We were lucky to catch up with Kimbria Michel recently and have shared our conversation below.

Kimbria, appreciate you joining us today. Parents play a huge role in our development as youngsters and sometimes that impact follows us into adulthood and into our lives and careers. Looking back, what’s something you think you parents did right?

Unfortunately my dad has not played much of a role in the successes of my life, but thankfully I have a powerhouse and amazing support system in my mom. As a hairstylist specifically, she believed in and supported my visions from day one, and has always pushed me to more. Going back to when I was a child, my mom always did hair for people she knew in our living room as her source of extra money, so doing hair for money was never taboo. I would always be the most invested in helping her out of my sisters—spending hours sitting with her and her clients, helping her prep out the braiding hair, helping her take pictures afterwards. Being exposed to that was forming something in my brain before I even realized it, and exposed me to something I found interest in. I also grew up watching my mom juggle 2 or 3 jobs at a time, working 24 hours at a time tirelessly. She was the epitome of working hard to get what you need and to stay above water. Watching my mom overwork herself to provide for me and my two older sisters, I was encouraged to make as much money as I could to take a load off of her plate. My first “hustle” was selling snacks in high school. I remember being in Sam’s club and begging her to buy my first box of candy. It was maybe $20, and our agreement was I would use that box to make my first profit and pay her back. We did just that, and I slowly started saving more and more money and investing more and more of my income on new “inventory”. I appreciate my mom for preparing me for the reality of business with that small loan of $20. When I was 18 and got the idea to start a hair business to support myself as my “college side hustle”, she was immediately on board with no questions asked or doubts raised. I quickly burnt out because I didn’t understand work/life balance, to the point where I cried behind a clients head doing her hair one day, and my mom drove 4 hours to Tallahassee that same weekend to take me on a beach getaway for me to relax and regroup. My mom always encourages me to go after my visions as a hairstylist and entrepreneur, but she also is always the first person to tell me to rest, slow down, take a day off and take care of myself.

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 Kimbria Ashley Michel, a 23 year old business owner and hairstylist. I specialize in creating and installing faux loc hair extensions, but am gifted in a range of hair services, including braids, twists, and natural hair care. I have also managed to expand my hair business to include reselling wigs and bundle extensions.

The problem I solve is that I make it easier for women of color to wake up and leave the house feeling beautiful and confident! I love when I can physically see the vibrancy and confidence on my clients’ faces after I’ve finished their hair—especially when they came in feeling heavy or lacking confidence.

I am set apart from other stylists because beyond the responsibility to do their hair well and neatly, I feel a responsibility for my clients well being while they are in my chair and hopefully beyond. I like to shower my clients with good vibes and energy, uplifting them from the moment they walk in until they leave. I provide a safe and warm space for my clients to open up and be as vulnerable as they need to be. Whether they need a listening ear to vent to, someone to pass them tissues as they cry, advice/opinions, or just a girl to have some girl time with, I am always eager to make their appointment as personal as they need it to be. I pride myself on being a breath of fresh air for my clients.

I previously mentioned the inspiration my mother had on me in getting into the
business owner/hairstylist world.

I want the world to know that I am truly passionate about my craft and I truly care about my clients. I care that they love their hair and feel even more beautiful, and I care that they feel emotionally, spiritually and mentally cared for. The relationships I build and the genuine moments I have with my clients is the main thing that keeps me going as a hairstylist.

Can you talk to us about how you funded your business?

I started off doing hair from my college dorm, and thankfully that was not a steep investment. Before I started my business, I worked at Chick fil A for a couple of years in high school. I saved that money to somewhat support myself when I moved to Tallahassee for college. I did freshman scholarships like crazy—I probably applied to around 60 from February 2020 to August 2020 (my time in quarantine was DEFINITELY spent well). I won roughly $11,000 in scholarships that summer, equipping me to stand on my own two feet after paying off my school fees. I used that money to purchase my initial investments, like a ring light and hair tools. My clients first provided their own hair, so it was pretty much a complete profit at first. After a few months, I began providing the hair and raised my prices. In 2022, I launched the extension of my business, Kimbria’s Kollection, where I sell hair extension wigs and bundles—this is where the steep investment was. I used the money I made from doing hair to fund the launch of this business. I invested THOUSANDS of dollars to start my hair business, from the website, photoshoot, testing many hair vendors, buying hair to have on hand, ads, etc.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

To answer this question, I’d have to put it into 3 categories that all work together.

1. BE AND STAY CONSISTENT! Post consistently! Post everything you have at first! When you’re starting out, people need to know that you didn’t do one client good by luck or because you knew them. They need to see that you can consistently produce the same results, and they need to know that you are invested in your business. This is evident the more active you are on your page.
2. Build trust with your clients and your audience via social media. Make yourself SEEM like an amazing hairstylist. Make people WANT to book you. Be accountable, timely, respectful, professional, and put together. Know what you’re doing and focus on excelling at it. When you look like someone is all over the place and just wants quick money, nobody will trust you!
3. Know where you are and where you’re starting from, and meet people there. By this I mean, my first 10 or so clients paid nomore than $70 to get their hair done by me (this was a 5 hour service—I really did not make much more than I would from working fast food). However, I couldn’t be greedy and hop right into expensive prices. I had to be real with myself that I was a beginner and I just needed the opportunity to showcase my skills and build a reputation before I could really see the profit.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://kimbriaskreations.as.me/schedule/ddf34dc0
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kimbriaskreations?igsh=Nmd5ZHRraTdrMDVn&utm_source=qr