We were lucky to catch up with Briel Emani recently and have shared our conversation below.

Briel, appreciate you joining us today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

For one, life itself is very risky. Anything can happen at any given time… I learned this at a young age just by being observant. The risk that got me where I am today was when I chose to not go back to my job at Macy’s after giving birth to my first born son in 2014. I wanted more for myself and I always had the dream of being an entrepreneur, so I decided to try to make something work that I knew I was already good at. That thing was hair. I started offering twist extension services in my home with a 5 month old that I had to nurse in between clients, and didn’t have to look back after that. I believed in myself to continue to learn and receive any feedback from my clients, while learning to communicate with them and educate them on what I knew, for them to have a great experience with their hair; although I didn’t go to cosmetology school until 2020, during covid where we were mainly learning online; while also having an infant and a 5 year old I had to aid with kindergarten online.

During 2021, my fiancé had transitioned into the next life, and I made the choice to take a year off and get my mind wrapped around the traumatic change and figure out how to sustain my family. Taking off from work and school for a year was a risk, but I knew it was important for my soul to just breathe. I got my license for cosmetology at the beginning of 2023, and cofounded another company called Two Women One Purpose to help the community learn more about wellness; teaching aspects of mind, body, and spirit, while bridging the gap between beauty and wellness. I have been successfully growing and learning along the way.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I have always been interested in hair. My first core memory comes from my mother taking me to the salon as a child on a regular basis to keep my hair maintained and well groomed. I always felt beautiful after getting my hair done, and I thought the dresser had a super power in making me feel that way and having such a cool job. I learned how to braid around 7 years old and it was something I always did for fun. Growing up I did my own hair a lot as well as my little sister and cousin whenever I had the chance. I never had the thought of becoming a hair stylist until after having my first child. It came as a necessity.

I created By Briel Emani in 2016 and I started offering twist extension services. I was interested in offering more services pretty quickly, but could only do so much without being licensed. A friend told me about Dr. Kari Williams, who is a celebrity natural hair stylist, a trichologist, and the creator of the Goddess Locs. I took a class with her to learn new techniques and styles in 2018 where I was awarded a certificate in natural hair styling. I got the confidence to raise my prices and become more professional on how I handled my business, even when I wasn’t yet licensed.

My cosmetology license gives me the ability to offer the full customer experience that I have dreamed of. Customer service is so important while running a business, so I always make sure my clients have a great experience from start to finish. I offer maintenance haircare services, twist and braid extensions, and Goddess Locs. Along with that, I have a really relaxing and cleansing environment where I hold space for my clients, because a lot of the times it is a time where they feel vulnerable and need to feel safe. I will be adding reiki, sound bowls, and tarot reading to my in salon services very soon to aid with the process of healing.

I am always trying to be better than the day before, so I am consistently learning and listening to my clients needs while seeing what I can do to create an overall better experience for all of us. It brings me great joy knowing my clients get uplifted and cared for with the best of intentions whenever I serve them. That’s what my brand is all about.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

My fiancé passing away in 2021 was life changing for me. We helped each other stay motivated and inspired with our businesses and getting our goals met. He taught me to be more confident in my craft, he constantly reminded me that I am a great mother, and he showed me how strong I am mentally. I have had to make the decision to not sit in my sorrow and heartache multiple times after losing him. We were only together 4 years, but it felt like a lifetime.

I am still going strong with my business and accolades because I want to see myself (and my children) happy, and that involves evolving and growing. My faith in God has gotten me to where I am today, and I understand that I am here for a purpose. My clients are always teaching me things and the conversations we have are always a breath of fresh air and enlightenment. I love what I do most because it connects us, and we as a people need that now more than ever.

Putting training and knowledge aside, what else do you think really matters in terms of succeeding in your field?

For succeeding in any field you have to have success within yourself. That to me means being mindful, taking care of yourself first, and knowing that nothing can work properly if you are off balance within. It is also very important to have people or just someone that you can learn from in your field, like a mentor. Believing in yourself is key, and we don’t always have reassurance that we are doing well. Maintaining that level of gratitude for what you do and getting rid of the imposter syndrome makes a world of a difference.

Contact Info:

• Website: brielemani.glossgenius.com
• Instagram: ByBrielEmani

Image Credits
Megan Renee Kelley