We were lucky to catch up with Bre Shaneke recently and have shared our conversation below.

Bre, appreciate you joining us today. Are you happier as a business owner? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job?

Yes, I am happy as a business owner. I have had a few regular jobs before I took the leap of faith and went full time as a hairstylist. I must admit it’s a lot of things you don’t have to worry about as an employee but as a business owner you have to wear so many hats until you hire someone to fill those spaces. I have thought about getting a job, but I would only do something pertaining to the hair industry, anything outside of that would be a waste of time. I thought about that due to the fact of wanting extra money to fund a few things I have planned for my business and just to network with more people. I came to the conclusion that at this time I should just focus on my business because it’s a possibility that picking up a job would take away from the time I need to put in to make my business better. I am almost 5 years into my entrepreneur journey and I must say through all my highs and lows, I don’t regret taking on this role as a business owner.

Bre, 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?

So my name is Bre Shaneke and I am a licensed cosmetologist. I am the owner of Ricch Rootz Studio in Memphis, TN. I also have a few other credentials under my belt, self published author, cosmetology instructor, hair loss practitioner, and certified trichologist.  I got into doing hair at a young age when I started doing my own hair due to me being tender headed. I currently specialize in Locs and scalp care. Now that I have added the title of trichologist to my resume, I will be offering hair loss services to individuals that are in need of hair growth treatments after experiencing hair loss. Here at Ricch Rootz Studio, we solve problems such as providing haircare services, products, and scalp care that cater to the unique needs of our clientele. We also aim to educate our clients with the knowledge and tools necessary to maintain healthy hair and scalp. Other than catering to our clients, I feel like what sets us apart is the great customer service we provide that so many clients complain is lacking in the beauty industry today.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

I know you may be expecting a long answer but honestly, I feel like once I took myself seriously that’s when I began to build the clientele needed to survive being a full-time stylist/entrepreneur.

Okay – so how did you figure out the manufacturing part? Did you have prior experience?

I started off making my own products but as I sat back and thought about how I want my business to flow, I knew I needed to start assigning certain roles to other individuals to free up time for myself. Let’s be honest we can’t hold every role within our business, or we won’t have time to spend with our family and we can experience a burn out. So, I started researching and testing out different products that I felt would fit my brand and target audience. I must admit the testing stage is a process because you want to make sure it right for your clients and not just doing it to make money. You will also go through some trial and error. I learned that taking on a product line, you have to make sure you factor in every cost from products, packaging, advertising, labels, shipping, etc. for you to actually see a profit. Yes, having a product line is passive income but if you don’t have the back end of your office set up correctly then you are sitting on wasted product. I am looking to grow my product line in the future but as of now I just have a growth oil, hydration mist and loc/braid gel.

Contact Info:

• Website: ricchrootz.com
• Instagram: ricchrootzstudio
• Facebook: ricchrootzstudio
• Other: tiktok: ricchrootzstudio

Image Credits
@impact_lyfe on Instagram