We were lucky to catch up with Akua Johnson recently and have shared our conversation below.

Akua, appreciate you joining us today. Being a business owner can be really hard sometimes. It’s rewarding, but most business owners we’ve spoken sometimes think about what it would have been like to have had a regular job instead. Have you ever wondered that yourself? Maybe you can talk to us about a time when you felt this way?

Two to Three years prior I had been toying with the idea, watching my close friends around me fully submerged in the decision they made. From the outside looking in, the picture was very Rosey and beautiful. November 2017 I made one of the biggest decisions of my life and took a leap of faith. I left my corporate job of almost 10 years and became a full-time self-employed hair stylist now full-time business owner. In the moment, I was in an emotional state with a company that I had given so much of myself to. My emotions, desire, and need to change the quality of my life was a major priority for me then. The thought of becoming self-employed was so far fetched, but when I took that leap I felt an immediate sense of gratification. A huge weight that had begun to feel like 10 tons of bricks had been lifted. I finally felt free!!

Choosing to become a business owner was already in the works. Much of my life I was working this hair stylist side hustle since my college days, and slowly building as well as growing for THAT DAY. I was raised in a family where hard work was the very essence that laid the foundation for who I’ve become as a woman. Most of my family and close friends were business owners, so I’ve had a glimpse of what it looks like. from the inside. HOWEVER, what I didn’t’ get was the memo of income and how it can be stagnant. Yes, the one and only thing I miss about having a regular job is that steady paycheck, but it comes with so many contingencies. So many cartwheels backwards and forwards you find yourself doing for a company you don’t own. The level of sweat equity I poured into my job far exceeded my salary.

My first two years of being a full-time business owner was about peace for me. It was about regaining the composure of my love for working and feeling accomplished. It was about traveling more (oh yes, I did a lot of traveling). It was about having the time to be with family more. I am now in my 6th year since making the best life decision ever. Yes, of course there have been many ebbs and flows, very unprofitable months, long and exhausting days. But the ability to create a business that has become a well oiled machine, with a few creaks here and there, affords me the time and space to spend with my family and the freedom to be me. BEST DECISION EVER!

Akua, 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?

My name is Akua Johnson and I am the founder and owner of Shades of Nature Skin & Hair Care based in the Atlanta, Ga area. As a natural hair stylist, Loctician and Master Barber, I’ve always had a love for hair care. Starting from my high-school years when my friends and I would play in each others hair as young girls, thru college when I needed to make textbook and school supply money as well as baby food and diaper money as a young mother, I’ve always had an affinity for presenting myself in a particular way that embodies the beauty and adornment of a female. As a Fashion Design major at Howard University, my soul functioned in the creative world of art. Drawing, painting, sewing, dance (on the side), and of course hair was my world.

My business has always been homebased. I’ve created a boutique salon environment that allows the client to come and have an enjoyable service in a quiet and peaceful space without the hustle and bustle of a busy large salon. My goal is for them to feel relaxed and have my full attention. This has allowed me to cater and give more individual service to my clients which I truly love. Oh, and, if I could count the number of clients that have fallen asleep in my chair and equate that to dollars, let’s just say that I’d be able to a trip to the moon.

The hair and beauty industry, like many others continues to evolve. In my early years as a hairstylist, I would use what ever products on the market at that time but not fully studying the benefits of use. Too many products labels had words that were unpronounceable and unhealthy just because they needed a long shelf life. In 2005 I made a transition to only use products that had natural and/or healthier ingredients for the hair and several years later I decided to craft my own. Having a variety of clients with several different needs from hair breakage, to thinning, to heat damage, to growth challenges, I wanted to learn more about those causes and how to encourage improvement. I created three hair pomades that would benefits multiple clients that would help with dry scalp, strengthening, and stimulate the hair follicles to encourage hair growth. I began to see a noticeable to change in my clients hair and scalp within the first few months of use. My conversations to them not only were about making different hair choices but lifestyle choices. The foods we ingest, our environment, and quality of life improvements to decrease stress all play a major factor on the health of our hair and body. From there I expanded the product line to moisturizing hair oil sprays, a root stimulating hair growth oil, men’s beard serum, and two amazing body butters for the skin. My biggest belief is that what I make and use for the hair can be also used on the skin, so many of the ingredients will cross-over in my product line.

As a mother of two and grandmother of two, I’m very proud to have built a business with not only a service of hair styling but expansions of a product which has created vast growth over several states. Choosing to become a mobile hairstylist expanded my business in a healthy way where I’ve now rebuilt a clientele I once had in the Washington, D.C. area (my hometown). As a business owner, it’s important to not be stagnant. Be sure to allow yourself room and opportunity for growth. Surround yourself with like minded individuals not only in your industry but others as well. Lessons of business ownership will never cease, especially as the world evolves.

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

I’m A Walking Billboard!

Being my own walking advertisement has always been the most effective strategy for growing my clientele. In my now almost 50 years of age, I’ve never had a perm in my hair. Nothing wrong them if that’s your choice, but growing up my mother never desired to give me a perm and I grew to love my hair in it’s most natural state. As a natural hair stylist, it’s always been my believe to be the brand. My favorite hairstyles over the years have been Locs, cornrows, short haircuts, and a natural twist out. I would often be stopped and asked the question, “who does your hair”. Me, as I answered humbly and with full smiles which always turned into a client.

In the beginning, word of mouth was my only advertisement, Creating a flyer (in the 90’s lol) or business card was not in my forethought at the time. I was still very much at an immature status in my business, had not understood marketing and the benefits. Prior to 2007 when I still lived in D.C., the business was still the side hustle but clientele was growing. I had 30 clients on a rolling basis and was doing hair in my 720 sq ft apartment with two children. I stayed consistent and cared very much for client satisfaction, which then gained trust needed, and therefore the business grew.

When I moved to Atlanta in 2007, I took a small step back, got myself acclimated in my new city and by 2010 I hit the ground running. Again, always my own walking billboard and continuously getting stopped with questions about my hair. By then of course I had business cards. I began legitimizing my business, and focusing more on creating my brand and brand awareness. I would hone in more than just being the walking billboard, but strategically shifting to platforms such as social media and creating my website to gain exposure. Because we live in a age where technology has vastly grown, I heavily depend on it more now than ever. But, word of mouth and keeping my hair in a fresh and creative style will always be my best strategy.

Do you sell on your site, or do you use a platform like Amazon, Etsy, Cratejoy, etc?

For the past 5 years I’ve been selling my products with a book appointment functionality on my website as well as in-person at the salon. I recently decided to create an Esty page to gain more exposure. My website (which is powered thru Shopify) has been great because of it’s features such as shipping, analytics, reporting, design content. Not to mention it was a great DIY platform to build a site. Wix was actually the first application I used for my site, but wasn’t very user-friendly.

I choose Etsy because it seems to be a platform that creates a wide visibility to the masses that would not otherwise know or have access to Shades of Nature Skin & Hair Care. Etsy is in production, no current data as of yet. I plan on keeping the Shopify site as well.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://sonhaircare.com/
• Instagram: @Flyhairson
• Facebook: Shades Of Nature / Skin & Hair Care
• Twitter: @Shadesofnature
• Youtube: @akuajohnson9864 Akua Johnson
• Other: TikTok: @akuajo1 (Shades Of Nature Skin and Hair) Pinterest: @aakuajj2560 (Shades Of Nature Skin & Hair Care)

Image Credits
Image Credits: by Akua Johnson