We were lucky to catch up with Danielle Wilson recently and have shared our conversation below.

Danielle , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Your ability to build a team is often a key determinant of your success as a business owner and so we’d love to get a conversation going with successful entrepreneurs like yourself around what your recruiting process was like -especially early on. How did you build your team?

When I originally started my business (Sweeties Glam Closet), I’ll admit I had a lot of mixed emotions. I was feeling scared, discouraged, and doubtful all at the same time. Just before the pandemic hit, I literally had taken the last of my savings and paid the deposit and first month rental fee for the salon. I had the space 3 weeks before I said anything to anyone. So to answer the question, yes – I was the only employee when I first started.

As I stated earlier, I found the space I wanted, took all of my savings, and paid the deposit, was preparing to open my new salon, and then Boom – the country went into a “shutdown”. So here I am in the midst of all this still trying to build clientele, because I now have to pay for this new salon, as well as my personal bills. The market became dry, and so did my pockets – lol. I was horrified to say the least.

I didn’t have a team, it was just little old me; I had to meditate and revamp to come up with a way to save my business while faced with this challenge. I couldn’t bring clients in to get services, So I decided to take my services to clients. I tapped into my creative genius, and I began making custom wig units, and hair products, and delivering them to clients. This is what kept me afloat as time passed by.

1 year after being in the salon, and still making wig units, and business began to pick with in person clients, I get a call from my best friend, Tremaine Mitchell, asking me how was business going; I answered “good, but it could always be better”.

He then asked would I like to partner up and elevate the business. I didn’t hesitate to sit and discuss it with him. I guess you can guess by now, that it was no real interview process. Now mind you, Tremaine didn’t know the first thing about “the hair industry”, but I always saw a drive in him, and he has 10 years plus in marketing that he possessed, it was a no brainer!

I sat down with him  and explained the basics about hair, products, and the flow of a salon. He in return explained the ins and outs of effective marketing,sales and customer service. From that conversation, we began to work more on creating a business plan, researching and eventually he learned more(and no he doesn’t do any hair!!) and he gained the experience in the business. As well as Him teaching me more in marketing and Sales. Things were actually going so good, that we decided to start another business together, by becoming vendors for hair extensions, and luxurious human hair wigs, extension hair care. The business is titled “The Best In Broward Salon and Beauty Supply”. After starting this business, we overcame a few challenges; searching high and low for the perfect distributor; long days and nights; money loss, countless trips through out the state and across the country, you name it. But We wouldn’t change a thing, even if We could, it really built us as team. I’m a stylist, cosmetology instructor and make up artist; and he is a passionate Marketer/Sales Exc. Content creator, and Manager. We make a perfect and unique team!!!

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

I am a hairstylist, make up artist, and aspiring fashion designer.. I specialize in sews in, quick weave, extensions, color, cuts , custom wig units, and make up artistry. When I decided to make this my career, I promised myself I would be well rounded for my clients and I’m known for being a one stop shop for my clients .. I didn’t want them to have to pass through 10 different seats just to get a complete look.. This is my brand and I take pride in what I do

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

Now this is where Tremaine really stepped in with his Marketing and Sales experience! Me being a full time stylist Marketing can be a big task with wearing so many hats. He added more: it allowed us to have effective consistency, teamwork, endurance, creativity, the ability to study our Clients, potential clients, surveying them on their previous experiences, how it made them feel, what was their main goals and concerns about their service and further experiences with our company or with out company! We are a duet company with one male and one female owner, so it gives us different insights from different perspectives. We review all angles of the company daily, weekly and monthly to continue improving on our company’s signature and reputation to help us grow within this market.

How did you build your audience on social media?

We decided our best tactic would actually be Capturing our clients in their beginning phase before their initial service and through out their process up until the end.. what better way to show the clients satisfaction in action oriented media than just simply posting a non moving photo.. visuals are everything.. you can’t fake the sounds, the motions or their expressions of gratitude! Capturing the fact that what they requested and their full experience was satisfactory! And continuously posting and tagging our clients so they can see themselves in action and how they responsed to their results.. finding our targeted group and expanding from there!! It’s so true that when you look better you feel better and the clients began to spread the word about their experiences with our company via word of mouth and their very own social media platforms!! Referrals were coming in like crazy.. our audience grew faster than we could imagine!

My advice is to find your niche what you’re good at with your eyes open and close, capture ever moment, make visuals, consistently promote and brand your business.. whatever you do keep going and continuously elevating and evaluating your talents, photo and video editing is very important, keep growing and learning mastering your craft to the highest of your ability. Most of all but not least Keep an Open Mind and a Positive Out look!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://instagram.com/the_best_is_in_broward?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
• Facebook: www.Facebook.com/BestInBrowardsalonandbeautysupply
• Other: Google: The Best In Broward Salon and Beauty Supply

Image Credits
Photograpy: Amber McMillian Instagram: @All About U Photography Models Instagram Social Medias: @tohairbemyglory @ashalluree @queen_kiki_ @materialgirl_nishaa @idealskinandbeauty @veevixen @ashlie_nicole_apparel @karma_ice7 @facejunkie.k Veronica Gilchrist(facebook)