We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Daphne Jenkins a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Daphne, appreciate you joining us today. Naming anything – including a business – is so hard. Right? What’s the story behind how you came up with the name of your brand?

I have always had a passion for biology and hair. One of the most common topics in any biology course is Charles Darwin and the term Natural Selection. Natural Selection is the process where organisms that are better adapted to their environment survive and are able to produce more offspring (New Oxford American Dictionary). I have always had a fascination with natural hair. It seemed like everyone wanted to become “natural” but, they were not very knowledgeable on hair care routines or products to use for their hair type. I decided to specialize in natural hair to educate those individuals who love the idea of being natural but, are unsure where to start. I felt like certain individuals took the time to research and learn about their hair and they were able to adapt to a new hair care routine, while others were not patient enough to deal with the process. That is when my business name, Natural Selection Stylez, was birthed. I combined my love for biology and hair into one. Being natural is a process and only those patient and motivated enough will survive the process.

Daphne, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am a self taught braider. I taught myself to braid at the early age of 9 years old. My sister was my very first client. My mom would buy braiding hair, gels, oils, combs, brushes, scissors, everything I needed to style my sister’s hair. I became good enough to where my mother’s friends were coming to me to braid their hair and their children’s hair. I was in elementary school getting paid for a hobby that I thoroughly enjoyed. As the years went by, I realized that it was time to become licensed. I attended a natural hair school in Raleigh completed that course and passed the state board exams. I was ready to start my career as a licensed hair care professional. I was still working full time at a pharmaceutical company because I was nervous about quitting and doing hair full time. I was aware that some weeks would be better than others and I knew I had a family and bills. The idea of depending on others for money was unsettling. When it became hard to juggle both my full time job and my passion I decided that I had to make a decision. Did I want to continue to get up every morning dreading to go to work? NO! So, after careful planning and several discussions with my husband I decided that at the end of 2021, I would quit my full time and be a hair care professional full time. I am now partnered with NC Hair Loss Center located in Garner, NC. I offer braid services, (knotless, box braids, cornrows) Kid’s styles, and natural styles. I am an advocate for healthy hair! I educate my clients on how to maintain their hairstyles and I suggest certain hair care routines for their hair types.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

I remember growing up and going to the hair salon, word of mouth was the most common way to gain clientele. I would always refer my friends and family to my beautician. Society has definitely changed. Social media is the way to go now. I was a big Facebook user but not for business. After one of my clients said that a few of her friends loved her braids but, I did not have an active Instagram account, I jumped on it. I started taking video of my clients instead of still shots. My clientele has increased. I have learned that it pulls people from all over and if they like what they see, they are willing to travel.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

My journey started as a young child. I have had many struggles throughout this 24 year journey. I have experienced many clients one week and zero the next. I have experienced difficult clients who only looked at me as a service provider and nothing else. I have experienced not being able to work due to covid. It had gotten so bad at one point I wanted to go back into the corporate world. I held on and realized my worth. I should charge my worth and I should stand true to my business policies. I am loving where I am in my journey now and I can’t wait to see where I will be in the future.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @naturalselectionstylez
• Facebook: Natural Selection Stylez, LLC
• Other: www.styleseat.com/naturalselectionstylez

Image Credits
Personal Photo: Skye Mason Photography