We recently connected with Cynthia Pierre and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Cynthia thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

Helping beauty business owners and investors create and maintain structure through accounting, tax planning, and tax compliance… This is my mission statement. There is so much that went into creating this mission statement that truly articulates my passion. So many experiences that led to that one sentence. I’ll talk about one of the most poignant.
I started doing hair when I was 9 years old. Well, the man who inspired me to do so was my uncle. From the exterior, I admired the way he handled business. He grew from a humble barber to owning a 3,000 sq/ft commercial building and employing over 50 barbers! I watched his business grow as a child, but by the time I graduated college, my uncle’s health deteriorated and he had little to show for all he’d accomplished. Living in the present is important, but just as important is planning. My uncle made the mistake of not preparing for the future and ended up with almost nothing. I worked very hard and made sure that I became very acclimated with more than just the fundamentals of running a business so that my journey would be different. The legacy I hope to leave is a testament to what he inspired within me. My mission statement reflects that inspiration.

Oftentimes, people will stereotype accountants as boring, uncreative, and lacking emotion. Behind everyone’s “why” that pushes them forward is something close to their heart. By bringing clarity, efficiency, and excellence to the way businesses handle their accounting functions; I’m able to allow owners to focus on their “why.” This is the heart behind what I do.

Cynthia, 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 graduated from Florida State University in 2011 with double majors in Accounting and Finance. My first job after graduating was an Escrow Analyst, and after two years I went to work for the State of Florida as a Sales Tax Auditor. I’ve been a numbers person for as far back as I can remember. With that said, I’ve also been a hair person for nearly as long. I started doing hair as a hobby at 9 years old and as I matriculated through high school this hobby would become the lifeline to buying all the nice things I wanted including payments for auxiliary activities at school. Being that my mother was a single parent with no help outside the home, the additional income I was bringing definitely lightened the load at times. It wasn’t just the money that made me fall in love with hair. It was watching someone light up when they saw their new hairstyle. Knowing I had something to do with that light gave me joy.

Although I continued to do hair throughout my years in the corporate arena, in 2022 I answered the call to leave my third job as a School Financial Accountant and focus on my beauty business while simultaneously working to grow my second business in consulting. Through the ups and downs it’s been 100% worth it. I’ve gained some amazing clients, and I’ve had the opportunity to work with other phenomenal stylists. In working with others in the beauty industry, I kept hearing the same problems I did as a tax auditor in that these ladies and gentlemen were doing great work, making good money, but nearly everyone was having tax problems! It dawned on me that I had to use my accounting experience to serve the industry as well.

So many of us in creative fields focus on our art. We focus on the beauty of what we do. I was fortunate enough to have a passion for beauty and a knack for numbers. 2025 will mark 5 years of serving as a salon owner and approximately 6 to 7 years of providing consulting and tax strategy services to business owners primarily in the beauty industry. I am beautifying the public’s crowns and giving small business owners peace of mind when it comes to maintaining structure with their accounting and tax affairs. I help take the intimidation factor out of tax planning so business owners can focus on their passions. I am beyond blessed and proud to do two things I love: hair and taxes. I don’t know if you’ll ever hear that sentence anywhere else!

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

In 2017, the idea of starting a salon consulting firm crossed my mind after coming into contact with a taxpayer whom I was conducting a sales tax audit on. When I noticed that the taxpayer did not have any financial records to substantiate their refund claim I knew this was the path that I would eventually charter to make a difference in both the beauty and accounting space for business owners. After two promotions and approximately four years in my role as a sales tax auditor, I would eventually resign to focus on launching my consulting firm and other personal life matters that had taken a leading role in my life. Feeling like an entrepreneur extraordinaire, I depleted my outside retirement account launching my business and then proceeded to foolishly attend a massive hair show. The ticket for an exhibitor booth at this show was $2,500, not including flight, lodging, food. I spent thousands of dollars and made exactly zero. I was crushed… There was a silver lining to this dark cloud though. I met natural hair guru Justin Kace.

Justin Kace spoke to me in a very profound way that a mentor would and disclosed his strategy for exceeding sales and partnering with others. When he spoke to me, he sternly said “don’t ever do this again.” He taught me to leverage my resources. To partner with like minds when I’m working to accomplish something big. He taught me about the value of community when considering an exhibitor position at such a massive event that brought well over 40,000 visitors through the doors. This was a pivot in my mindset that created a pivot in how I would do business going forward. I began networking with local hairstylists. Then I expanded that network to include multiple cities in Florida. Now my network consists of stylists and tax professionals nationwide. I’ve positioned myself to be able to leverage these relationships not just for my advancement, but also for my beauty and tax clients. When my business books are loaded with appointments, I have reputable stylists and accountants to call and refer clients to. I don’t have to turn anyone away without giving them another solution.

I may have lost thousands of dollars at that hair show, but the advice I received has paid dividends over the years. I am forever grateful for the change it made in how I operate my businesses and relationships.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

My goodness. Unlearning “hustle culture” was the best thing I’ve done for my business and for my life. I had to unlearn the myth that a well-run business requires non-stop busyness, multi-tasking, and me handling everything on my own. There’s no single backstory here, but really a progression of understanding… and initially trying to do everything on my own. I serve as an Accountant and a salon owner. Two businesses mean that things are dynamic by default. As a salon owner, I am doing hair approximately 3 to 5 days depending on bookings. A great hairstyle can change the way someone feels about themself! In working on something so important to someone, I realized that I needed to take better care of myself. When someone sits in your chair, you have an opportunity to empower them. Not just through the style, but also through substantial conversations. The same also applies to my clients in the tax space.

Sometimes, a stylist is someone people tell things they keep secret even from those closest to them. Sometimes, a client will tell you a dream or goal of theirs hoping that you’ll encourage them. When I’m doing someone’s hair, there is an automatic exchange happening. In order for that exchange to be fruitful, I have to show up as the best version of myself.
As I began to understand this, I made changes in my life. I learned that a well-run business for me means that I regularly go to counseling. It means that I schedule days to go to the beach and bathe in the sunshine. It means that I delegate instead of trying to do everything myself. I trust the talents and skills of others. Plus, having a virtual assistant has been a game changer! I do things to keep my cup filled, so that I can continue to pour into my clients, friends, and loved ones.

In summary, I’ve replaced the popular phrase “Booked & Busy” with “Purpose, Paid & Rest.” That’s the new mindset I’m embracing moving forward!

Contact Info:

• Website: Salon- www.be-braidbar.com Tax & Accounting Services- www.regalwoodconsulting.com
• Instagram: @braidbartally
• Other: https://www.calendly.com/taxstrategy101

Image Credits

Photographer- TruDream Photography
Makeup Artists- Stephanie Butler & Brelan Ferrell