Courtesy of Texas Southern University
Aris Singleton graduated from Texas Southern University in 2017. Six years later, she is the youngest CEO of a textured hair care brand. In September, she graced the cover of the Collector’s Issue of JET Magazine.
“I am filled with so much pride and great joy,” Singleton said. “I am a Black woman, 30 years old and running a multi-million-dollar business. When people ask me ‘what school did you graduate from?’ I proudly tell them Texas Southern University.”
JET showcased her professional and personal journey of success that started at TSU and has taken her to the top of Thank God It’s Natural (tgin), one of the leading natural hair care companies in the nation.
Singleton has been involved at tgin since it was founded in 2009 by her aunt, the late Chris-Tia Donaldson. Her plan was to help Donaldson for six months while her assistant was on maternity leave and to finish her last semester at TSU that included seven classes. A six-month commitment turned into years of rotations in every department at tgin. She worked in Human Resources, Marketing Operations and social media.
“I built the finance department, thanks to TSU and my education there.”
She worked closely with her aunt to hone her skills in preparation for taking the brand to its current global status. Her aunt lost her six-year battle with breast cancer in 2021. Singleton took over as CEO and has continued that legacy through the tgin Foundation. Through the foundation, she supports and advocates for women undergoing breast cancer treatment who are experiencing financial difficulties and she highlights the impact of health disparities on survivor outcomes.