We were lucky to catch up with Alita Terry recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alita, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

Well, let me just start by saying, my love for hair, doing hair, basically everything hair was something that was always a part of me for as long as I can remember. As a child it was one of my biggest hobbies. At a very young age, I can remember cutting my own Bobs and working on friends hair. At the age of 21 I officially became a licensed Cosmetologist. Shortly after school I went on to own and operate my own salon, which I was later able to admit was probably not one of the smartest things to do. I’ve always been very well driven, so that came easily but at the time I was only focused on the hair aspect and not the business. I was in no way business savvy. I became a mother at a very young age so during this time I was a mother of three. After operating for a number of years, between two salons, I hit a rough patch. Life was lifing, and I had to make the decision to move forward to better support my babies and decided to get into the corporate world.

So, the ideal of my business, my dreams, the only thing that came naturally to me was put on hold, indefinitely, but I still always remained connected in some way. During my hiatus I obtained multiple degrees, Associates In Business, Bachelors of Science in Business Management & Economics, and Accounting Certification. I’ve held multiple professional Accounting positions, but always felt as though something was missing and this just wasn’t it for me. It wasn’t me. So about three years ago, while on a journey to find myself I finally decided it was time to go back to the thing that I loved and that I was most passionate about. I prayed about it and felt as though I received the confirmation I needed. My thing has always been hair care first, so there was no doubt in my mind about the need for the service. I’ve had the pleasure of connecting with and taking trainings from some of the top educators, to hone my skillset. In addition, I had a vision to be able to offer a service to those who have suffered from hair loss and so I embarked on trainings that would enable me to do so.

As a woman myself, getting my hair done has always been something that makes me feel good. It just makes you feel refreshed. Confident. You know, so just the thought of being able to make someone else feel that way, especially if they are suffering from hair loss. To be able to provide them with options and help restore that sense of confidence, is priceless.

Alita, 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?

I would say it’s just my perpetual love for hair is what got me here and motivated me to continue to expand my education level.

In addition, I am also a Cranial Prosthesis Specialist, certified in Non- Surgical Hair replacements. This enables me to be able to provide Hair Loss Solutions to men and woman suffering from hair loss. Whether it has been caused by an illness or hereditary. I offer human hair, scalp like units, and toupees of all different textures and multiple bases. I am also a Wig Seamstress, customizing Human Hair, machine made, and Medical Grade Wigs. People don’t realize just how many different options are available. That is what a Cranial Prosthesis Specialist does. We create and customize based on your needs. Whether you are thinning and seeking a solution to have the appearance of fuller hair, or completely bald looking for something to mimic your once was natural hair.

Right now, we are in a time where wigs are trending, cosmetically. People are loving the flexibility of having different looks. Just to be able to go from long hair one day to a short, bonded pixie the next. Which by the way has become one of the favorites in our salon. We offer customization of wigs of all different Iength and styles. From Bobs to Long and Layered. We offer U-Parts and the option to have them sewn-in. Coloring is available as well. I absolutely love constructing wigs.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

I had to unlearn the misconception that success only comes from following a specific career path. That was the traditional way of things. Finding what was considered to be a professional job and climbing the ladder.

But that’s not success. Through countless hours of listening to motivational speakers and audible books, it finally dawned on me. There was a reason I always felt I had more to give. I wasn’t content with what I was doing. It was then I began to take steps towards personal development to achieve the things I wanted to in life. The meaning of success can vary from one individual to the next, based on that persons’ goals and circumstances, but for me it was more about finding a sense of fulfillment and purpose. So from here I started to focus on my vision, I started investing in myself through trainings. I learned how to invest in stocks in the short- term and began to build a long-term portfolio, focusing on the future.

I’m still a work in progress, I’m not there yet. I’m still learning and building, but I’m working at it. Thats what is important.

How’d you meet your business partner?

I have the pleasure of having my daughter as a business partner. Amaja spent a lot of time as a child in the Salon with her mom and was always watching and showed a lot of interest, so I wasn’t surprised that she followed in my footsteps. Like her mom, she started playing in hair at a very young age and after High School enrolled in Cosmetology School to become licensed. She took a different approach after graduating and worked in a few different Salons over the years. Once I decided to return to the industry, it was only right that we collaborate. From here Virtuous Elegance was Founded.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.virtuouselegance.com
• Instagram: @virtuouselegancehairboutique
• Facebook: Virtuous Elegance Hair Boutique