We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Chrishara Richardson. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Chrishara below.

Alright, Chrishara thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Folks often look at a successful business and imagine it was an overnight success, but from what we’ve seen this is often far from the truth. We’d love to hear your scaling up story – walk us through how you grew over time – what were some of the big things you had to do to grow and what was that scaling up journey like?

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When I first started CeceCollections, I was doing hair from my mom’s house… taking clients outside. No glam studio. No fancy setup. Just passion, faith, and a dream.

I picked up a few marketing tips in cosmetology school, but the real shift happened when I decided to become a student in life — not just in school. I realized that being teachable is what makes you grow. And I leaned heavily into customer service. I treated every client like they mattered… because they did. That’s what made me stand out.

In 2021, my clientele started growing. But then life happened.

Financial stress. Car issues. Unexpected setbacks.

And I quit.

I truly thought, “Maybe this is God telling me I’m not supposed to do hair.” I got comfortable working a 9–5 from home. Safe. Predictable. Small.

Until one day, a colleague called me complacent.

And they were right.

That word woke me up.

So I started posting again. Showing up again. Marketing again. That consistency landed me my first salon position as an independent contractor — while I was still in cosmetology school. By 2022, I was determined to finish what I started.

Instagram became my growth tool. My authenticity became my magnet. I mastered my craft — especially silk presses and extensions — and clients kept booking.

But the obstacles weren’t done.

I caught COVID… twice.
I fell behind on school hours.
I owed over $1,000 to finish cosmetology school.

I didn’t know how I was going to pay it. My 9–5 barely covered bills.

But this time, I didn’t panic. I prayed.

And out of nowhere, I received my first business loan offer. I was terrified to take it — but I did. I bet on myself.

In October 2023, I graduated from cosmetology school. I was scared no one would book me.

They did.

I was taking six clients a day. My books stayed consistent. By January, I became a suite owner and elevated my clients’ experience to luxury.

It wasn’t easy. I lost friendships because I had to focus. Being in your 20s and choosing discipline over fun is hard. But growth requires sacrifice.

Within three years, I outgrew my suite and expanded. I built a team — and learned leadership the hard way. I had unrealistic expectations. I pushed too hard. Business was growing fast, but my team burned out. I lost members. And I had to humble myself.

I downgraded.

And in the middle of that transition… I got married and pregnant.

Life was life-ing.

But those seasons taught me the greatest lessons:

• Put God first — He’s the best business partner
• Prioritize your health
• Build systems so your business can run without you
• Be consistent — post the content
• Stay coachable
• Listen to your team
• Rest

After having my baby, my husband and I relocated. I had to start over in a new city — but I didn’t start from scratch. I took my skills, my discipline, and my marketing knowledge with me.

It’s harder with a baby. Way harder. But good marketing still works. Authenticity still works. Consistency still works.

And resilience?

That works every time.

So here’s the good news…

CeceCollections is opening a new location in Middletown, OH.

This journey took grit. Faith. Discipline. Tears. Sacrifice. Growth. And believing in myself even when circumstances told me not to.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned — don’t quit in the middle. The hard seasons are usually building the strongest version of you.

And I’m just getting started. 💕

Chrishara , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I was in college studying Elementary Education.

And on paper, it made sense. Stable. Respectable. Predictable.

But deep down, I kept feeling pulled toward the hair industry.

It wasn’t random. It was constant. Conversations. Opportunities. A tug in my spirit. I truly believe God was redirecting me. And the more I ignored it, the louder it got.

So I did something that scared me.

I quit college.

I worked a 9–5 while researching the industry, studying the business side, and figuring out my next move. I didn’t just jump — I prepared. Then I made one of the biggest decisions of my life.

I moved from Mississippi to Orlando to attend Paul Mitchell The School Orlando.

I left what was familiar. I left comfort. I left “safe.”

And I graduated.

But I didn’t just want to be another stylist.

I became a healthy hair care specialist — mastering silk presses and hair extensions with one mission: to make extensions look like they grow directly from your scalp while strengthening and growing your real hair underneath.

Because for me, it’s never just about the style.

It’s about the health.

It’s about education.

It’s about results.

I don’t just do hair — I’m a cosmetologist at heart. I study the science. I educate my clients. I create plans. I help women reach their hair goals the right way.

When my clients sit in my chair, they don’t just leave styled — they leave informed, empowered, and on a growth journey.

Choosing obedience over comfort changed my entire life.

And every silk press, every extension install, every healthy transformation is proof that I followed the right calling.

This isn’t just a career for me.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

My business was growing fast.

I had just hired a new team. Things looked successful from the outside. Expansion. Momentum. Vision.

But behind the scenes?

I was losing them while trying to build them.

I hired an assistant. I was preparing to film a commercial. I had just expanded my suite. Everything felt like it was going “big.”

But something felt off.

I was exhausted. Not just tired — drained. Foggy. Unfocused. I wasn’t fully present, and I didn’t understand why.

Then I found out.

I was pregnant.

And the truth? I was happy about my baby… but I questioned the timing. I had just expanded. I had just hired. I had just stepped into a bigger vision. It didn’t feel “ideal.”

But life doesn’t wait for ideal.

The commercial went great. My assistant was amazing. But my body was slowing down while my business was speeding up.

I lost two team members during that season. Eventually, I hired two new girls. They were coachable. Clients loved them. They were talented. For the first time in a while, I felt like, “Okay… they get it.”

But they needed more of me.

And I was pregnant. And tired.

I poured into them anyway. I trained them well enough that I felt confident leaving my salon in their hands. I went on maternity leave a week before giving birth.

And then everything shifted.

I developed preeclampsia and hypertension. My recovery was not what I planned. I couldn’t return to work when I thought I would.

But the business still needed me.

The girls needed me.

Clients needed me.

And I physically and mentally did not have it to give.

Some clients weren’t pleased. Reviews were coming in. There was pressure to come back. Pressure to fix things. Pressure to perform.

But I wasn’t in the right mental space.

I returned eight weeks postpartum.

Still building. Still leading. Still trying to be everything to everyone.

And it broke me.

As a stylist, clients open up to you. You carry their emotions. Their stories. Their struggles. And I was carrying my own postpartum emotions too. I couldn’t hold it all.

So I had to make one of the hardest decisions of my career.

I let the girls go so they could grow.

And eventually… I let the business go too.

It felt like failure.

It felt like a burden.

It was my main source of income. My identity. My success story.

But I was burnt out. Buried. Empty.

And for the first time, I allowed myself to say, “I don’t need this right now.”

That took more strength than expanding ever did.

We relocated. I took a break. I became fully present as a mom and a wife. I learned balance. I learned what works for me and what doesn’t. I dropped unhealthy habits. I built healthier systems internally before rebuilding externally.

And here’s the part I’m most proud of:

I didn’t give up.

I pivoted.

There’s a difference.

Sometimes growth doesn’t look like expansion.
Sometimes it looks like surrender.
Sometimes it looks like stepping back so you can come back stronger.

And now?

We’re opening a new location.

Not from burnout.
Not from pressure.
But from alignment.

This season taught me that you can be ambitious and soft.
You can be a leader and still need rest.
You can pause without quitting.

Motherhood didn’t end my business.

It refined it.

And this time, I’m building differently.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

This is probably the number one question I get — especially from new business owners or entrepreneurs who feel stuck.

“Why am I not growing?”

And I won’t give you the fluffy, cliché answer.

The truth?

Growth comes down to two things most people overlook:

Marketing and customer experience.

That’s it.

You can be talented. You can have a great product. You can have the vision. But if people don’t see you and don’t feel valued, your business will stay stagnant.

Marketing is not optional anymore — especially on social media.

If you don’t know how to market, get help. Invest in learning it. Study it. Because every big brand you admire? Their marketing is intentional.

Learn how to:
• Film quality content
• Use good lighting
• Speak clearly about your offer
• Understand your audience
• Use hashtags strategically
• Show up consistently

And just as important — create a customer experience that people talk about.

From the moment someone inquires to the moment they leave your chair (or receive your product), they should feel seen, heard, and valued.

Marketing brings them in.
Customer service keeps them.

And here’s the part nobody likes to hear:

It doesn’t happen overnight.

It happens gradually.

You post when no one’s watching.
You serve when it feels small.
You refine when it feels repetitive.

And then one day, it compounds.

Also — be authentic. Stop trying to sound like everyone else. The fastest way to blend in is to copy. The fastest way to grow is to be you.

Your voice.
Your story.
Your perspective.

That’s what makes your brand stand out.

Growth isn’t magic.
It’s consistency, visibility, and experience — repeated over time.

And if you commit to that?

You will grow.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: CeceCollections_
• Other: TikTok: Cece_collections

Image Credits

_ilovelblvckhearts

Filmedbyhenryclaude