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

Deidra, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Often outsiders look at a successful business and think it became a success overnight. Even media and especially movies love to gloss over nitty, gritty details that went into that middle phase of your business – after you started but before you got to where you are today. In our experience, overnight success is usually the result of years of hard work laying the foundation for success, but unfortunately, it’s exactly this part of the story that most of the media ignores. Can you talk to us about your scaling up story – what are some of the nitty, gritty details folks should know about?

In all honesty, my “scale up” didn’t occur until I hit rock bottom. I was more concerned with saying I was the boss instead of actually being one. Starting my business in January 2021, was one of those new year new me things lol. I told myself by the time I was thirty that if I had a boss, I’d be it. A year later I was happily running my business in the red. I had no idea that I was overspending, under budgeting, not predicting future costs or expenses. I was just blindly holding everything a float. September 2022, I celebrated having my salon suite open a year. By that time, I think I was in debt up to my neck, I was struggling to create a clear routine so my business could function. I gave myself a deadline of January 2023 to have turned this business around. Really create a plan for success. Yes, I started my business without a plan or even having graduated cosmetology school. I wanted that drive back so I stopped feeling sorry for myself and dug myself out of the hole I put myself into. I started creating my business plan, made goals for my company’s growth and expansion, and started looking for new ways to market my business on my own platform.

October 2022 I was offered the opportunity to be featured in a piece in an online magazine about upcoming talent in my area. I was beyond excited. That was the first bit of recognition I had received for my business. With that came more clients and more need for order in my operation. I was working 10 –16 hour days not just in my shop but when I’d go home doing research and planning. People see these thirty second clips online and think that’s it. Like as business owners we just snap our fingers and our ideas become reality. Sleepless nights and long days were a lifestyle and still are if I need to achieve a goal.

I launched my website in January 2023 as planned. It definitely is a daily project. I still look up ways to keep it exciting and new. I wanted to expand my brand more into beauty, mainly beauty products that I’m familiar with and have been developing. I started by releasing Deidramatik Lashes in April 2023. I’ve been a practicing lash technician for about two years. I know what my clients have been looking for as far as their strip lashes and lash extensions. It was pretty easy to get the idea together, the execution not so much. I had issues with faulty vendors, orders not coming in on time or not being what I ordered. Deidramatik Oil came out the month following. That wasn’t my plan exactly, go figure. However I was dealing with client demand and the vendors got my products back to me faster. It was a real mess trying to juggle the two, hair and then the lash expansion. I’m finding my footing but for the most part this has really been trial and error. I don’t want to scare anyone into thinking that starting a business isn’t worth it, most days it is. However, this is not easy by a long shot, there are definitely days where I think about life working in the medical field again and just happily helping people. Hair is something I love though, building beauty from the inside out gives me life! I wouldn’t trade any of the struggle for anything though.

Deidra, 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?

Well, My name is Deidra Hogan, I’m the owner operator of Deidramatik and Deidramatik Lashes. I got my start at seven years old, redoing the hairstyles that my grandmother would do before school and putting them back exactly as it was before I got home. I got most of my practice with my family and friends. I believe what sets me apart is my ability to really help my clients with their hair needs whether they want it to grow longer, shorter, fuller, more vibrant or just change their look all together. I’m always able to create a plan to assist and if I’m not, I have no problem helping them find someone who can better protect their crown. I’m known for Silk Presses, Knotless Braids, Loc Retwists & Styles, and Custom Braids. My healthy hair practices and my aura keep me one of the top-rated stylists in my area. New clients coming in can expect positive vibes, good energy and an amazing hair experience, the Deidramatik way!

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

My most effective strategy for growing my clientele has been exactly how I got my start, being my own stylist. I learned really quickly that if my hair looks good people are always going to want to know where I got it done. That’s always a good conversation starter. It’s also been effective to keep up my friend’s hair. They post more on social media, so it helps me to get tagged in stories and they stay slayed so it’s a win-win.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

I thought that a boss was everything for the business. I’ve learned quickly that being a boss means being able to delegate and accept the help and ideas of others. When you look at a company’s executive board, the CEOs name isn’t listed under every job title. Having help to run a successful business is a necessity. I was trying so hard to be a one-woman show that I let stuff fall through the cracks. If I was on top of social media the paperwork was off; if I was on top of my appointments, I was behind shop supply replenishments. It was just too much to juggle alone. So I gave ten, select family members and trusted friends 1% of my business, so I could budget in getting the help that I needed while creating a trusted team to help with expansion. My team is really solid right now; I see growth, a lot of hair & lashes in my future! 😊

Contact Info:

• Website: deidramatik.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/deidramatik?igshid=MjEwN2IyYWYwYw==