We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Courtney Mack. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Courtney below.

Hi Courtney , thanks for joining us today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

For as long as I can remember, I’ve always had a love for all things beauty related. As a child I would draw designs, and would even attempt to make clothes and bags. As I grew into a teenager, hair and makeup piqued my interest more than anything. I would spend hours in the bathroom doing my makeup and my hair. Naturally, friends and family would let me practice on them. I even booked a few small gigs. During my time in undergrad, I grew overwhelmed and understimulated. I decided to take a break and pursue cosmetology school. I figured since my love of beauty never faded away, there could be a career for me in this industry. After touring the Aveda institute, I knew that a career in beauty was the right thing for me.

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 am owner and stylist at Courtney Danielle Hair Co. I work as a licensed cosmetologist who specializes in natural, and healthy hair. We cater to those with kinky, coily, and curly textures. At our salon, we offer many services and products created to support our guests in their own healthy hair journey.

While in cosmetology school, I realized there was not enough information or education pertaining to natural/ curly hair. During that time, the natural hair movement began taking over. Many black women were transitioning from relaxed hair to natural hair. For a lot of women, this was the first time that they had to face their hair in its natural state. Although there was a ton of information circling around the internet about natural hair care, a lot of it was incorrect and harmful.

As a student, I was disappointed that natural hair was not a real concern in the industry. From that moment on, it became my duty to help teach black women about their own hair.

I’ve spent the past 8 years of my life dedicated to showing black women how versatile, and beautiful their natural hair is. It was important to me that I created a safe space for a demographic that is normally neglected and forgotten about. In this country, black women have always had a complicated relationship with our hair. I not only wanted to be truly knowledgeable in healthy natural hair, but also wanted to cultivate an environment where black women felt celebrated.

At our salon we embrace all natural textures. We encourage our guests to love the skin their in, while not feeling confined to one look. We support creative expression through hair, while maintaining the health and integrity of their strands.

Connecting with our guests and making them feel beautiful is the most rewarding part. There’s nothing I love more than working with a client and watching their hair transform overtime. i am incredibly lucky to have so many women trust me with their crown!

Have you ever had to pivot?

After struggling through 3 years in my undergraduate program, i decided to take a year off and give cosmetology school a try. During my time in undergrad, I felt so dissatisfied and unmotivated. I wasn’t sure why I was there, but understood that a degree was expected from me. Beauty had always been my first love, and I knew that someone like me would not be happy in a job that did not allow me to express myself creatively. I decided to take a huge leap and join a cosmetology program. After touring the campus, I knew this was the right decision for me. Choosing myself instead of choosing what society expected from me was the best decision I ever made.

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

I wish someone would have told me to register my business from day one. My hobby quickly turned into a career. Had I known to register myself early on, I would have had access to more funding. I bootstrapped my business completely. Although my business had been operating for years, because it was not official, it’s like it didn’t exist. I always encourage new business owners to register their businesses asap. While most will not qualify for funding day one, having more than 2 years in business will benefit you down the line. Capital is king. Having access to money you don’t have in your pocket will grow your business so much faster than having to do everything on your own.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.courtneydaniellehair.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/courtneydaniellehairco