Beauty wasn’t originally her passion, but Aris Singleton was raised with the idea that when you look good, you feel good. After earning a finance degree, she received a call from her aunt asking to fill in as her assistant for six months.
And for not just any old aunt, Chris-Tia Donaldson was the visionary founder of Thank God It’s Natural (tgin). A Harvard-trained attorney turned entrepreneur, Donaldson built tgin off of her own natural hair journey and her experiences in corporate America. When Chris-Tia passed away from breast cancer at 42, the company looked to her niece for leadership. “Everyone was watching, wondering what I was going to do,” she recalls. Singleton knew the brand was bigger than herself; it had to uphold Chris-tia’s legacy. After many years, Singleton leads as CEO of tgin with a focus on business practices and wellness advocacy.
tgin’s product lineup remains rooted in textured hair care, including best sellers like the Butter Cream Daily Moisturizer, Rose Water Curl Refresher, Honey Miracle Hair Mask, and Wax Stick. The company is also expanding into hair stylers for consumers and moving into EU and UK markets, navigating the challenges of labeling, conversions, and high costs.
Her leadership approach is hands-on and strategic. Having sat in on operations, sales, and retail partnerships meetings, she knows the business inside out. “I knew the contacts at Ulta and Target… I knew where the bodies were buried,” she laughs. This deep understanding drives her guiding rule: know your numbers, understand your margins, and surround yourself with people smarter than you.
tgin also prioritizes education and wellness. Through the tgin Foundation and initiatives like breast wellness advocacy, the brand encourages women in Chicago who are under the age of 40 to take charge of their health and be proactive. “Why are we telling women to wait until 50 for a mammogram?” Singleton exclaimed. Singleton is frustrated with the healthcare system and believes we can do much more in prevention. As technology and environmental chemicals evolve rapidly, our healthcare system needs to evolve just as quickly.
From finance to beauty and from assistant to CEO, Singleton’s journey shows that passion can evolve and legacy can inspire. With smart teams, strong relationships, and an eye on innovation, she’s keeping TGIN at the cross-section of beauty and wellness, all while honoring the vision of the woman who started it all.
Tune in below to hear more about Aris Singleton and tgin! Check out our Instagrams here at @Readthetease and @volumeupbythetease.
