We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Justi Embree a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Justi, thanks for joining us today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

I think some of my best conceived ideas have been born of resentment or feelings of being underestimated. Retrospectively, I am quite certain those emotions had me, that day when I decided to take matters into my own hands and start promoting myself. I was more frustrated with my stagnation than I was afraid of tackling Google, to figure out “How to start a business?” hashtag, “I need help!”

So, I sat on the couch in front of my nearly obsolete MacBook from college, the big heavy white version. It was 7 years young, but I had gotten a new memory upgrade just in case, I got a bright idea. I kept it fully charged and ready to go. I opened it up.

Sitting on the couch that day in 2013, I officially became Embree Theory but not what It is today. Just one baby step forward. I did not have a business plan or knew where to begin, but right then and there, I became willing to find out how to run a business or at least how to buy a URL from GoDaddy.com. Either way, I became optimistic.

I had two things going for me, a relevant skill and a few people knew about it. So, I checked to see if the URL was available. Bingo! It was (lol)!

The first half of my business name is, “Embree”. My father’s name, Harold Embree. I am the last known descendent of our bloodline, so I said, “Self, let’s make it count!” A “theory” is a system of ideas intended to explain something. For example, everything I know about hair. So, I combined “Embree” with “Theory”. It made sense to me because theories can change based on new information. It is my way of reminding myself to stay flexible and open. I think any good business name should reflect its core values.

I founded Embree Theory because I have something to give. After spending two decades behind the chair, I got a master’s class in all types and textures of hair. I know what makes them tick. I thought, all I must do now is convince someone else. It was time to write my own story and came to believe I could. I believed that if I could get the word out, I could succeed. I still believe that.

In business, there are lots of roadblocks, particularly, at the level of financial institutions that can hinder small, minority, and women owned businesses. Usually, at the bank is where all my dreams got chopped down to size after some dream crushing underwriter eyeballed my loan application and denied it. I found that my bank was more likely to offer me a high interest rate credit card than approve a request for a business line of credit. Ultimately, I worked hard as a self-employed person to remain stuck even with an excellent credit score. Finally, I got tired enough to conjure a “bet on myself” attitude just long enough to get started with no extra cash in my pocket. I barely had savings at the time. Back then so much confusion was swirling around in my brain. Sometimes, you just have to get started and get “on the job training.” If you believe you have something, go for it! One moment at a time.

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

I am reaching for the stars, personal, business, and otherwise. I’m just moving towards the light. I got into the beauty industry because it resonated with me. It was an easy fit. I started as a braider and extension specialist. Today, I have transitioned my business into wig design and sales. I started Embree Theory in 2013, eight years later, in 2021, I launched embreetheory.com, an online store to make my wigs and hair pieces available to all. As a byproduct, my wigs have been featured in movies like “Missing,” 2023 the sequel to “Sony’s” 2018 screentime thriller “Searching”, the upcoming “Non-Evil Twin – Pilot” for NBC starring Amber Ruffin, and on a few red carpets. I feel blessed.

I put a lot of good energy into procuring the most lavish hair from all over the world. I have done the work vetting vendors, so my customers can experience next level quality. It has taken many years to develop lasting relationships with reliable partners. I create wigs and hairpieces that not only look great but are safe to use and thoughtfully made. I take pride in finding the finest materials, innovating new designs, and educating consumers with full transparency. It’s the best way to do business. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

I had to unlearn that, my success or failures were dependent on who I know. Although, this may be true to some extent, ultimately it is up to me. Coming to understand that was a big game changer for me. In 2019, I took a step back because I wasn’t happy, professionally. I begin to dread showing up. I knew I wasn’t living in my purpose. I slowed down behind the chair and began to pour more energy into my online business. 2 years later embreetheory.com was born and my wig collections became available worldwide.

Have you ever had to pivot?

Platforms like Instagram and Facebook opened an unprecedented opportunity for entrepreneurs and creatives to showcase their talents. Before social media, I sold my services by word of mouth, client incentives, and flyers. There were other advertising options like radio or tv but that took money, which I had very little. It was nearly impossible for a small minority owned business or creatives to become visible to the mainstream public without capital, through advertising. There was a great divide between the haves and have nots on this issue.

So, I got excited early on about sharing my tried-and-true techniques on Instagram. I saw that other stylists were being successful promoting themselves. I copied their content styles at first but after some time I discovered that I had to write my own lyrics and decide what was authentic for me. It was a process. Today, I tell hair stories, share natural hair care recipes, and new product discoveries. The community has grown to more than 26K healthy hair seekers! I’ve learned a lot over the years so, I am responsible to share a lot. It is serendipity. Helping people to understand their “Crown” and building community support around caring for it, is all good stuff, and my good fortune. You can find us @embreetheory on Instagram. Come hang out a season.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.embreetheory.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/embreetheory/?hl=en

Image Credits
Golden Brooks Lewina David