We recently connected with Candice Russell and have shared our conversation below.

Candice, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today If you could go back in time do you wish you had started your business sooner or later

Yes if I could go back in time, I do wish I would have started my business sooner rather than later. I say this because I’ve always had a passion for hair, I found it intriguing how you could switch up your look and express yourself with different hairstyles and colors. I’ve always wanted to start my own hair business since I was about 14 or 15. Now here I am I started my business in April of 2021 and I couldn’t have been more excited and nervous at the same time. I was working as a direct Support Professional before I stared my own business. The pandemic came and turned my world upside down. I had to quit my job because schools were closed due to the rapid spread of the virus. So I had no choice but to quit my job, and be at home with my children. I thought to myself this would be the perfect time to start my business. So I did and it’s been a rocky road but you learn how to manage. I’m glad I decided to start my business because not only am I doing something that I love. Also I am in control of my time and how much freedom I can have that I didn’t have working a regular 9-5. I am grateful for God making my dream come true, and I will continue to work hard.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Hello my name is Candy, I am 27 years old and I have 3 children. I decided to get into the hair industry 9 years ago but I didn’t take it seriously until about 2017 a year after my first child was born. I provide luxury hair bundles, wigs, closures, and frontals at an affordable price. My slogan is “Quality Hair because Candice Cares ” I believe every woman should have Quality Hair extensions without breaking the bank. My hair is Raw Brazilian Hair, meaning it has not been processed or dyed. Cuticles aligned from a single donor and my hair can last up to 5 years with proper maintenance. My hair can also be dyed and styled anyway you like. My hair is full from the weft to the ends does not tangle and has minimal shedding. I also sell ready to wear glue less wigs so you don’t damage your natural hair. Along with begginer friendly wigs that you can just put on your head and go. I also sell my homemade hair growth oil. It is loaded with 20 proven ingredients to grow your hair. What sets me apart from others is my creativity, I’ve always been different and I always incorporate that into my business, from my packaging to my content I try to always be unique. Being unique to me will always stand out, it draws attention to your brand/craft and keeps people interested in your business.

We’d really appreciate if you could talk to us about how you figured out the manufacturing process.

I do not manufacture my main product which is the hair. I go through a vendor that I have spent years to find. When starting a hair business, you want to sell good hair. Why ? Because no one wants to buy hair that won’t last especially if the price is high. It took me 2 years to find a vendor, I had to order the hair amd perform a series of tests on the hair, to ensure it could stand the test of time. I had to wear the hair to see if it would shed or tangle, I had to dye the hair and see if it would take color. These are all test that you need to perform so you know what you’re selling to your customers. You want them to return and they will not if you have bad quality hair, or products. So do not rush this process, I also have a vendor for my lashes as well. I do however manufacture my ligploss, lipscrub, body butters, shimmer body oils, and my hair oil. I hand make them from all natural ingredients and package them myself.

How’d you think through whether to sell directly on your own site or through a platform like Amazon, Etsy, Cratejoy, etc.

I sell my products on Shopify. I choose shopify because when I signed up I locked in my price at 5 dollars a month for 3 months. I also like the add on apps that shopify has to protect your business such as bad customer. If someone is placing an order and their information is not matching up with the card they’re using shopify will flag their order and you can choose to proceed with the order or not. The website builder is beginner friendly and is also easy to use. You cold build your website in an hour or less. Shopify also accepts multiple payment processors.

Contact Info:

• Website: Www.candicehairboutique.com
• Instagram: CandiceHairBoutique
• Facebook: CandiceHairBoutique
• Twitter: CandiceHairBou1
• Other: Tik-Tok CandiceHairBoutique