We were lucky to catch up with Kate Oduh recently and have shared our conversation below.

Kate, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Naming anything – including a business – is so hard. Right? What’s the story behind how you came up with the name of your brand?

Before I had a business name, I had a conversation with someone who advised me to be mindful of the story that the name tells. People should hear the name of your business and automatically know (or at least have an idea) of what service/product your business is selling. With that in mind, I thought for a while and looked up synonyms for different words pertaining to hair. By the grace of God and by the leading of the Holy Spirit, “Strand Savvy” was born.
It speaks to being knowledgeable, innovative, and creatively in tune with the hair/beauty industry and wanting to share that insight with others.

Kate, 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?

I often joke that I “came out of the womb braiding hair” because I started at such a young age. The first time I realized I could braid hair was at the age of 3. No one taught me, nor did I pick it up from watching someone else. It’s truly a gift from God.

Braiding hair became like second nature for me, and I always knew that I wanted to be a hairstylist when I grew up. From a young age, I planned to go to cosmetology, and as I got older, I didn’t want to go to college, just straight to cosmetology school (or so I thought). In a Nigerian household, that wasn’t going to fly with my parents, so we came to an agreement that I would attend college first and then cosmetology school after.

I attended Illinois Wesleyan University, where I received a BA in Business Administration and then I went on to attend Ms. Roberts Beauty Academy and became a licensed Cosmetologist and a licensed Cosmetology Instructor.

Attending both college and cosmetology school taught me a lot and helped to prepare me for things I would need to know as a business owner. By the grace of God, I am now the owner of a salon, “Strand Savvy Studios PLLC,” and although the process of owning a business is not an easy one, through prayer and perseverance, I remained steadfast in trusting the gift that God has blessed my hands with. Knowing that He will never leave me nor forsake me and that I am aligning myself with His will for my life.

I am a licensed Cosmetologist and Cosmetology Instructor and I specialize in braiding, natural hair care, and makeup.

I am known for my low-tension braid styles as well as my custom blended colors and unique style combinations. Most of my clients have also been able to experience complete hair transformations where when they came to their first appointment their hair was damaged or broken off, but after a few consistent appointments with me they noticed a huge shift in their hair being way healthier than before. I take the time with each client to find styles and solutions that work for them and their lifestyle so that they can have the healthiest hair possible and not feel the need to hide their hair behind a style.

Often times I hear from clients that they decided to book with me because:

1. I am professional, clear, and concise

2. Great customer service

3. I provide a customized/personalized experience for my clients (I offer a variety of styles so they don’t feel boxed in or forced to choose something that they don’t necessarily want). I pay attention to detail and make sure that the client’s vision comes to life.

4. I challenge my clients to try hairstyles and colors outside of their comfort zone

5. I prioritize the client’s natural hair health and educate clients on how to better care for their hair

6. I don’t look at my clients as “just another paycheck,” but I genuinely care about them and their well-being

7. My prices are fairly reasonable for the quality of work that is provided

8. My salon space is not a “typical” salon. The goal is for every client to enter into an atmosphere of peace, love, and joy; and it is my prayer that they leave feeling like their best self: refreshed and rejuvenated.

Being the owner of a salon is really something that I hold near to my heart. It’s something that I’ve dreamed about since childhood, so being able to see it come to fruition is really exciting for me.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

One of the hardest things for me on this journey was: 1. Getting the paperwork for the LLC done and 2. Finding a salon location. There are not many people who I knew or saw that were doing what I wanted to (especially not “by the books”). So when it came to researching things and trying to find the necessary steps to take it was like finding a needle in a haystack.
It was like some big secret that no one wanted to share and at that point it made me feel like maybe I’m not “big enough” to do something like this. I truly wanted to give up, but my prayer circle encouraged me to keep going. I knew that God called me for more so I knew that giving up wasn’t an option.
Once I got over the hurdle of the LLC Paperwork (which actually wasn’t as difficult as it seemed it would be), I also had to find a space.
One piece of advise I would give to anyone looking for a storefront/physical space for their business: don’t rely on the online listings! Commercial spaces aren’t always listed so drive around the area you want to be in and take note of the “for lease” signs in the windows. You’d be surprised at how many spaces are actually available that can work for what you’re looking for.

Any thoughts, advice, or strategies you can share for fostering brand loyalty?

I am true to myself. One thing I’ve learned is to stay in my own lane and foster an environment that encourages my clients to do the same. I truly want every client to feel comfortable and confident in themselves and with that we have conversations where we share thoughts, ideas, prayer, and words of encouragement.
I know there can be a thin line between personal and business, but I think I have been able to keep the two separate and therefore allow clients to want to come back time and time again.
I lend a listening ear and keep up with them and their milestones, whether it’s a graduation, birthday, wedding, date night, buying a new house, etc. I tend to check in and see how things are going and it shows that I genuinely care about each and every person that sits in my chair.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://strandsavvystudios.myshopify.com/?fbclid=PAAaYPlFyrxw6UqYcy9yoHqLOyErbZvGwDKk42cjrHFNkFtCnpbUTWc0mop5k
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chi.merem.artistry?igsh=NzdvZHBrdHR5ZzNt

Image Credits
Brandon Ivy (1st group photo and personal photo)