We were lucky to catch up with Atiya Walker recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Atiya, thanks for joining us today. What do you think matters most in terms of achieving success?

A wise man by the name of Grant Cardone said “Pay the price today, So you can pay any price in the future” And what I think that means to me is that if you have a dream, if you have a goal, if you have anything you want to achieve in life nothing should stop you from reaching For that success. I think a lot of people waste a lot of their life procrastinating on their dreams in their futures and get upset with themselves because they’ve waited all this time to now execute on the plan that they’ve spent almost their whole life trying to achieve. I think it takes a strong mindset. I think you have to have a lot of faith and belief and I think you have to understand that there is going to be obstacles and lessons and challenges and it’s not going to be an easy ride. It’s not going to be something that is supposed to be, that means you’re not doing something right it’s you’re not pushing yourself full capacity. I think you have to wake up every day and I think you have to strategize and plan on what your next move is going to look like in two years, in five years and 10 years, is this going to affect you person , if you want a family, how is that going to affect them? A lot of your friends and family Every day people might think of you as crazy, but these people don’t see your vision only you can so what is stopping you. I think you have to love what you do To be successful, I think if you love what you do, It’s not going to feel like work. I also feel if you have a mission and you’re willing to impact the world you are not in something just for yourself you are expanding or teaching or illustrating or showing or performing your skills so that someone else may learn solo entrepreneurship guidance. I think you need help. I think you need a mentor you can’t be bubbled in or have your hand held. I think you have to let go of ego you have to make conscience decision planning not emotional decision planning not with what you want to think is right what is right .I think you have to go out in this real world and love what you do those nights those parties negativity. Keep your faith in your mental. Take care of your body, not forgetting who you are or where you came from not forgetting your end goal I think you have to wake up every day and it just as bad as the day the dream popped up in your mind and I think every day you should try to get one better you should get better than where you were yesterday. I started seeing a difference when I got out of my head that this was just for the money I got egotistical In the beginning when I was starting out, and I didn’t understand the importance or the impact, I didn’t have a clear vision of the future. I wanted to create the people and the where this could go not just as being a hairstylist but me as a person. I believe in the first three months of starting out at first it was great. I was getting a lot of clientele. I was making a lot of money they were in and out, it was great, but clientele became slow and when I wasn’t getting the same results, as when I first started, I had to look at myself I had to look at my ego I got too, caught up with the fact that I lost sight of who I could become how I could make a change In this world in the knowledge in the transformation and the love that really came with being a hairstylist once I let that go I had to put myself through challenges and obstacles understanding.

Atiya, 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 Atiya Walker. I am 20 years old and I live in Charlotte North Carolina. I am currently In college at Central Piedmont Cosmetology salon to get my natural hair care license May 20 of this year the services I currently provide our interlocking Hair, two strand twist, blow dry and press or flat iron, braiding, styles, locking styles, kids, styles, and shampoo services. I got into the hair, beauty industry. I want to say the year of 2022 I believe around the summertime you see I’ve always known how to do my hair since I was a freshman in high school, but it never occurred to me in one day how hair is in the beauty industry. I started out by doing my own hair and then I would always get compliments on my own hair and I would tell I could do your hair too and I’ve always known how to braid hair and I have friends do their hair so they pass the word around then I built, tough courage, and confidence the good support system I had with them seeing something. I didn’t even see myself for years and then encouraging me To myself and To step into a new light. I think what set me apart from many other hairstylist in the beauty industry i genuinely love what I am able to offer. I love learning about the history and I love learning new things and I genuinely love all of my clients. I actually take the time to sit and connect with my clients and I want to actually help them in their hair journey hair goes so deep as far as the biology as far as what you put into your hair even going outside and getting some sun and I feel like most stylist. Don’t know how to take care of hair. Don’t know how to grow hair. Don’t know how to treat damaged hair or communicate with clients they don’t know how to have a heart to heart with some clients and they don’t listen to what their client is saying I feel like now it’s more about trendy pictures and what social media wants us to see. I Also think what stands me out from a lot of people in this industry is the I would manage being a hairstylist with my personal life a lot of hairstylist want to be the best want to make the most money want to travel and want to always be busy for me. I would like to get married and have children and be a family and I know talking to stylist in the community sometimes that can be a challenge that sometimes other hairstylist would choose the money over family and I would be happy to pause or stop this gift so that I wouldn’t let the money or the fame get in the way of who I am as a woman. I want people to know about me. I really truly love what I do. I want people to know that I am not only your hairstylist. I am your sister and spirit. I am your therapist. I am your doctor at times I may not have all the answers by the time you leave, you’re gonna know any question you might’ve had whether it’s about here or not want people to know that when you come sit in my chair and get your hair done you have made a Forever connection and a friend Who will always always keep your hair looking good

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

I think the most effective strategy and growing my clientele is doing the research on how you can get more clientele a lot of what people are on nowadays are social media, Facebook, TikTok a lot of people like business cards a lot of people like to connect with individuals and have a bunch of questions I think Your research your business post on social media become communicable have a love for what you do grow yourself so that you may shine I think another effective strategies having faith and mentality and improving your skill to where you can reach

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

I think the most Rewarding aspect of being an artist in this industry is just being grateful for the gift that I have, Being able to see people For who they are like hearing their stories hearing their goals hearing and building relationships with my clients making friendships resources. It’s always a trade off It’s not about the money it’s about the knowledge and the love and the connection you can build with, and you can grow while being able to transform someone’s hair And having them come back

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tiyadidthat?igsh=bmQyaDdrMHF2OHVw&utm_source=qr
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/atiya.walker.7549?mibextid=LQQJ4d
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@Tiyadidthat?si=mwSXflfQrR0ps5H6

Image Credits
Atiya walker – hair stylist Clients : Derek Wiggins Tremaine miller Shanorie plaid Bryce m rogers Veronica smith Summer johnson.