We were lucky to catch up with Khadijah Williams recently and have shared our conversation below.

Khadijah, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Risking taking is a huge part of most people’s story but too often society overlooks those risks and only focuses on where you are today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – it could be a big risk or a small one – but walk us through the backstory.

In 2022, I gave up my job to follow my dreams. This was a risk because I am a single mom with two kids living in a state with no family or friends. At the time they were 11 months and 7years old. It all started on March 24th, 2022 when I became a client at Aesthetics Salon in Arlington, VA. From the moment I walked in, all I could think is “this is everything I dream of.” Every appointment I would ask my stylists Nikka and Frey about their journey and I finally expressed to Frey that I do hair as my side hustle. She called Salem over, they looked at my work and told me I need to go to school and get my license and stop doing hair in my living room. At the time, all if that sounded good but I thought there was no way I could go to school, work full time with the hours I had to work, and be a mom. I did not have physical support and I could not afford an overnight sitter. I spent the next few months back and forth with the idea until one day I decided to go visit Avenda Arts and science Institute in Arlington. When I walked in, I felt the same feeling I felt the first time I walked into Aesthetics salon. It was an excited yet nerve wrecking feeling. I told Jenna if I decide to enroll into this school, I am desperately in need of a job. She directed me to the career board and smack dead in the center of the board was an assistance needed flyer for Aesthetics Salon. Nobody could not tell me this was meant to be. I took money out of my savings that I calculated to last me for the first 6 months. I told myself once I get to that 6-month mark, Jesus is going to take the wheel. At that 6-month mark, I could not afford my rent anymore, my lease was getting ready to end, I did not where I was going live, the section 8 waitlist was closed, my credit was jacked up because I chose to put every dime I had towards my rent. It was to the point where I started calling shelters because I did not know where else to turn. I even considered just moving back home to New York. I then came across a lady who was looking for someone to take over her 1 bedroom lease. With the help of my amazing dad I was able to take the apartment. Throughout this journey my dad, brothers and grandmother supported me from a far. 3 months after graduating, I got called off of a waitlist for a very affordable 2 bedroom apartment in a great area and school zone. All I had to do was keep my faith and trust the process. I met forever friends and mentors while I attended Aveda Arts and Sciences Institute and found my village at Aesthetics Salon. Living your dream, following your passion, is a feeling I encourage everyone to experience. I think there would be more peace and love in this world.

Khadijah, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I have been doing hair for as long as I can remember. I learned how to do cornrows while I was still in elementary school and been braiding hair since. I grew up in the hair salon. On Saturdays my mom would bring me to her friend Jackie salon and we would spend the entire day there. I enjoyed watching her do back-to-back clients and watching her hands when she used marcels. I never got bored in the salon and would fantasize my own salon.

I had a perm growing up. I never asked for one but my hair was unmanageable. When I got to high school I decided to stop getting perms and wear my natural hair. At that time, natural hair was still shocking people, stylists did not want to deal with it and did not know how to deal with it. So I did my hair myself and offered my hands to others going natural.
At aesthetics salon I am a natural hair specialist who focus on the health of the hair and the scalp and protects the integrity of the hair. I offer multiple services including locs and soon I will adding extensions. I am on a path to become a trichologist so I can diagnose and recommend treatment for hair and scalp diseases or disorders.
I like to debunk my clients myth that their hair do not grow.
What set me apart from others is I got into this career a little late so I do not let opportunities pass me by. Every opportunity I get to learn, I’m learning. I also ask a bunch of relevant questions in a consultation to pull the best products and to ensure the experience is custom fitted. My favorite part is the shampoo. No matter how light the client prefer the pressure during a massage, my shampoos are very thorough. Clean hair is the foundation for an amazing style.
I am proud of everything I have learned being an apprentice at Aesthetics Salon. The learning never ends. I still assist 2 days out of the week to learn color and extentions. On my days of I still find myself in the salon while the kids are in school to either watch another stylist and learn or to be a model for another apprectice and teach.

What else should we know about how you took your side hustle and scaled it up into what it is today?

I was a TSA officer in NYC and got a job offer to be a federal police officer in Virginia. I never wanted to be a police officer but after talking to my dad I realized it’s the perfect opportunity to get out of NY and my room was only getting smaller as my son got bigger. I took the job for a better life for my son and security. At the end of my training I was told this was a job where I have to keep my mouth shut even if I’m speaking up for myself and I decided I was not going to be there for long. I started a podcast called Top of the Rain so I could motivate and inspire listeners to follow their dreams, never give up no matter how hard life get and to make connections. I did that by having small business owners, creatives and more come on the show, tell their story, take phone calls and I gave musicians a stage to perform. At the time, I didn’t take my own advice. I watched others take those leaps that I was to scared to take and a big part of me wish I had the guts. Things got hard for me financially so I started to braid hair in my living room after work and on my days off. I found out I was pregnant with my second son a few months later. A few months later I split up with their dad and was back to being a single mom. After giving birth I was diagnosed with post partum depression and I started going to therapy. I was gifted the salon visit for my birthday and that’s when I experienced Aesthetics Salon. The stylists poured into me as a client each visit. This became my therapy and I started to feel like myself again. I told them I braided hair in my living room and Frey and Salem told me to go to school and get my license so I could do it legitimately. I took months to think about how I could make this work until one day all those interviews, all the advice I gave in my podcast flashed before my eyes and I took the leap that I’ve always been scared to take. I emptied out my savings and said when it runs out Jesus will take the wheel. I went to Aveda arts and sciences institute in Arlington, VA, worked as an apprentice at Aesthetics salon and now I am stylist, back on my feet. I got to where I am today by being patient, having faith, and trusting the process. I also had my family, my brothers, dad, grandmother and godmother, who supported me in any way that they can

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

Giving quality service to clients. I do thorough consultations to personalize experiences, take my time at the shampoo bowl to not just cleanse the hair but to relax the client and I educate my clients through every single step. Giving this quality service ensure a beautiful finish, the inside of the clients glows on the outside as they leave your chair, and they go on to tell a friend who ends up in your chair next and so on.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Aesthetics.salon
• Instagram: @2strandkay