Episode – 29 Summary:
On this episode of Hair Biz Radio, Hosts Zakiyrah and Chay interview Nene Couture, the founder of Healthy Hair Gang in Atlanta,GA.
Show Notes:
– About Nene Couture
– She’s been doing hair professionally for over 15 years.
– She owned her own salon for 10 years in Macon, Georgia.
– She moved to Atlanta and started over from scratch.
– What propelled Nene to make a change?
– She was never fully satisfied, always looking to change.
– She was changing things in her salon but it wasn’t the place, it was her.
– What was your support system like in Macon?
– Her family and friends have always been very supportive of everything she’s done.
– She commuted from Macon to Atlanta for two years.
– It was hard to close her salon in Macon because she felt she was letting down her clients.
– Tell us about the route you took to becoming a stylist.
– She started working at a salon as an assistant in high school.
– Her clientele grew so much she could no longer assist.
– After college she did an apprenticeship under a licensed stylist.
– That’s how she got her license.
– She would not recommend the route of not going to school to become a stylist.
– Do you think seeing your parents growing a business helped spur you on?
– She was a born and bred entrepreneur.
– Sometimes looking at how society does things stunts our way of thinking.
– What was the transition like from owning a salon to being in a suite?
– The salon she worked in Atlanta was commission.
– She didn’t mind having a boss and wanted to learn
– Her salon previously was a booth-rent eight station salon.
– This is her first time being in a suite because she’s not ready to jump into the salon ownership world.
– She likes the intimacy of the suite environment.
– How are you learning how to be more business minded in the hair industry?
– You have to take the time to do the work.
– She does three administrative days a week.
– How did you build your clientele and brand?
– The first few years were trial and error.
– She decided to focus on her giftings and love of natural hair.
– What’s your passion behind healthy hair?
– When potential clients came in, she started realizing how damaged their hair was.
– You shouldn’t do something to your hair at the expense of your natural hair.
– Talk to us about the Healthy Hair Gang products.
– It’s been a journey and the process has taken about 8 months.
– Now the products are bigger than her and she needs a team.
– How do you know when someone needs repair hair growth serum or if they need to see a professional for more extensive health?
– Nene can only look with her eyes, but if someone needs to look at the follicle, she refers them out.
– Not all dermatologists know what they’re doing.
– When did a lot of your clients start going natural and what was your journey?
– She would start making her clients wait for relaxer.
– This happened before she moved to Atlanta.
– Tell us about the textured press method.
– She had one client who loved this method of hairstyle and Nene just gave it a name.
– Do you think videos and pictures have made a big impact on your brand?
– We live in the age where people want to see, no matter what type of industry.
– She’s just now getting reacquainted with Facebook, it seemed too personal for her.
– Facebook and Instagram are pay to play now.
– What pet peeves do you have with your clients?
– Touching your hair while i’m doing your hair.
– Not trusting.
– When someone isn’t honest about previous color, because color is chemistry.
– If a client with damaged hair comes to you, how do you tell them to manage their hair?
– If they can commit to every two weeks, that gives them a chance to see a difference.
– She tells her clients to commit to no tension and using units.
– Let’s go over the products.
– Moisturizing shampoo
– Maintenance conditioner
– The Serum
– Final piece of advice
– Take time to grow your business and figure out how to get things done.
– Preparation is everything.
Tweetable Quotes
– You have to know better so you can do better.
– We don’t teach our kids enough about money and finances.
– Choose your niche and build off of that.
Resources Mentioned
-Instagram and Facebook @Nenecouturehair
-Instagram and Facebook @HealthyHairGang
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