Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jennifer Stewsrt. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Jennifer, appreciate you joining us today. Coming up with the idea is so exciting, but then comes the hard part – executing. Too often the media ignores the execution part and goes from idea to success, skipping over the nitty, gritty details of executing in the early days. We think that’s a disservice both to the entrepreneurs who built something amazing as well as the public who isn’t getting a realistic picture of what it takes to succeed. So, we’d really appreciate if you could open up about your execution story – how did you go from idea to execution?

As a kid I had a head full of kinky hair, My mom and sister had different textures than mines. My mom did what she could but the fact remain I didn’t like my hair. It was big, it would not lay down and I had a lot of it. I loved everyone hair that had length and laid down. Relaxers would break off my hair. Its crazy I became a stylist and noticed naturals going through the same struggles I did so I wrote a book of what I knew at that time. I figured helping curly girls beyond the salon would help them love there curls. Then I made affirmation cards for moms of curly little girls to say out loud as a reminder to love their self and their hair.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

It really was apart of me I lived with my grandmom who was a hairdresser. I started doing hair in my small town in Ardmore, PA. It was peaceful, I was good at it and it was fun to do. So, I went to school for it. I was not interested in doing natural hair, that wasn’t the look for my area.. I was forced because my hair only thrived chemical free. I didn’t choose none of this it chose me. Over time natural became a wave but I been natural and raised my daughter natural. I knew how to do natural hair and didn’t want too. But God, I applied for this great hair salon, I was so excited got hired on the spot later to find out it was a natural hair salon and at the time I just finished writing my book. This salon gave me the confidence to do natural hair on other ppl beside me and my daughter. I was only doing what I was always doing on our hair but this is what started me providing services, seeing the need and understanding my customer better. This began my passion.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

I loved doing hair but I wasn’t good with personal relationships. In hair that is key!!!! Its relationship based. I noticed ppl would pay money to stylist they liked even if I did better hair. It has been a personal struggle to retain aa large clientiel. The money for this reason was unstable making me want to give up. I believe that’s why God put the passion to help natural women like me to love their hair and feel confident in it to be positive role models for their daughter. Its bigger than me its a community movement for women and daughters with curly hair that look like me. This is what keeps me in it as God provides.

Let’s talk M&A – we’d love to hear your about your experience with buying businesses.

Me and my daughter father purchased a turnkey salon in Philadelphia. It was an existing salon in a building full staffed. We brought the business not the building.the staff, the customer base, the furniture. It was so hard, I didn’t know how to manage all those personalities I just wanted to do hair. It was so over whelming. The staff we had to let go they was not on board for our vision and me and my partner was try to figure this all out in real time. It was rough with no mercy. Our business closed because our area 15 mile radius around the salon we going under new construction due to Septa. The only public transportation in the city was closing. Streets was blocked off and it was no parking available for our clients. Then unfortunately the owner of the building passed away and we just threw in the towel. It was so emotional and humbling.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Www.siditychic.com
• Instagram: Siditychicswirhkinksandcolis
• Facebook: Siditychic
• Youtube: Siditychic

Image Credits

Stephan Thomas