We were lucky to catch up with Kentrice Collins recently and have shared our conversation below.

Kentrice , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We love asking folks what they would do differently if they were starting today – how they would speed up the process, etc. We’d love to hear how you would set everything up if you were to start from step 1 today

Well how ironic! I am actually living in the midst of this question today. So, quick backstory, I recently moved to Dallas, Tx from New Orleans, La, where I held an extremely dominant hair styling business. I worked 5days a week, 8am-6pm (often did overtime) to doing 1 head a week! Big difference, right? I thought this move out in one month, which I do not feel was bad timing because I was aware of what it would take to drop everything for this new beginning, i just had not done it yet.

With my relocation/ start over it would take a few things to get me back to where I was once quicker than it took me before.

Social Media (Free Marketing!!)
Taking the proper off and away time from work
Repetitiveness
Always be a student
Rebranding

Social Media is 1! Like numeral uno! I have been doing hair since I was in high school, which was prior to having the access and the energy for social media. Word of mouth was how my name got around and I was a big buzz around now what I see as a small city. I was content with the way my business got around and did not use all outlets to my fullest potential that was available to me. I do have a nice business page where I can be contacted, pictures of my work, link for my website, and my schedule was so full that I really wasn’t thinking about putting forth the extra energy for social media to reach more people. However, Texas, where everything is BIG, has shown me that that energy has to be put forth if you want your business to be a success! I mean, it is free marketing, you just have to know how to go about it with your specific business. Im sure if it was something i would have been doing, I would have been ten steps ahead, and the Dallas area would have been ready for me instead of me having to get myself ready for them!

Reminiscing on how my schedule went before, I also think that as an entrepreneur, we don’t know how to mentally clock out/ take off! It’s one of the toughest task to do as an entrepreneur the thought of “if I don’t do it, then who will?” and that can cause overload and burn out. I rarely took breaks to reset and in this day in time, especially running your own business, this is a necessity! I most definitely would allow myself “The Time” in my day that belong to me, for finding more creative outlooks for my business, connecting with other creatives, taking classes etc.

Repetitiveness is also a thing I would change in my business. Waking up, 5 a.m, gym, shower, work for 10 hours +, eat, shower again and sleep was the itinerary of my day. I left my corporate job because I didn’t care for the pattern I was living and started to see that I slowly began making those same steps in my own business. Finding ways to switch it up will most definitely be something I will be looking deep into.

Remaining a student is something that I will also put forth in my business. I am not a stylist who believes that I know it all, there is always room for better., I believe personally time always got away from me, so servicing myself as the teacher and student was something I did most of the time. Teaching myself until I got something right was my way of learning, which I don’t think is a bad thing, but it is a way to not get opposed critiques and criticism to make your service better.

And lastly, rebranding! I came about with my business with a corporate mind set. My field is filled with the genesis of being creative, colorful, having a whimsical outlook, of style and my pervious brand is not that. Its clean and sleek, it gives more of the name of the brand that represent what I’m offering. There were complaints about it, but the way prospects view what they want now, all the fun, colorful stuff is in and i’m here for it. So, I’m rebranding! I, myself will be the face representing the brand now.

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 back background and context?

My name is Kentrice Collins I am a 32 year old from New Orleans, La. I am the proud owner of a small business called Guhdyvah Twenty-6, which is pronounced Guh•dy•vah like the chocolate (Godiva). Guhdyvah Twenty-6 came about when I was in college but it all started when I was in high school. I am from New Orleans so brace yourself, “After Katrina” when I was in the 9th grade I was promised that my sister who is four years older than me was going to style my hair, well she ditched me for a party, I was upset and decided to take matter into my own hands. Well apparently, I was better at this hair styling thing than she had ever been and so the hair stylist in me was born.

Moving back home and reuniting with my friends from before August 29,2005 was everything and more because now I had more people to practice my craft on. I became a little professional, from friends and family to students and teachers around the city, my name was moving fast and with a purpose. I did that for my entire high school career with other jobs that I also held onto throughout the time, so it was more of my side hustle or at least a way to create a balance.

Moving on to college, where I attended The Southern University of Baton Rouge, La, I grasped onto girls who needed their hair done immediately. This is where the brand name was needed. This was new people, a new place, all new walks of life in college and I needed a way to separate myself from those who were doing the same thing. I grabbed the girls who were really known: those who were apart of Homecoming Court, the Dancing Dolls, and big names in Sororities. I wanted everyone who were able to unknowingly promote for me just because they already had big names on campus. And it worked! Guhdyvah came about in the midst of it all with the help of a comment from a friend but I found my own meaning for it..

My college career choice also helped me with my hairstyling career. I began studying Architecture, which assist me precision with my lines and curves. It was also a force to my creative hand on a higher level. My professor always stated that we as creative builders needed to have a forensic eye, which meant to be able to see what we wanted in our heads before we lay it out on paper. I still use that method to my day to day life as a stylist. 2.5 years in architecture and I switch over to Civil Engineering for better opportunities with the same creative path. Well, with Ciliv Engineering, there are more rules to follow, but there was no looking back now. I graduated in CE with a lot of experience and the ability to be a little creative but when I started looking for jobs it wasn’t what it was all hyped up to be. My hand was forced, so once I was over the many of interviews I went back to what allowed me to be my best me!

Back to hair.

In 2015 , I used some friends to walk around during Mardi Gras as free promotion/ walking billboards is what I referred to them as, and by the end of that week, which we all know Mardi Gras is on a Tuesday, I was “Booked and Busy”. My schedule was never a let down from that day 8 years later, up until I wanted something different, something more, that was relied on those same people back at home in Louisiana. I did an amazing job in that state, as a young professional on my own, but I am now ready to take on something bigger that’ll make me and my brand bigger and better! July 2023 I relocated to Texas and my new journey has just begun.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

Going back to my college career, I do give a lot of credit to the the professional traits that were instilled in me from my time at my University! I also give most of how I respond to situations good/bad from the way my family raised me. Being an entrepreneur in todays market, sometimes unfortunately, you get what you get with what you’re asking for and its not always fair to the customer; however, they decide to deal with it, so it has no future in changing as of now. I know how to be respectful and learned how to be a young, black, female professional, which, not too long ago, we were the face on the pamphlets for change in the professional world! The idea for Diversity for many businesses. It caught the eyes of a lot of us so, we did train ourselves to be more poise and have the etiquette one needed to know to be business professionals.

Growing up with kindness and care for treating other the way I wanted to be treated was something that was instilled deeply from my parents, and other family members. Always wanting the best possible outcome of life was shown by my great- grandmother Suerator Johnson. If you want something, you have to go out there and get it, its not about who you know, it’s about who knows you and leaving a good impression on others will make them remember exactly who you are!

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

My biggest strategy on my clients is making myself relatable! I service ages 3 on up so if a Disney Princess is something I have to inner channel, I will turn into one. Talking about some things that is going on in todays day with someone my age is easy. Or even listening to the gems an older person is giving to me is something I’m up for. Being a talker and a listener- that is how I get my job right, outside of the service itself, that is how I connect so deeply with my clients. Male or female- knowing how to find the connection, which is what makes them feel at ease and comfortable, which then makes them come back, which them makes them a type of family! That is my most effective strategy.

Contact Info:

• Website: guhdyvahtwenty6.setmore.com
• Instagram: @guhdyvah_26
• Facebook: Kentrice Collins
• Linkedin: Kentrice Collins
• Other: TikTok: guhdyvah_twenty6