By Staff
When Jennifer Grace Jennings founded Funlayo Grace, a U.S.-based textile manufacturing company in 2008, she knew that her vision was much bigger than herself. A graduate of the Goldman Sachs Black In Business (BIB) program, the dynamic businesswoman honed her leadership skills without cutting corners. Nearly two decades later, she is spearheading a landmark $155 million expansion. With a story and platform rooted in the “blueprint of the possible,” Jennings is transitioning a legacy of manufacturing excellence from Newark, New Jersey, to a manufacturing strategy that will empower people nationally.
Funlayo Grace is a manufacturing company specializing in high-quality linens for healthcare, hospitality, apparel, travel, and other industries. Jennings has spent nearly two decades building, brick by brick, the premier MWBE-certified firm it is today. “Our mission is deeply inspired by the legacies of my grandmothers of being seen and valued through trade and collaboration. We honor their journey by empowering women, families, and businesses, by nurturing meaningful connections–one product, one partnership, and one heartfelt connection at a time,” Jennings explains.
Having expanded operations in Newark, Dallas, and Detroit, Jennings anticipates creating thousands of jobs while leveraging AI-powered subscription services to bridge manufacturing with digital engagement.
This past spring—in honor of her book, “Homeless to Homeownership: How I Purchased Four Properties In One Year–and How You Can Too,”and to foster conversations around ownership, financial empowerment, economic legacy, and community development—Jennings helmed and hosted an Assets & Ancestry Tour in Harlem. The free, live, in-person activation brought the Harlem community together while giving attendees the opportunity to dive deep into their family history and discover hidden treasures from their past.
To date, Jennings has held activations for the tour in Staten Island, Newark and Harlem, with additional tour dates to be announced. “Newark showed UNITY!!!!! This stop of the Assets & Ancestry National Tour was powerful. In a city where we manufacture, it was beautiful to gather around conversations rooted in assets, ancestry, ownership, and opportunity. This tour is about what we’re passing forward through legacy, ownership, and impact,” says Jennings. The event encourages attendees to come as they are and leave knowing more about where they came from and where they are going.
In addition to her work at Funlayo Grace, Jennings is the founder of Rebecca’s Little Survivors Foundation, a non-profit organization that supports youth and families who have endured grief or traumatic loss, and connects them with amazing individuals who embrace, heal, commune, and build with them. Jennings also hosts the Tribal L&D Podcast, focusing on maternal health, parenting, and wellness.
This past spring, Jennings was appointed to the Board of Directors of Nigerians in Diaspora Organization Americas (NIDOA-USA).
For more information about Jennifer Grace Jennings,
visit www.jennifergracejennings.com or follow her on social media: IG @funlayo_grace.
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