We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Diana Williams a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Diana, appreciate you joining us today. One of the most important things small businesses can do, in our view, is to serve underserved communities that are ignored by giant corporations who often are just creating mass-market, one-size-fits-all solutions. Talk to us about how you serve an underserved community.
Yes, my business serves an underserved community. My community resides in the Westside of Atlanta, Ga. The famous formerly known Bankhead Hwy, now Donald Lee Hollowell pkwy. I have returned to the place I started over 20 years ago. I raised my children in Bankhead, Northwest community and full circle to return not far away in the Grove Park neighborhood in a house my children and I built. Many of the small businesses that have been operating here over 20 years still look the same, no renovations, no upgrades, or even signage. Underserved with no convenient major grocery store, shopping, retail space or affordable housing for many residents. This matters to me because I live here, I work here, my youngest child is a high schooler here, my daughter’s work in the neighborhood. I need our neighborhood to succeed. My brand RobynHoodz Beauty will create opportunities in the community to become involved and employed where you live, add value to the community, and create a safe, and vibrant, successful black owned Bankhead.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I began my beauty journey in my moms living room, your living room, my kitchen, pretty much wherever the need was over 25 years ago. I knew at this young age I had a love for hair. I was the oldest of four girls, and the oldest cousin, I had a responsibility to make sure our hair was maintained. Later in life, In 2009 I took my passion a step further and attended Atlanta Technical College for Cosmetology while being a mother of 3 young daughters. At this time my knowledge of entrepreneurship was minimal. I spent many years working for employers and not for myself, full time. Fast forward 3 of 4 of my children have graduated high school, 1 college graduate, 2 entrepreneurs, and my youngest is in high school. I obtained my Master Barber’s license, and this time as a full time employee of a major bank, mother of four, and 25 years of skills to add to my resume. My passion for all things hair continues. I say all that to say I am ready to evolve in my business dream. My business provides a one stop shop of affordable, convenient beauty, barber, braider, and stylist services in one chair, conveniently located in my neighborhood. I plan to expand my brand in a one of a kind One Stop shop in my neighborhood and a hood near you. I know that their are many young girls and boys that have the passion I recognized all those years ago, and would benefit from an organization like RobynHoodz beauty to get their dream started now. Taking back the beauty of the community to give to the poor and underserved. ROBYNHOODZ B.
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
Working in different industries helped build my reputation within my market. Learning the skills of the worker bee, the manager, and the team player helped me develop in the beauty market. The beauty industry is a service industry that requires a host of skills, customer service, data entry, problem-resolution skills, multi-tasking just to name a few. In Cosmetology and Barbering School you get the basics, the rest is life skills, talent, and continued education and growth.
Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?
Word of Mouth has been the most effective strategy for growing my clientele. Quality over quantity . I like having a reputation of providing quality work and building lasting relationships with my clients. When I moved here a year ago, I immediately wanted to become connected to my new neighborhood. It is filled with so much history, and stories and beauty that I was now apart of. A huge community that is connected to the neighborhood I lived in for over 10 years right around the corner. I have gained most of my new clients from them seeing my work, on social media, on someone else or I may have even approached them on the street and they decided to give me a try and have been with me since. I am thankful for all my clients old to new and to come. Quality is the Motto at RobynHoodz Beauty.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: Robynhoodz_
- Facebook: RobynHoodzinc
