We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Ashley Gissentanna. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Ashley below.
Alright, Ashley thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Crazy stuff happening is almost as certain as death and taxes – it’s technically “unexpected” but something unexpected happening is to be expected and so can you share a crazy story with our readers
I am a natural hairstylist and a salon owner. My passion started in college when I wasn’t able to get my hair done at the salon as frequently as I was able to in the past. I previously had a relaxer prior to college but I started growing my hair out of it when I went to college. I discovered my natural curl pattern, which I’ve never seen before in the past, and immediately fell in love with it. I started researching, experimenting with product creation, and YouTubing my journey. My passion was discovered. I even wrote my senior thesis on business and the natural hair care industry. I found so much joy in studying the industry and products that work best for curly hair. I am extremely passionate about creating products that promote healthy hair growth and teaching black people to love their hair. It benefits the black community. I am proud that I am still here running a growing business today and that people’s lives are changed for the better because of it. It was hard when starting because I had no support from my parents when choosing this path but passion and determination drove me. Today, I am able to provide a space for other stylists to grow and pursue their dreams and change clients’ lives daily. No, I am not where I want to be, but I am where I need to be and I’ve seen the blessing in doing what I am called to do. I’ve helped clients whose hair was severely damaged by relaxers gain the confidence to wear it again. I’ve helped clients discover the beauty in their curl patterns and fall in love.
Ashley, 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?
Beauty for Ash was started to meet the need for natural hair care in Long Island, NY. For many years African Americans suffered greatly from trying to keep up with the European standards of beauty. We did this to be considered acceptable by society and used chemicals and products that were not healthy for us. Since Covid, the demand for natural hair care has been on the rise. A lot of people struggled to take care of their hair during the shutdown. After the shutdown, people wanted to learn more about caring for their natural texture and we’ve been here to do that. Beauty for Ash is a natural hair salon that provides an intimate, comfortable and relaxing atmosphere where we teach each customer how to love and care for each curl and coil that grows from their scalp. We love educating and empowering our clients by placing the right products in their hands. We also specialize in hair loss prevention. We provide specialized treatments and hand-created products to stimulate growth. We’ve had amazing results!
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
I was inspired to become an entrepreneur when I experienced different issues in the workforce and wanted better for myself and other employees. I kept a book of my experiences and I noted how I wanted to be treated and want to treat my future employees. I was always meant to lead. Also, I genuinely love people and customer service so this also inspired me to push to give the customer that special experience.
Can you open up about how you funded your business?
I worked a full time job to fund the business.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.bfausallc.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bfausallc/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bfausallc?mibextid=LQQJ4d
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/ashpk93