Meet Dominiqe Taylor | Owner & Founder

We had the good fortune of connecting with Dominiqe Taylor and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Dominiqe, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
I am from a small town in Northern California (Redding). My father is black and my mother is Maltese. As a mixed-race girl in a small Northern California town, I had many experiences that affected who I am today and why I started the type of business I did. I always felt like I was someone who bridged gaps between worlds. I was the bridge between my mom’s Maltese background, to my dad’s African Roots. I always felt underrepresented growing up. As I transitioned into adulthood, I became passionate about environmentalism, and recognized a familiar absence of people like me. I noticed the same underrepresentation of black-identifying women (and men) within the low-waste / zero-waste groups. When I shopped, I could never find products that suited me but were environmentally friendly- namely, hair products. This is what ultimately inspired my business venture. The need to once again bridge the gap between worlds.

What should our readers know about your business?
My business is called Consciously Curly Co. It is a low-waste, natural hair care product line that aims to deliver amazing products without harming the environment. It is a small business and I run it entirely myself. I do have a different vision for the future of it, however. I am currently in the baby stages. In fact, I just officially launched October 20th, 2020 with two prior soft launches. It has certainly not been an easy road to get here. I have received no funding, but quit my job as a patient service rep for a cardiology/pulmonology medical office, and am now working nights as a janitor to fund the startup. I have gotten rid of my car, and walk to work to free up money for this dream of mine (amongst cutting down on other bills). I overcome these challenges by finding joy in the small things. I also cut cancelled my gym membership but realize the exercise I get walking to work is more in alignment with who I am, anyway- seeing plants up-close, and enjoying the fresh air. It serves me in more ways than one. Seeing that the reward from the sacrifices I am making is definitely filling my cup. I’d love the world to know that this hair company is for everyone- straight, wavy, kinky, curly, male, female, trans, gender fluid, straight, gay, large, small. Everyone has a place here, everyone is welcome here. I included the word “curly” in the name with the intention to signal other textured-hair beauties that there is a conscious, low-waste product out there for them. When I started my journey toward being a better consumer, I’d get so excited to check out all of the brands that offered something low, or zero-waste. Time and time again, I grew disheartened that there were rarely models that looked like me, and especially that there were never hair products that suited my hair. I decided to just start making my own in 2017. It didn’t dawn on me to start a business until January of 2020. Then… Covid happened, and I almost retracted. But my gut told me that this is something the world needs. Businesses need to be better about being environmentally-conscious AND inclusive.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If a friend were to visit where I live in Bend, OR, what we did would heavily depend on the time of year. Its a very seasonal place with 90 degree summers, and snowy winters. No matter what, though, our activities would likely be outdoors for the most part. Anything outdoors is a good time for me, and typically my friends agree. We’d likely start the first day of the visit cooking, or grilling some food on the back patio and catching up, spending time cracking jokes, talking about the universe, pouring each other more wine, and just enjoying each other’s company. The next day, I’d probably take them through town, showing them the beautiful Deschutes river that runs right through it. Explaining how it feels like the city of Bend was built around the forest, and with nature in mind. How I draw a lot of inspiration from that, and how I love the trees that tower buildings here. We’d walk around the Old Mill district, visiting local shops (he Silver Otter being one of my favorites) and grab snacks from bakeries. Two days in, we’d rent kayaks and float the from Sun River to Drake Park, enjoying the sunshine, and picnicking. If it was winter, we’d likely snowshoe instead. We’d go to Mt. Bachelor to hike in the summer, or snowboard/ski in the winter. Have a beer on the mountain and head to town for dinner. A rest day would likely be in order here and theres’s no better place to regroup than a soak at McMenamins bath house. I’d want to show them one of my favorite trails, The Ray Atkensons Memorial Trail which has views of Mt. Bachelor, Sparks Lake, Broken Top Mountain, and South Sister. The trail is leisurely and changes in terrain from forrest to lava flows. Its very enjoyable. We’d pack the car with snacks and spend one of the days on the Cascade Lakes Highway, stopping wherever they felt called to. It’s a 66 mile highway that “passes massive volcanoes, murmuring streams, forests of awesome evergreens, lava flows, glittering lakes, and meadows full of wildflowers.”

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Intersectional Environmentalist and Ocean Blue project are two of my big inspirations! They both serve the world in big and ways. Also, Kathryn Zenkina, Michael Hyatt, Dr. Joe Dispenza, and Dr. Sue Mortar have helped me unlock deeper levels of myself that allow me to step more fully into who I want to be.

Website: consciouslycurlyco.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/consciouslycurlyco/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/consciouslycurlyco