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

Angel, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Are you happier as a business owner? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job?

Am I happy as a business owner? Yes, do I sometimes wish I could have a “regular job”? Yes! I call it a regular life, a simple life. A life with a lot less stress. And I don’t say this to dismiss or downplay any other person or profession. Truth be told, we all work together to make the economy circulate. We all help each other in some way. I need my clients just as much as they need me, trust me; I understand this. But working for yourself is far more complex than what most people can imagine. Before I reentered my current entrepreneurial role, I was on a six-monthish break, maybe more. During this time I really needed to just focus on me and take a step back from the business and focus on my health, mental health, and future goals. Dealing with clients, especially in the beauty industry, can be extremely difficult. Sometimes I think we’re not looked at as a respectable business. More like robots, and that can be exhausting. I think social media has killed the reality of life. The reality of business owners, relationships, and just about anything else that makes sense. It’s made people a little too comfortable with treating business owners badly. If it’s not disrespectful language, it’s financial disputes or maybe even someone just looking for a viral moment. When you’ve dealt with the same situations for so long, it’s enough to make you want to quit indefinitely. I’ve tried other career ventures, but I always end up here. I think this is where God wants me to be. At least for now. So, I make adjustments. I create new rules; I apply those rules. I change my target audience. I work on my craft. I stay open to constructive criticism, and I stay grounded in God. That means less stress and more happiness. So a bad day is just a bad day. That doesn’t mean you have a bad business or a bad life. I didn’t then, but I know now that starting over is one of the best things that could happen to you. You already know the worst, so now you’re ready for the best.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

My name is Angel; I’m from a small town in North Carolina called Windsor. I’ve been doing hair since I was about fourteen or fifteen. I started off pretty small, pretty much doing my own hair and then some of the girls from school and their parents and family members. I am the owner of TBA Hair Care. I specialize in ponytails, quick weaves and other natural hair styling. Sounds pretty straight forward, but the journey was definitely one of its own. After high school I moved to Greensboro, NC, where I attended cosmetology school. A little over a year later I relocated to Raleigh, NC, where I currently reside. Being new to the area, it definitely took some time to get my business off the ground. I started by becoming a travel stylist and eventually worked my way to where I am now. I got my “big break” in the industry by offering rope twist services. I created a spring twist style called the “butterfly twist.” Everyone loved them! Even still to this day, and it’s going on six years later. So for that I’m forever grateful. I’ve met so many amazing people; I’ve had the opportunity to share so many life moments with my clients. Being able to do something every day with a natural talent that God has blessed me with is truly amazing. I remember first starting out and wanting desperately to be in the position I am now. It really is a full-circle moment. I’m proud of how far I’ve come; I’m proud that no matter the obstacles, I’ve never given up. I may have taken a few breaks here and there, but this is something that I’ve never quit. I love staying in my own lane and running my race at my own pace. And that’s one of the best things about me!

Can you talk to us about how your side-hustle turned into something more.

I remember working a job that I really disliked. I remember coming home some days crying because the work environment was so stressful and management was poor. Although I was grateful to be in a position to support myself, juggling a full-time job working twelve-hour night shifts in a horrible work environment and maintaining my hair business on the side was exhausting. But I knew the sacrifices that needed to be made in order for me to get in the position to do what I wanted. I would get off work some mornings at seven, head home, and get ready for a client by nine. Most of my days off I spent either servicing clients, trying to promote my business, or learning skills. So let’s go back to the year 2020, November to be exact. This is when I officially became a full-time hairstylist. After so many days of praying and talking to God, begging and asking him for a sign. Boom, it hit me. I was at a stoplight, and the license plate in front of me said my brand name, “TBA.” I knew, in that moment, it was him talking to me, telling me exactly what I needed to do. So, I resigned without any clientele, honestly. I promoted heavily, using Facebook Marketplace, hair groups in the area, and hashtags. I started working from my living room. Once my clientele began to pick up a bit, I transformed my garage into my hair space. I remember when I first launched my website and getting my very first booking. I was so happy. It felt like all my dreams were finally coming true.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

I’d say finding my niche as a stylist. I knew what direction I wanted to focus on and what I wanted my brand to represent. Doing the styles that I loved played a major part. I originally started out doing twists, but I knew where my heart lay. I knew I wanted to eventually become an extension specialist. So, I started to offer ponytails and quickweaves as services. For me, ponytails were it. It was the perfect style for many occasions. I started marketing myself for them. But not just that, I took the time to work on my craft. Find other ways to improve, find different styles, and make them my own. Now most of my clients know me for ponytails.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://tbahaircare.as.me/schedule/18e0d524
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tbahaircare?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA%3D%3D
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@tbahaircare
• Other: Tiktok:

  https://www.tiktok.com/@tbahaircare?_t=8eyv3bf7vva&_r=1