N.C. A&T Alumni Times

What started as a homemade relief mechanism for her children’s eczema, has now turned into a full-time business for Camilia Z. Majette ‘07, who is the founder and CEO of Nailah’s Shea, LLC. Her company that is named after her daughter, Nailah, is a hand-crafted Shea butter beauty and body care line, using only pure Fair Trade, certified organic Shea Butter.

“During my tenure, as a pharmacy technician I discovered how prevalent toxins and poisons are in most commercial products, so I decided to start a business on the side balancing work and being a full-time mom,” said Majette. “My children had developed skin conditions such as eczema and I was only meeting a need to help give them relief.”

Majette graduated from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and mass communications with a concentration in broadcast production in 2007. However, after graduation she soon realized it was tough getting a job in the journalism industry. She worked various jobs as a substitute teacher and in administrative support, then she decided to go back to school to get her master’s degree in health service administration from Strayer University.

“In 2012, I was laid off from an administrative position and one day my brother came to me with encouragement and stated, 'Why don’t you start a full-time business out of Nailah’s Shea?' He helped me with my paperwork and I incorporated my business, Nailah’s Shea, LLC,” said Majette.

Nailah’s Shea’s company philosophy believes in using all-natural and organic ingredients for its products. The product line includes whipped Shea body butter, exfoliating Shea sugar scrubs and handcrafted soaps.

“As a way to give back through my business, every Mother’s Day, I go to the Women's Center of Wake County to give out sample products and free health and wellness educational classes and DIY's directly to shelter clients. I also donate to the YWCA Greensboro’s emergency shelter,” she said.

“The YWCA Passion to Purse program was very instrumental in helping me to sustain my business, so it’s only right to give back to them as well.”

In 2018, Nailah’s Shea was named Minority Small Business of the Year by the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce. In 2019, she was a Top 100 contestant in the national FedEx Small Business grant competition. Also, in May 2019, she was given the opportunity to speak on a global leadership panel at eBay’s Annual Summit – where she represented two Americans out of five other panelists.

“Anything worth having in life, you definitely have to work hard, be intentional and have faith.”

In the future, Majette is working to grow her business to hire employees and open a manufacturing facility to continue making products on a larger scale. Also, she has a goal to start selling her products to various hotels and spas nationwide.

To learn more about Nailah’s Shea, LLC, please visit www.nailahsshea.com.