We were lucky to catch up with Theresa Cephas recently and have shared our conversation below.

Theresa, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – walk us through the story?

One of the biggest risks I have ever taken was leaving the security of a steady paycheck to pursue my passion full-time.

My journey in the hair industry started when I was 12 years old. My mother was in cosmetology school, and I spent countless hours practicing on her mannequin heads. While she focused mostly on flat twists and roller sets, I became fascinated with learning different techniques on my own. I also had a younger brother with plenty of hair, and he became my first real client as I practiced and improved my skills. By age 14, I had taught myself how to start and maintain locs.

For many years, hair was a side business while I worked in corporate America. When I became pregnant with my son, I transitioned to working from home and devoted more time to growing my hairstyling business. Eventually, I joined a salon on a 50/50 commission arrangement. Although it wasn’t the ideal situation financially, it helped me build a loyal clientele in a city where I was still relatively new.

In 2016, I invested in building a salon in my backyard, but because I didn’t yet have enough clients, it remained a part-time venture. Then COVID-19 changed everything. When salons reopened after the shutdowns, I returned to work for only two weeks before realizing I no longer wanted to build someone else’s dream. I knew it was time to take a chance on myself.

As a single mother of two, leaving without another full-time job was frightening. There were no guarantees, no safety net, and no certainty that things would work out. However, I stepped out on faith, opened my own salon full-time, and committed completely to my business.

That decision was the biggest risk of my life, but it was also one of the best. Since making that leap, I have never looked back. The experience taught me that growth often requires courage, and sometimes the greatest opportunities come when you’re willing to bet on yourself.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your background and context?

Here’s a polished and professional version that keeps your personality and story while improving the flow:

My journey into the salon industry began at the age of 12. To be honest, I got tired of my mom sending me to school with hairstyles that made me feel much older than I was, so I decided to learn how to do my own hair. What started as a personal mission quickly became a passion. I practiced on myself first, then on my younger brother, followed by neighbors, friends, and eventually just about everyone in the neighborhood.

I learned how to braid at 12 years old and began specializing in locs by age 14 while working in my first barbershop. Although I have experience with many hair services, my true passion became locs. Today, I specialize exclusively in healthy loc care, traditional locs, and microlocs. I am also proud to be listed on the Sisterlocks Registry.

In addition to providing loc services, I have developed my own hair care line designed to promote healthy hair and scalp care. My product collection includes loc gel, edge control, extra-hold gel, mousse, natural hair oil, leave-in conditioner spray, rosewater and peppermint spray, and miracle hair cream. I am also an independent vendor for Jinsa Hair Oil.

My hair care products hold a special place in my heart because they were inspired by my mother, who suffered from lupus-related hair loss. Watching her struggle motivated me to research, test, and create products that could help stimulate hair growth and support healthier hair for both women and men experiencing thinning or hair loss while maintaining active hair follicles.

One of the things I take the most pride in is my ability to help clients improve hair growth, increase hair thickness, and restore confidence in their natural hair. Many clients come to me believing their hair can never recover, and there is nothing more rewarding than helping them achieve results they never thought were possible.

Above all, I want people to know that hair is more than a career for me—it is my passion. I don’t do it simply to earn a living. I do it because I genuinely love helping people feel confident and beautiful. That passion is reflected not only in the quality of my work but also in the relationships I build and the happiness I bring to every client who sits in my chair.

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

Yes, my side hustle eventually became my full-time business and career.

Hair has been a part of my life since I was 12 years old. What started as doing my own hair quickly grew into braiding for family, friends, neighbors, and classmates. By the time I got to college, people already knew me as the person who could do hair, so I regularly braided hair to earn extra money while attending school.

Even though I always had a passion for hair, I kept it as a side hustle for many years. I worked in corporate America because I was afraid to take the leap into full-time entrepreneurship. I worried about whether I would be able to provide for my family and make ends meet without the security of a steady paycheck. Hair was my backup plan, something I could always rely on to generate additional income.

A major milestone came in 2016 when I purchased my home. I had grown tired of doing hair in my kitchen and having clients wash their hair in my sink, so I decided to invest in myself and build a private one-chair salon in my backyard. The space allowed me to create a more professional, intimate experience where clients could receive personalized, one-on-one service. While I had the salon space, I still didn’t have the client base needed to support myself full-time.

To continue growing, I worked in two different salons in Raleigh, North Carolina. Those experiences helped me build relationships, gain exposure in a new city, and establish a loyal clientele. My hairstyling journey actually began much earlier when I worked in my first salon at just 14 years old—an all-female barbershop where I learned the art of locs from one of the barbers. That experience sparked my passion for loc care and set me on the path toward becoming a loc specialist.

The turning point came during the COVID-19 pandemic. When salons reopened, I realized I no longer wanted to build someone else’s business when I had already invested in my own. I decided to take a leap of faith and commit to working for myself full-time. It was one of the scariest decisions I had ever made, but it was also one of the most rewarding.

Today, I specialize in traditional locs, microlocs, healthy hair care, and loc restoration. I have built my business primarily through word-of-mouth referrals, which I consider one of my greatest accomplishments because it reflects the trust and satisfaction of my clients. In addition to providing services, I have developed my own hair care product line and continue to expand my brand.

Looking back, some of my key milestones include learning to braid at age 12, learning locs at 14, building my private salon in 2016, establishing a clientele in Raleigh, and finally transitioning from a side hustle to a successful full-time business during COVID. What started as a way to earn extra money has grown into a thriving career built on passion, dedication, and faith in myself.

Have you ever had to pivot?

One of the hardest pivots I have ever had to make in my business and personal life happened in 2022 when I lost my mother.

Before her passing, my mother was much more than my mom—she was my biggest supporter, accountability partner, and business assistant. She handled my scheduling, client communications, bookkeeping, and many of the behind-the-scenes tasks that allowed me to focus on serving my clients. She believed in my business from the very beginning and constantly pushed me to grow, improve, and pursue my goals.

In 2022, I held my mother’s hand as she took her last breath. Losing her was devastating. Not only was I grieving the loss of my mother, but I was also grieving the loss of someone who played such a significant role in my business. For a period of time, I completely lost my motivation to do hair. My business was deeply connected to her. In many ways, I only discovered my passion for hair because she attended cosmetology school, and my entire hair care line was created and dedicated in her honor.

After her passing, I stepped away from my business for a little over a month because I simply didn’t know how to move forward without her. However, as a business owner and mother, I eventually realized that life and responsibilities would not stop. My bills still needed to be paid, my clients still needed me, and my family still depended on me.

Returning to work was one of the hardest things I have ever done. I had to learn how to manage every aspect of my business on my own—tasks that my mother had always handled. I had to find a new sense of motivation, rebuild my confidence, and continue growing my business while carrying the weight of grief.

Looking back, that experience taught me resilience. It showed me that even during life’s most painful moments, we are often stronger than we realize. Today, I continue to build my business in honor of my mother, carrying forward the lessons, support, and belief she poured into me. Her legacy lives on through my work, my clients, and the products I created because of her inspiration.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://naturallycomplete919.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/naturallycomplete919?utm_source=qr
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/14pJYYTxsEj/?mibextid=wwXIfr