Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Kayla Denise. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Kayla, appreciate you joining us today. What do you think matters most in terms of achieving success?

I personally believe determination is one of the biggest factors to becoming successful. From there, everything else will follow: discipline, consistency, and confidence. Once i’ve set my mind on something, there is no letting up until i’ve reached my goals. In general though, success for everybody looks different. I feel like if you want something bad enough you’re going to make sure you take the necessary steps to get there. That means pulling yourself out of bed in the morning no matter how bad you want to stay asleep. Consistency produces results, then results breed confidence. Once you’re confident in yourself, your talents, and your mission, it’ll show in everything you do. I believe from confidence, success will flow naturally. I know first hand that in the hair business it can be easy to get discouraged. You look around and see there’s so many people who can do what you do, some better. But as long as you believe in yourself, and know that nobody can do YOU like you, everything becomes possible.

Kayla, 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?

My name is KD, short for Kayla Denise, and i’m an Atlanta hairstylist specializing in protective styles. Im 21 years old and located in the South Fulton area.

Growing up, my mom was a braider. She was the only person to ever do my hair so braids were what I was accustom to. Around my junior year of high school I started playing in my own hair. I fell in love experimenting with different styles and different colors. My head became my canvas. In my eyes I was creating something out of nothing. It came so easily it was like something in me just clicked and it became my creative outlet.

I never tried a style on a client unless I tried it on myself first. Starting out, I would braid my hair over and over again to practice my technique. I would do a part 52x until I felt it was right. Playing with different hair colors helped me learn the tucking technique. That technique is one of the skills that gained a lot of attraction to my business.

Before creating an instagram, my business started to gain traction by word of mouth between family and close friends. The more I practiced the more I perfected my technique and tricks and was able to learn new styles & offer a wider range of services to choose from. At one point I couldn’t even braid to the scalp. Now I can offer all types of stitch braid services to new and returning clients.

Earlier this year, I was diagnosed with a medical condition that causes my job to be a bit more challenging. Regardless, I keep my faith & I don’t let it limit my ability to work and create the best experience I can for my clients. My favorite thing about being a stylist is seeing the confidence our clients feel when their hair is done. I love when they get out the chair hype ready to go on that trip, to that event, or just because. They leave all smiles and I know i’ve done my job.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

I always thought that once you create a goal and make a plan to reach that goal, everything must go exactly as planned or you failed. Now I know that plans can change and that’s okay. Your journey is your journey. It doesn’t mean your goals are unreachable, you’re just taking a different road than expected. When it came to building the life I want, I just knew I was going into sports medicine. I never expected i’d be able to create a career and build my own business doing what I love to do. I’m beyond grateful for it.

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

Social media is the most effective way to grow a clientele or any type of business. I’ve been able to gain a lot of exposure through instagram primarily. It’s basically my digital portfolio that can be viewed by thousands at a time. Consistent posting and the quality of the content draws in the most attention. I was also blessed with a great support system which is needed. Whether it be word of mouth, likes, comments, or reposting, any type of support goes a long way. It is also nice to know someone believes in me and appreciates my work. The use of hashtags and now reels also make it even easier for your content to be seen.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://kayladeniseinc.as.me/
• Instagram: @kayladenise.inc

Image Credits
personal photo credits: @bydreko makeup artist: @skinbykiraiman hair: well @kayladenise.inc of course all instagram tags