We caught up with the brilliant and insightful India Stokes a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
India, appreciate you joining us today. Let’s talk about innovation. What’s the most innovative thing you’ve done in your career?
One of the things I’ve done innovative over the course of my career was offer custom glue-less wig installations. By offering custom glue-less wigs, I was able to debunk the myth that glue-less wigs didn’t exist. Women have been told that wigs require glue and this can be discouraging for some who do not want to use glue at all. This innovation has truly set me apart as a stylist and wig designer by providing a solution for women who want to wear wigs but have no desire to use glue for their wig installs.
Earlier in my career, I offered many different services, and wig installment services have grown to be my favorite! My clients at the time would only get lace closure/frontal sew-ins but these installs wouldn’t provide them with the amount of convenience and versatility that glue-less wigs would. The difference between the two is that the lace closure/frontal sew-in service requires you to have your extensions sewn to your foundation braids while the lace closure/frontal wig installment is like a removable sew-in. My clients are busy hard-working women who had their fair share of bad experiences with glue, hair loss, or on their own personal journeys to getting their hair to a healthier state.
They desire high-quality low maintenance styles that can still protect the integrity of their hair. With that being said, glue-less wigs were the perfect protective style to offer. I worked diligently to master wig making so that I was able to offer just that. I designed my very own glue-less wig and I was immediately hooked! I used my wig as an example and walking advertisement to introduce my clients to the wig-wearing world. They were intrigued with how natural-looking and flat it was, not to mention it required no glue to install so it can be removed daily. After seeing me wear this glue-less wig in real-time, my clients were convinced and they were dying to get their hands on one of their very own. What makes these wigs so unique is that they are custom-made to each client’s personal head measurements. This is to ensure each client has a snug and comfortable fit.
My custom glue-less wigs are also meticulously constructed via sewing machine. This is to provide durability and longevity. From the moment my clients experienced their first-ever custom glue-less wig from me, I have clients who have their wigs going on 5+ years. I also have clients who are on their 5th or 6th custom glue-less wig from me. Because of the innovative work I was able to do for these women, this has allowed me to grow my clientele and be recognized by both consumers and peers for my craft.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I was told by teachers “This is not the beauty salon” and I think that statement aged very well! Hair has been a part of my life from a very young age. It was a natural gift I had before I even knew. I taught myself how to braid at the age of 7 and eventually, I began to experiment and try different styles on my own hair. I loved getting my hair done and how it made me feel after, and this was something I wanted others to feel as well. I felt compelled to do anyone’s hair if they let me. I found joy in doing anything hair related; need your hair washed? I wanted to do it! Been a while since you had it done? Let’s try something new! It was truly fun to do! There were two little girls who lived next door to me and I would do their hair. Seeing their faces light up after made my day.
Throughout my life, I became known as the friend who could do hair. It wasn’t until I got to college that I realized I could use my skills to make some extra money. I initially went to college to study Business & Fashion Merchandising and I had plans on working in the fashion industry to become a visual merchandiser. While attending college, I would do the girls’ hair on campus. Crazy enough, when I first started college, I thought it was the hardest thing in the world and I even considered hair school but eventually I pushed through and adjusted because I truly didn’t want to give up that easily. Hair school was still on my mind from time to time but I thought I could no longer change my career path.
In 2017, I graduated with a Bachelor’s in Business & Fashion Merchandising and continued to pursue my fashion career while still doing hair from time to time. I made my hair Instagram page to begin showcasing my work and to promote my business. In the beginning, it didn’t take off as fast as I thought. I was extremely confident in my work (Still am) and I thought that as soon as I posted my work, people would flock to me and I would be fully booked. Boy! Was I wrong! In that moment, I realized that I had to keep showing up consistently to gain people’s trust and to show people that I was serious about my craft. I started working from home to build my clientele, I didn’t start out with fancy ring lights, or the luxurious decor and aesthetics at the time I just used what I had. Every client whose hair I did I would take pictures and videos and post it! My consistency eventually started to pay off, I started to get more clients as well as referrals and word of mouth was my best friend.
From 2017 – 2019, I worked in retail. I would go to work and come home to do hair every single day. I would dread being at work, then have a burst of energy once my shift ended and I’m on my way to do hair. During my time in retail, I did enjoy the work environment but as I continued to do hair, my interest in fashion started to fade to the back as hair began to take over. I went from taking appointments via text to eventually creating a booking site. My retail job went from being my primary income to hair supplementing my income. It started to feel bittersweet and scary at the same time because I began to question what the future had in store for me. I was back and forth about quitting my job for months. With careful consideration, I eventually took a leap of faith.
In 2019, I quit my retail job to pursue hair full-time. Was I scared? OF COURSE! But I was so destined to see where hair would take me and to this day, I thank God I made that decision. After one year of being a full-time hairstylist, I finally enrolled in cosmetology school in the fall of 2020. Being a hairstylist was one thing but I knew obtaining my license is what would set me apart. The pandemic was a trying time for many business owners but I didn’t let that discourage me. I made so many sacrifices to ensure I stayed focused and made the absolute best during my time of education. While attending cosmetology school, I’ve endured some highs and lows and through it all, I still managed to keep my head up and persevere through it all. All of my hard work and resilience eventually paid off.
In 2021, I graduated one month early with perfect attendance. A month later I took my state boards and passed to obtain my cosmetology license.
From 2022 – present I operate in my very own salon suite (Stokesstyled Studio) welcoming new and familiar clients to my newfound professional hairstyling experience. For the past few years, I’ve perfected my craft and I’ve become widely known for my realistic-looking wigs and wig installs. My clients come to me because I provide the most natural-looking installs they have ever seen with absolutely no glue involved. As I’ve mentioned earlier, I was able to debunk the myth that glue-less wigs didn’t exist. Women have been told that wigs require glue and this can be discouraging for some who do not want to use glue at all. This skill has truly set me apart as a stylist and wig designer by providing a solution for women who want to wear wigs but have no desire to use glue for their wig installs.
Not to mention, I also offer natural hair care for clients’ hair. Although I offer these beautiful masterpieces, it’s imperative that hair care is still at the forefront of all my services. I take pride in being a stylist that not only offers an amazing service, but I also care about the foundation underneath and a stylist like that is hard to come by today.
Stokesstyled is a brand that specializes in custom glue-less wigs, glue-less wig installs, and healthy hair care. We offer premium quality extensions varying from raw Indian, Southeast Asian, and Burmese as well as hair products that can be used interchangeably for wigs and natural hair.
I am most proud of my ability to keep going. Through the years of finding myself and my calling, it wasn’t a straight path. Life happens and things happen that are out of your control but no matter the circumstance, I have not let these things get in the way of my goals and aspirations. I’ve learned to go through the motions, continue to give myself grace, have faith, and keep striving for greatness. It’s not easy and at times I’m not always motivated but I will say that discipline has taken me places motivation couldn’t.
The main things I want potential clients/followers/supporters to know about my brand/my work is that it is built on integrity, quality, and passion. I value quality and quality translates to longevity. I truly care about the experience I provide and how women feel after shopping with me. My mission is to create beautiful transformations while uplifting women in the process because I believe that women deserve to look and feel their absolute best! I hope that my story gives them hope and that it inspires them to keep going. If they ever get the chance to see my work,
I hope that my story gives them hope and that it inspires them to keep going. If they ever get the chance to see my work, I want them to know that each experience provided is unique and that I strive to provide the utmost welcoming, relaxing professional atmosphere.
Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?
When I first started building my audience on social media, I had no idea how it worked. I was determined to figure it out because I knew I had something of value to offer. My goal with making my page was to showcase my work, gain exposure, and potential clients. It took some time and a lot of trial and error, but eventually, it started to pay off. I made it my business to document my work so that I had something to post. I would take a lot of photos and videos so that I had more than enough content to use over time. As time progressed, I got better at taking quality photos and videos, and I continued to be consistent by posting every day. I also provided different forms of content (Educational, Motivational, Personal).
Even if I had to repurpose old content, I would repost it because there was someone who didn’t see it. Eventually, people started to become familiar with my work and they took a liking to it. People began to look forward to my content and when I posted, they would engage by commenting, liking, or reposting. There were times when my content would even go viral. As a result, it brought more eyes to my social media platform.
A few things that contributed to the growth of my audience are:
• Engaging with my community. This established a personable connection and it also allowed me to connect with like-minded individuals.
• Making my supporters feel included: Asking for their input/feedback.
• Remaining consistent! You have to give your supporters something to continue to look forward to. My advice for those starting to build their social media presence:
• Be authentic! (It’s always better to be true to yourself because it goes a long way. Your tribe will find you organically.)
• Keep going! It’s not going to happen overnight, don’t get discouraged. Focusing on others will leave you stuck.
• It takes trial & error: You’ll never know what will work until you try, and don’t just try “once.”
• You get what you give: You have to put your best foot forward in order to see the best results!
• Engage! Don’t be a robot, if people comment or share your post, show gratitude and simply connect.
• Provide quality content: clean photos, clear background, create something you would want someone to share, save, or comment on.
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
Consistently marketing my products and services and showing the actual results has helped me build my reputation. I provide services and products that people need to see the end results of in order to determine whether they will purchase or not.
Results are important because it builds trust! And the more results you can show, the more customers are willing to shop/book with you.
As a service provider, it’s imperative to show clients that you are an expert in your field. For example, I sell glue-less wigs, and one way I market and advertise my wigs is by showing how glue-less they are and how they look on my clients and myself. I also educate viewers on the benefits of glue-less wigs and how they can make their lives easier.
I make sure my content has no filters so viewers can see how authentic my work is. The more I promote my work in this manner, people began to view my work as credible.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.stokesstyled.com
- Instagram: Stokesstyled
- Other: TikTok : @Stokesstyled
Image Credits
@69.views on instagram – first photo & the three model photo
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