We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful DeVonna Pittman. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with DeVonna below.

DeVonna, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Do you take vacations? Why or why not?

Absolutely—I love to travel. And I believe stepping away is necessary, especially for founders. When you’re building something from scratch, every brain cell is working overtime. We’re constantly thinking about how to scale, how to keep the customers we’ve got, how to bring in more, and how to juggle all the moving parts. It never stops.

That’s exactly why I make space to pause. I refuse to preach self-care and not make room for it in my own life. Vacationing gives me room to reconnect with myself—outside of the business. I recently had the chance to unwind in Bucerias, Mexico, and it was everything I needed. Sun, stillness, and space to breathe. I came back feeling recharged and ready to tackle my to-do list with fresh energy.

My advice? Don’t wait until you burn out. Build systems, trust your team, and schedule that break like your sanity depends on it—because it does. The business will survive a few days without you, but it won’t thrive long-term if you don’t.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is De’Vonna, and I’m the founder of Nature’s Syrup Beauty—a purpose-driven, plant-based beauty brand that was literally born in my kitchen. I started this journey not just to sell products, but to solve a crisis—what I call the “curly hair crisis.”

As a Black woman with textured hair, I was constantly disappointed with products that overpromised and underdelivered. I was tired of the toxic ingredients, the lack of transparency, and the feeling that our hair was an afterthought in the beauty industry. I wanted to create something better—something that truly honors our curls, coils, and culture.

At Nature’s Syrup Beauty, we offer premium hair and skincare products made with potent, plant-based ingredients. We don’t just cater to curly hair—we center it. Our main mission is to restore trust in haircare, help people fall back in love with the hair that grows from their scalp, and provide solutions that work with our hair’s natural texture, not against it.

What sets us apart isn’t just our clean ingredients—it’s the culture we embrace. Our shea butter is ethically sourced from women in Ghana, directly supporting access to food, clean water, and education. Locally, we’re active in youth work to help reduce violence and improve school attendance. So every product you buy is doing more than nourishing your skin or hair—it’s sowing seeds into real communities.

I’m most proud of the fact that I didn’t wait for perfect conditions to start. I built this brand from scratch, after losing a political race and deciding to bet on myself. We recently launched the Curls & Culture Lounge, a luxe beauty experience rooted in self-love, textured hair care, and community. Created by Nature’s Syrup Beauty, this one-of-a-kind space is where curls meet culture—offering curated shopping, immersive events, and feel-good vibes for anyone embracing their natural beauty. Whether you stop in for the products, the people, or the experience, the Lounge is a space to be seen, celebrated, and cared for.

At the end of the day, I want people to know that this brand is about more than beauty. It’s about healing—our hair, our self-image, our communities, and our confidence. We’re not just here to style curls—we’re here to help you feel powerful in your natural state.

We’d love to hear the story of how you turned a side-hustle into a something much bigger.

Yes—Nature’s Syrup Beauty started as a side hustle and is now my full-time mission.

It began in my kitchen, during a season of frustration and transition. I had just lost a political race that I poured my heart into. Everyone told me I needed to earn a master’s degree in police leadership to be taken seriously—so I did that too. But even after checking all the boxes, I felt unfulfilled. That loss, though painful, pushed me to finally bet on myself.

At the time, I was mixing products for my own curly hair—because I couldn’t find anything on the shelves that truly worked or felt trustworthy. Friends and family started asking to try them. From there, it spread by word of mouth. I didn’t have fancy packaging or a big budget, but I did have results—and people noticed.

Some of the key milestones that helped me scale were:

Launching our first product line—handmade, small-batch, and rooted in clean ingredients.

Building community trust—our earliest customers were Black women tired of being overlooked by mainstream beauty, and they became our loudest advocates.

Opening our physical space, Curls & Culture Lounge—a luxury beauty experience centered on education, celebration, and empowerment.

Securing ethical sourcing partnerships—like working with women in Ghana to source shea butter in a way that supports their communities directly.

Expanding into corporate partnerships and speaking engagements—where I get to share my story, teach product-making as a team-building experience, and inspire others to build from scratch too.

The real shift happened when I stopped treating it like a side project and started treating it like a legacy. This isn’t just a business—it’s a calling. And I’m proud to say I wake up every day doing what I love, creating change and confidence one jar, one curl, and one conversation at a time.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

One of the biggest lessons I had to unlearn was believing I needed permission—permission to lead, to create, to take up space, or to pivot.

I come from the poorest suburb in America. I wasn’t born into wealth or a network of entrepreneurs—I had to build everything from scratch. For a long time, I thought I had to follow a certain path to be taken seriously. I was told I needed a degree to make a difference, so I got one. Then I was told I needed a master’s to level up, so I earned that too. I even ran for political office thinking that was the most direct route to impact. When I lost, it hit hard—but it also woke something up in me.

I realized I had been waiting on someone else to co-sign my purpose.

The truth is, I didn’t need a title to make change. I didn’t need a polished résumé to start a brand. I had lived experience, I had grit, and I had vision—and that was more than enough.

Once I unlearned the idea that I had to be chosen, I started choosing myself. That’s when everything shifted. I leaned into my creativity, started formulating products in my kitchen, and built a brand that speaks directly to the people I care most about—Black women with textured hair who’ve been overlooked for far too long.

Now, I create my own table. And I bring others with me.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.naturessyrup.com
• Instagram: @naturessyrup
• Facebook: @naturessyrup
• Linkedin: De’Vonna Pittman

Image Credits

These photos were all taken by me or with my camera.