We recently connected with Dana Richardson and have shared our conversation below.
Dana, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What sort of legacy are you hoping to build. What do you think people will say about you after you are gone, what do you hope to be remembered for?
y hope is that what I’ve done daily in the beauty industry will be remembered for this one thing; that a woman’s beauty comes from the inside, out. The media, society, and the world has created a facade of a woman, but we are real women. We are created differently. We all have flaws. We all have assets. It took years for me to realize it all. I sold myself short time and time again.
The legacy, my legacy is simply this realization. God has made me and every woman more valuable than rubies. Every woman has worth. I thrive daily to help women discover, and wake up what’s priceless. Their authenticity, their shine, their uniqueness. Know this, and own it!
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 Dana Richardson a.k.a. D. Rich. I own the award-winning D. Rich Styles Boutique and Salon in Columbus, Ga. I’ve profressionally served in the beauty industry for over two decades, and am still going by God’s grace.
I started from my mother’s kitchen in high school, and never looked back. Currently, I offer hair and makeup services, and my salon is staffed with a wonderful team of hair stylists, makeup artists, braiders, and a massage therapist. Inside of our comfortable and relaxing salon, unique accessories, apparel and products from The Rich Girl Brand, and much more is available. As the D. Rich/Rich Girl brand continues expanding, I am excited to say that Southern hospitality, and a genuine care for top-notch service is priority.
My vision for bringing the inner beauty of everyone served is what I believe sets D. Rich apart. This is not your typical or stereotypical salon experience. I want everyone who walks through the doors to feel and know that they are truly in a safe space to simply “be”. Women have so much to battle in the world. Why not have an oasis of beauty to take the “S” off our chests, literally let our hair down, and build up our fellow sisters?
What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?
I am always me. I show my authentic self. I’m not some generic, carbon copy of an ideal. I’m a working woman who has the same real-life experiences and struggles as my clients. They have always been drawn to the transparency. I’m not perfect, and they know it. I try my best to be as integral as possible, and they appreciate it.
All of the above gets paired with the gifts of my hands from God, and it’s truly a recipe for “razzle-dazzle.” My clients often speak of the reputation I have for truly caring for them. I not only care for their hair; I truly care for them.
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
One lesson I had to unlearn was separating emotions from business. I had to mature. I had to grow up. I’d worked through the tragic death of my son, as well as the unexpected death of my father. Those emotions were through the roof as I found the way to work through grief and trauma. But God!
I STRUGGLED with working through frustration. As my clientele grew, and business started expanding, I experienced growing pains. It was so foreign to me, and I battled the frustration of separating business demands from my feelings. I had to create and enforce boundaries. These boundaries weren’t always received well. I became overwhelmed and frustrated. I, in turn, allowed it to spill over into my work day, and that wasn’t cool. I had to quickly unlearn being so reactive in my frustration, take control of my own emotions with no excuses, and stick to my boundaries without an emotional attachment.
Contact Info:
- Website: Www.drichenterprise.com
Image Credits
Kima Sheppard Golden
YouTube: https://youtu.be/8SiJGAGxwnU
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