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

Alright, Mikayla thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Do you think folks should manage their own social media or hire a professional? What do you do?

As far as managing my social media, I have pretty much been the sole proprietor of my company. Since the beginning of the business, I have been the only one to push and promote the company and maintain a steady and productive environment. I have used the following social media platforms and have found them to be very successful in advertising the business: Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, TikTok and Etsy. In the future, I would love to increase my social media engagement and exposure by hiring a team to help reach a bigger audience.

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

My name is Mikayla Michelle Banks and I am 23 years old. I live in a small city in Mississippi called Vicksburg. I am the oldest of 3 children. I am a graduate of Mississippi State University with a degree in Biological Sciences. Earlier in my career, I had plans to use the degree to become a Dentist. Along the way, I changed my mind due to starting my business while in school. In college, I found great interest in knowing that I could make very good money by selling products and providing professional services in an area where I was the only one doing so. I have been able to provide for myself in many ways without having to fully be dependent upon my parents. I have always been a very hands-on individual starting back in middle school when I used to braid hair for fun. I am a fast learner which is why I had no problem learning new skills within my interests to add to my company. The name of my company is MKBanks&Co. I originally started selling hair products and later added jewelry and body piercings where I attended a training course to be certified. Not long after adding those services, I attended another training course in Atlanta where I got certified for Teeth Whitening and Tooth gems as well as Brow Wax & Tint and Microshading. The main problem I consider myself solving for my clients is boosting their self-esteem and helping them to enhance their physical and social appearance. What sets MKBanks&Co. apart from the others is that you can get it all in one place. I am most proud of the fact that I am able to fully manage and profit from my business. Even though it does get hard and challenging doing it without help, I feel like it is worth it especially knowing the potential my company has for the future. I would love for my potential clients/followers/fans to know that I am honest, hardworking, and will always provide quality products and services as well as professionalism by showing that I only want the best for my clients.

We’d really appreciate if you could talk to us about how you figured out the manufacturing process.

Though I do not manufacture my own products. I had to work very hard to find good quality vendors for each product that I sell. It is very time-consuming and expensive when searching for the best vendors/companies to work with. It took me almost 2 years of trial and error before finding the right one. I have learned along the way that it is very important to learn how to communicate well with your vendors, build trust, and have knowledge of good quality merchandise. I have also learned to get assistance from others in the industry who are willing to help an upcoming novice like myself.

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

My strategy for growing my clientele is to continue providing quality products, courteous services, professionalism, and a clean and safe environment. Another key strategy is to be consistent with the products and services that I provide and also stay abreast of the latest trends and fashions. It is also important to accommodate and reward your customers with great sales, raffles, promotions, and giveaways. So far, social media is one of the main strategies that I use to reach potential clients/customers. My overall goal through social media is to try my best to reach a wide variety of clientele by considering all ages and income statuses.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.mkbanksandco.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/mkbanksandco
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mkbanksandco/