We recently connected with Eboni Jones and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Eboni, thanks for joining us today. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

I am a licensed cosmetologist that specializes in braid services. Not just any braid services – healthy hair braid services. What inspired this idea for me is being a second generation cosmetologist, I grew up around hair and learning how to provide healthy hair care. The one service in the beauty industry i adored the most was the art of hair braiding. Usually braids are known as a protective style, but as i grew more in my career i saw a disconnect with braid services and clients experiencing unhealthy practices leaving a not so good narrative about our profession. With my back ground and knowledge i was inspired to bring the two together and change the narrative of hair braiding as protective style. I knew this would make a difference because of the outcry from clients on social media and those that sit in my chair. They would love the versatility of braids and the luxury of taking a break from day to day styling without compromising the growth and health of their hair. Not only do i provide healthy hair braid services, but i also educate other stylists on these practices. As i study the industry it motivated me to educate my fellow stylist because there is a need for this knowledge. Although it is highly encouraged, many are not able to get the education from schooling and are looking for this knowledge in industry leaders and my mission is to be one of those leaders.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I am a cosmetologist, educator, and salon owner. I’ve been licensed for a little over a decade and founded the brand Braid Essentials®. I got into this industry as a second generation cosmetologist, watching my mother as a stylist making a difference one client at a time. While watching her i acquired extensive knowledge of healthy hair and have created a brand centered around healthy hair braid services. Braid Essentials® is a reflection of my commitment to healthy hair and my passion for braiding.

Not only do i offer braid services, but i also have a hair care line that focuses on my commitment to healthy hair. It was created to assist in all areas of the hair braiding process before, during, and after. My products are meant to be a relief to clients and give them the confidence of caring for their hair and braids with ease.

As an educator i am dedicated to sharing my knowledge with fellow braiders/stylists. There are some techniques that are not taught during cosmetology school so it is up to them to learn on their own. My goal is to educate them on healthy practices and techniques to avoid the trial and error stage and gaining confidence of their journey in the beauty industry.

Being that i am centered around healthy hair it makes me stand out with braiding in the beauty industry. There is currently an outcry from clients all over about braids not being a protective style anymore and they are looking for stylists who care for their hair along with providing great hair styles. I recognized the problem in my industry and im dedicated to doing my part to change the narrative.

What i want my potential clients, existing clients, and supporters to know is Braid Essentials is listening. I understand your concerns, and i am here to make as much change as i can. Braid Essentials is devoted to bringing back healthy hair braid services

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

What i think helped to build my reputation within my market is my professionalism and consistency. As a service provider professionalism will make or break your business. Starting out in my career and to this day i’ve always provided a professional attitude to my clients and atmosphere during their service. To line up with that, i made sure i was consistent in doing this with every client and with every visit. No matter how many times a particular client sat with me, i was sure to give the same professional service consistently.

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

The best source of new clients for me has been word of mouth. My clients are a walking billboard for my hair services and has been my #1 source of bringing in new clients. Next in line would be social media. My social media pages serves as an online portfolio and seals the deal for the new clients when they are referred.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.thebraidessentials.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/braid.essentials