me got my birth certificate, went to the social security got my social security card. By the end of that week, I had a job at a cookout. I worked my tail off and left them because it was too much with management.

I started working at crispy crème and got a second job at a pizza place downtown. I’m staying with my boyfriend and his mother for a year so, at the age of 19, I graduated high school and started wake tech for business administration I got a better job opportunity and quit the two I was working October 2019 I started working at a call center. I got my own apartment. And when Covid hit I started working from home.

2 weeks in I’m like okay I can go ahead and start getting my business started I had been on Instagram seeing saving all these wholesale vendors I said I’ll start with something small and work my way up I started with lip gloss so I place an order for wholesale lip gloss starter kit. So, one day the systems kept dropping my supervisor blamed me for not being on calls I’m face timing her to show her that the systems kept dropping.

So 20 minutes later she calls like if you don’t log in bring the equipment back, you making me look bad blah blah I said okay but it’s literally not working but okay I thought about that cried ND all I ft her back you can come to pick up the equipment I can’t do this anymore I’m dealing with shit in my personal life too and y’all system messing up and you’re going to yell at me she says I’m sorry no your crying I didn’t mean to make you cry.

I say it’s fine I just can’t let this job stress me out no more. Since that day I started focusing on my true success and where I wanted to go in life. After lip gloss I moved to lashes, then I moved to clothes and shoes. I have been funding my business out of my pockets. No hand out no help. I always invest in myself. Nobody gonna do it for me. And I know what I’m capable of.

I know I’m creative, I know the style, I know the business, and I’m a great person I know I’m a hustler. So, I know I’ll get my money back plus some and now I have 2 businesses both registered both have LLCs my boutique and I, and my boyfriend have our clothing brand unica’drip that will be launching out this summer. I love what I do. I have always been into fashion, ripping cutting up clothes, and designing outfits on a sketchbook.

And I know that Beautique is going to be successful, it’s going to blow up my ideas my mindset is genuinely like no others. I am like a firework ready to be lit… when it comes to inventory, coming up with ideas. I also just finished crystal healing and I get my diploma in 2 weeks for that. I am almost done with modeling and acting school with john Casablanca’s and I will be casting on a show soon and will be joining a modeling company in South Carolina this month.

I am determined and I will continue to push myself to get me and my businesses out there. It’s not easy being an entrepreneur I’m telling you but as long as you are determined, work in, invest in your business and accept all the knowledge you can, accept professional criticism, worry about yourself and your business, stay focused, and never give up, support yourself, promote yourself and keep pushing!

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has not been a smooth road at all. trying to start a business from the bottom alone, to deal with so many haters in the city you live in.

Went days even weeks without making no sales and honestly, it was times I didn’t know the next step. Like registering your business, getting a dun’s number, business credit, etc.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Unique Technique Beautique?
Unique Technique Beautique provides a variety of unique fashion, beauty products, and much more.

We are known for unique lashes, lip gloss, and high-quality fashion for the best prices. I am really proud of how my business has flourished over the years. I want everyone to know Unique Technique Beautique and UNICA’DRIP are going big this year.

My beautique spring /summer inventory will be in this month stay tuned.

What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
I feel the most important characteristics of my success would be patients, motivation, ambition, determination, and persistence.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/si.es_unico/

Image Credits
Pink, Nia, and Nicole