LeAnne Dolce founder and publisher of Naptural Roots Publishing and Jordan’s Treasures. Here is her bio.
Name: LeAnne Dolce
Location: Stone Mountain, GA
Profession: Founder and Publisher of Naptural Roots Publishing and Jordan’s Treasures
In the Natural Hair Care Business since: 2005
Pioneer in: Natural Hair Care and Lifestyle magazine
Youtube Channel: Naptural Roots
Can you please introduce yourself and tell us the name of your organization?
My name is LeAnne Dolce and I am the founder and publisher of Naptural Roots Publishing and Jordan’s Treasures (natural lifestyle products). We are a publishing and printing company that provides full design services for web, print, and multimedia. We also publish Naptural Roots Magazine, the first and the largest natural hair care and lifestyle magazine.
How, when and why did you come up with the idea to start a magazine?
I came up with Naptural Roots Magazine actually 7 years ago. I was about 3 years into having locs and found that there were no real images of me and my hair reflected in the mainstream black hair magazines! It took me a while to get started, but I knew that Naptural Roots was what I was called to do. It started as a hair magazine and quickly blossomed into a lifestlye magazine because it is about more than just your hair!
How did you go from idea to actually printing a magazine?
I have been blessed to have people come into my life that also feel the same way about my vision. I met my editress and from the first moment, I knew she would be working with me! Her, my daughter, and myself sat at my dining room table and put the first issue of the magazine together in about 4 hours! We have printed since our first issue and we are very proud of that fact. We do experience slow times, but we print EVERY single issue!
What is the hardest thing about managing a magazine? The hardest thing about managing a magazine is keeping quality writers on staff when they are volunteers. WE are still a growing magazine so we are not in a place to compensate writers monetarily yet. We are taking this year to look at new writers and will begin monetary compensations next year.
And the best thing?
Hands down the best thing is all the people that I get to meet by being a magazine publisher! Everyone wants to be in the magazine and on the cover! We know that isnt possible, but it has allowed me to meet some wonderful celebrities, buisness men and women, and just every day beautiful people (inside and out).
How long have you been doing this now and what did you learn from it?
I have been publishing for just over 6 years. WE just celebrated our 6 year anniversary. I have learned that I cannot do everything and I need to bring on more people to help. I have also learned that you have to trust people with your “baby” in order for it to grow! We often have a hard time letting people take responsibility in our businesses so we try to do everything. You cant be great at everything, so the results will always be mediocre! Once we trust that others see our vision and will work just as hard to fulfill it, and give them responsibilty, then we have greatness!
In the early days of the Natural Hair Movement there were a few magazines as well but non of them survived. The competition is stiff and of course there is also the internet where a lot of info is available for free. How do you compete with that? What makes yours different than other hair magazines?
That is a great question. First let me say that we are not intimidated by competition. People have Ebony, Essence, and Jet on their coffee tables! There is enough out here for all of us. But what realy makes us different is that we are not a hair magazine! We are a lifestyle magazine that features all natural men and women. The other magazines mainly focus on hair. How we do what we do is always going to be different from the competition because my staff and I vibrate on a different plane.
Is natural hair a fad or is it here to stay? Can you please motivate that?
Natural hair is not a fad, but there are a lot of components of the movement that are a fad! Natural hair is here to stay and that is what we are the largest proponents for. We want our people to love their natural hair and to show their children that you can be happy, successful, beautiful, strong, smart with natural hair! We have to promote that to our children and to the adults that just dont get it. Now all the product junkieness is a fad (pre-poo, no-poo, the list of buzz terms goes on) and that will likely end, but natural hair is here to stay baby!
What motivates you and who inspires you?
Children motivate me! I am inspired by so many people that are living a natural lifestyle. If I had to name a few people, I would have to say Kim Coles is an inspiration, my grandmother, my daughter is both a inspiration and a motivation to me! Pamela Jenkins (Koils By Nature), Kumi Rauf (I Love Being Black), Santeyonne Powell (Pura Body Naturals), Sarah (Sarenzo Beads). I have a whole list of people that inspire me to be great because they are also great. They are my friends and also my mentors on some levels! And one of my biggest inspirations is Oprah! She is what I inspire to be when I “grow up”!
What is your goal? What do you hope to accomplish with your magazine?
My goal is to inspire little black girls and little black boys to take a healthier approach to life. To know that they are powerful, beautiful, and smart just as they are (naturally). To show adults that we can be professional and successful with natural hair. And to show my people that obesity is NOT a normal way to live and that we CAN conquer it. I used to be almost 300 pounds and now I am less than 200! and still losing. I want to let the world know that it is a lifestyle, not just a hairstyle!
What special events do you have on your program?
We are launching a new online talk show called the Eclectic Conglomerate! We have a new product line called Jordan’s Treasures and we are also expanding our reach into international waters! We are doing photoshoots all over the country so everyone should stay tuned and watch us work! Its going to be a great year!
Where can people get your magazine?
We are building up our print distribution locations now. But you can always head over to www.NapturalRoots.com and order a print issue. We recommend subscribing to our digital edition on our website as well because we put additional interactive content into our digital editions! Subscriptions are only $15 per year.
Last word?
I want the world to be inspired and to live each day as if it was your last. Love more, Live healthier, Get out and help someone else! Smile more – it will lengthen your life and may just save someone else’s. Take the small steps now to improve your health and your body with thank you for it! I want to thank you for allowing me the opportunity to chat with you today!
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Websites:
http://www.napturalroots.com/
http://www.facebook.com/napturalrootsmagazine
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