From homeless shelter to success Jamaican entrepreneur making her mark

Monae Findley knows what it means to struggle to afford food, get to school and find stability in a new country.

The 29-year-old spent time in a homeless shelter with her family after migrating to the US in 2015. Bu today, she holds a doctorate and runs a personal care company which she is preparing to expand to Jamaica.

“Migrating to the US, I see if a lot of people don’t talk about the struggle to actually survive. You’re starting from zero a lot of the times. The lucky ones who already have family here are established, but for most of us who don’t, it’s hard,” Findley said.

Originally from Waltham Park, she attended Balmagie Primary School in Waterhouse and later Convent of Mercy (Alpha Academy). She migrated with her mother, Ameela Boyd, and younger brother, Micah Henry, hoping for better opportunities, but the family soon faced housing insecurity after her mother’s husband kicked them out of the house.

“So my mom had to find somewhere for us to go, and the only thing she could find was the homeless shelter,” Findley recalled. Her mother worked hard to provide for the family, but meeting basic needs remained difficult.

“It was hard because my mom was, like, waiting tables and, you know, trying to keep everything together to help us,” she said. “Even when it came to clothes, we were getting donated clothes. Food, the food was donated as well.”

Despite the challenges, Findley enrolled in college in 2016 to study broadcast reporting. However, financial hardship affected her.

“There were times I didn’t have any money to go to school,” she said. “I wasn’t able to focus ... it was just so hard. Sometimes, you know, I wanted to buy the food,” she recalled.

After struggling in one of her classes, Findley opened up to her professor about being homeless and unable to afford basic necessities. The professor helped her secure a resident educator position that allowed her to live on campus and receive meals for a year. The experience though left her feeling ashamed and isolated.

“To be honest with you, I feel like I lost a lot of friends,” she said, adding that there was shame associated with discussing her circumstances. Throughout the ordeal, she said her mother was always the most motivational force in her life during that time.

“Even though she was probably carrying the brunt of it, like, how would we take care of two kids, you know, paying bills and all of that. But she always, always kept pushing us to stay at school and do what we can,” Findley said.

Her mother’s advice also encouraged her to recognise her abilities and find ways to use them to build a better future. That mindset helped fuel her entrepreneurial journey. Findley’s interest in business began in Jamaica, where she spent time at her grandmother’s shop. At 15, she developed a business plan for a school assignment that eventually inspired her personal care company, Plants for Skin. She began developing the business while living in the shelter, with her mother becoming her first investor.

“There were times when I wanted to stop, and she was just like, ‘No, keep on going, keep on going’. And so till now, we have a whole store,” said Findley.

Based in Aspinwall, Pennsylvania, Plants for Skin produces personal care products, including soaps, body washes, body butters, scrubs, shampoos and skincare products. Findley said the company recently reached seven figures, marking a major milestone from its difficult beginnings. Her achievements have also earned recognition, including a place among Pittsburgh’s 30 Under 30 in 2023 and an emerging-leader award in 2026.

While building her business, Findley continued her education, earning a bachelor’s degree in broadcast reporting in 2020, a master’s degree in business in 2022 and completing her doctorate in community and business in August. She also secured a job at TV One, a black television network, after persistently reaching out to television programmes and media personalities, including Oprah Winfrey, to get her résumé noticed. The opportunity allowed her to cover the Grammy Awards and work with prominent entertainers. Now, Findley is preparing to open a Plants for Skin location in Jamaica in 2027.