Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Eboni Barry. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Eboni thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you recount a story of an unexpected problem you’ve faced along the way?

I signed the lease to my first commercial property in June 2022, I spent 4 consecutive months obtaining permits, license, insurance, meeting with the city, creating a build out, purchasing fixtures, flooring, plumbing, signage, inventory you name it. On October 30th 2022 I had my Grand Opening to welcome everyone in. You can imagine how excited I was after all of the hard work I spent over the summer/fall getting everything together. The day after Christmas, it wasn’t even 2 whole months into operating my business. I was working on a client and had several others scheduled. We heard a loud sound coming from the walls. I assumed it was noise from the laundromat that sits two doors down from my store. Shortly after water burst through my walls and flooded my entire salon. All 1,500 square feet of it. Immediately we evacuated the building called the fire department and the landlord, I brought the client home with me to finish her hair and I called out to the others to cancel their appointments. Several days went by I had to remain closed to the public, I took a major lost in a short period of time. (11 Days) My landlord promised to have everything squared away before she quickly changed her mind and decided to force me to file a claim through my insurance. But my insurance did not cover what was NOT my property. I still had damaged floors and walls.. I fought long and hard. 8 months to be exact to get the property manager to pay for the damage that their negligence caused. The vacant unit next door to me Heat wasn’t turned on in below freezing weather and caused their pipes to burst and my space was effected by it. I spent 80% of 2023 fighting for my business, fighting for my health and fighting for what’s right. All with a smile on my face as I continued to operate in a professional way, still hosting and volunteering at community events giving back to the community, being a wife , a mother to my 3 children, taking care of ill loved ones and trying to keep my head above the water. I remained opened for business for the time that I spent fighting.

Eboni, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Eboni Barry is a respected leader in the hair salon industry with 22 years of experience and a passion for excellence. She is known for her exceptional skill as a hairstylist, as well as her ability to lead and inspire her team.

Eboni’s journey in the hair salon industry began when she was just a teenager. She worked as a braider and quickly fell in love with the art of hairstyling. She eventually becoming a sought-after stylist.

Eboni’s talent and dedication to her craft led her to move into a personal business suite , where she focused on providing high-quality services to clients. Over time, her Suite grew in popularity, so she then expanded into leasing a commercial space to open a Beauty Salon to include other skilled professionals.

As a leader in the hair salon industry, Eboni is committed to staying up-to-date with the latest trends and techniques. She regularly attends industry events and workshops to improve her skills and bring new ideas to her salon.

Eboni is also passionate about giving back to her community. She frequently donates her time and services to local charities and organizations, and encourages her team to do the same.

Overall, Eboni Barry is a talented and respected leader in the hair salon industry. She is known for her exceptional skill, dedication to her craft, and commitment to providing exceptional service to her clients.

Traveling Braider age (12):

In 2016 Eboni’s entrepreneurial journey began. She started doing hair at her home then she decided to separate business and home years down the road.

Founder and Owner – Luxurious Stylez 2020:

In 2022
Eboni’s entrepreneurial spirit led her to establish and own her salon, where she focused on delivering high-quality services to clients. The salon experienced significant growth under her leadership.

Volunteer – Food for the Soul Ministries (Ongoing):

Eboni contributes her time and services as a volunteer at Food for the Soul Ministries, showcasing her commitment to giving back to the community through charitable work.

Mentor – First Generation Leaders of America (Ongoing):

Eboni actively volunteers for First Generation Leaders of America, a youth mentoring agency, demonstrating her dedication to supporting and guiding the next generation of leaders.

Volunteer – Covedale Elementary (Ongoing):

Eboni serves as a mentor at Covedale Elementary, showcasing her commitment to positively impacting the lives of young individuals within the community. She offers free hair care services for events that the school host.

Eboni Evans’ career achievements exemplify a progressive and impactful journey in the hair salon industry. From her early roles to entrepreneurship, coupled with her dedication to mentoring and community service, she has made significant contributions both professionally and philanthropically.

What else should we know about how you took your side hustle and scaled it up into what it is today?

I started out braiding hair for people in my community , classmates and their families. Adults will come to pick me up after school to take me to their homes to do their hair and bring me back home. I was 12 years old at the time, doing something I loved and making some quick money to support my wardrobe habit.

In later years I became a state tested nurse assistant where I cared for the elderly. During that time in 2014 I lost my Mother, my job only gave me 3 days of bereavement which was clearly not enough time to grieve. I thought it was a slap in the face , my mind started racing on how I can operate at my own pace. At the time I had No solidified idea on what I was going to do next but I knew I would make something happen.

By 2016 near the end of my pregnancy with my second born child it hit me that it was time to create a schedule that worked best for me and my family. I needed to redeem my time. I thought, Eboni what are you going to do? A light bulb went off. HAIR ! You do hair Eboni! I went to Facebook and created a post that I was going to do hair and babysit and my followers flocked to the post with immediate support.

Since 2016 I have been a full time Entrepreneur, creating my own schedule and creating the freedom I’ve always wanted for my lifestyle.

In 2020 I decided it was time to separate business from home. I started searching for a Suite that I could rent to operate business. I Got all of my paperwork organized . created an LLC (the birth of Luxurious Stylez) and got my finances in line.
I opened the doors to my suite.
As the needs of my clientele increased and my health (back) started to affect me more I knew I didn’t want to stop the business. I had built the reputation and clientele to keep moving on so I decided I wanted to create an environment of skilled professionals to be able to take on the load. It was time for me to expand and open a Beauty Salon to make this come to life.

I began searching for a commercial space and landed it..
I signed the lease to my first brick and mortar in June of 2022
Luxurious Stylez Beauty Salon where I employee professionals, mentor and train youth and adults.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

Word of mouth has been the best strategy for my growing clientele. Although online presence plays its part, I have to say – just continue to do a great job everytime , the world will talk about you

Contact Info:

• Website: https://luxurious-stylez-llc.square.site
• Instagram: 1Luxuriousstylez
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Luxuriousstylez20
• Yelp: Luxurious Stylez
• Other: 513-772-1700