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

Monika, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. So, let’s start with trends – what are some of the largest or more impactful trends you are seeing in the industry?

Some of the largest or most impactful trends I’m seeing in the industry, Is actually my biggest pet peeve. Lol Everyone thinking natural hair is healthy versus relaxed hair. And the truth is healthy hair is healthy hair, whether it’s relaxed or natural.

Here is why! Being natural has a lot of pros and cons and so does relaxed hair. So to break it down in my opinion and educate our readers without creating a class. Being natural is great for those that take care of and can manage and maintain their hair properly. But I do believe that those factors are substantiated to the texture, curl pattern, and the hair ability to obtain moisture. Because one of the biggest issues with natural hair is finding a product that’s best for your own specific need. What works for one, doesn’t work for all. That’s why most people with natural hair have purchased soooo many different brands of products. And have numerous products under the sink, cause it seems like nothing is working. Or not able to find what does work. Realizing years later that nothing satisfies their hair needs to create long lasting, moisturized results, or create the texture they desire. This isn’t the case for everyone. But it is for most of the customers and clients I’ve come across. Often times their hair is extremely dry, under nourished, and they don’t know what to do, and even the styles they’re able to get they don’t really like, especially when it’s in the shorter stages. The reason the hair doesn’t obtain moisture is because the cuticle of the natural hair strand is closed. And the only thing that opens the cuticle is a chemical. Which the most common chemicals are relaxers or color. So thats why the moisture and dryness is ever present and you continually and consistently use leave in, moisturizers, curl creams and custards. Eventually causing product build up. And you end up having to shampoo your hair more often thank you would like, because of the visibility of the product. Then you have the tangling and the inability to comb through the hair especially at the roots. So they tend to comb the mid strand and ends of the hair, cause it doesn’t hurt as much. But neglecting the roots where the new growth is, creates scalp crowding. Scalp crowding is when the new growth builds up around the scalp and the scalp can’t breathe, no moisture is present, product build up, and it’s sensitive to comb, part to oil the scalp. So the client develops sensitive scalp and sometimes dandruff and other scalp conditions. And let’s not get into the natural products that aren’t really natural products. Why? Checking the ph level of a product and where it is registered on the ph scale determines whether or not the product really is natural. I’ve seen and tested conditioners that the ph was so high you needed a neutralizer after the conditioner to bring the hair back to a normal ph. I learned these tips and skills being on the product test team and educator for Design Essentials

I could go on and on but I will stop there cause I think you get the gist.

As far as relaxed hair the myth can be put to rest that you need a relaxer every 6 weeks. The only clients that tend to need a relaxer often are the short hair cut clients. From the pixie cut and shorter those are the clients that get relaxed often. But only because of the new growth that appears around the sides and back of the head. Relaxed clients have experienced improper technique and application which breaks, damages and changes the hairs ability to establish healthiness. Your hair won’t break off because of relaxer and what it’s made of. It’s the knowledgeability of the professional, the skill set, technique, application and understanding of chemical dos and dont’s, that break and damage the hair. Relaxed hair can be healthy hair for sure. But it’s the improper hair care regimens, improper techniques and application that make it appear the opposite. Relaxed hair cuticles are open when the relaxer is applied which allows the professional to impart moisture, hydration, build the molecular structure of the hair strands, and create a template for maximum results. Then fortifying the hair with the proper shampoo and conditioning treatments afterwards and in between services. Leading to consistent hair growth and lasting results. But all and all and to bottom line it. The choice is yours. But don’t be stuck in one narrative or the other. Because at the end of the day healthy hair is healthy hair. Whether you’re relaxed or natural. I just don’t want you to think just cause you don’t have a relaxer your natural hair is healthy. Or just come and sit in my chair and experience a hair consultation with your Moments With Mo. I can tell you how to have the best of both worlds. Determining what would be better for your hairs overall performance and longevity. And develop a hair care regimen for your specific need.

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

My name is Monika Willis I am a Maryland native. Born and raised in Annapolis, Maryland. My entrepreneurial career started when I was 13 years old doing finger waves in the school bathroom for five dollars lol, TRUE STORY. Being gifted in the craft for over 30 years is such a blessing. I’m grateful to provide hair wellness, hair restoration, creative style, and healthy haircare regimens and services. I witness a lot of first time clients not getting the proper treatment or services based upon their hair care needs, so they come with broken, damaged, dry, thinning, bald, and sometimes no edges. So I developed products in my own research and studies to create products to help with these hair issues. My product line is called Accelerator 1.0, this product helps make hair growth and restoration happen faster. So my brand encompasses something that’s lost in this Industry. Which is wisdom, knowledge, understanding and demonstration of basic hair care needs and necessities. With an environment of sisterhood, motivation, laughter, empowerment, and love. We promote, and believe in haircare and self-care. I’m proud of what our brand gives to our clients first. Then the accomplishments outside of standing behind the chair in the salon. We’ve been featured in Nationally Syndicated Magazines. Such and Sophisticates Black Hair Magazine twice, Cillium Magazine, and Style Q Magazine. We’ve also had the honor to have Barbara Mikulski, the former Mayor of Baltimore’s office presented us with a citation and one of the most amazing write-ups of our contributions and service to our community, Megan Simonaire former Delegate spoke on behalf of the House of Delegates. That day, we received amazing recognitions for the City of Annapolis and the State of Maryland from many branches of government. I was truly humbled and amazed by such prestigious acknowledgments. I am still amazed to this day. More recently have been blessed to work on various movie sets as an assistant hairstylist, key hairstylist, and department head for hair wardrobe and makeup. I have worked with celebrities such as David Correy Remy Ma, Tarhonda Jones, Pretty Vee, Rhapsody, and Debbie Morgan to name a few. I have worked with production companies and networks such as Black Entertainment Television (BET), It’s a Wrap Studios, Laray Productions, Patty Rice Films and Home Box Office (HBO) not just as a stylist but as an actress or an extra. I’ve had an amazing career and we’re just getting started.
ONLY GOD !!!

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

In 2018 I chose to close my 1500 sqaure foot salon with a 6 figure income to take care of my mom with stage 4 cancer. I was the only child my mom had. So the other option was a nursing facility. Which is not an option for my mom. So I closed my salon and started servicing some of my clients at my home. So I could take care of her and still have some income. It was no where near the same income I was used to. But I was near my mom when she needed me. I would rather serve my mom over money everyday. Money is easy to get, but time with your loves one is something you can’t get back. Once she passed away covid showed itself and we all know what that was like. But for me to process the type of loss I experienced it wasn’t just about my moms death. It was allll that surrounded me. I had a deer accident a month after her death, that caused me to temporarily loose my memory. Eventually I ended up moving to Texas. Flying biweekly to Maryland to service my clients here cause I didn’t trust anyone to care for them like I would. And since then we’re on an upward trajectory and has some major plans in actions. Social Media was, is, and will always be a platform to build and showcase my business, and empower and motivate those that connect with your brand. I built it by being authentic and genuine at all times. No fluff or flattery. I show my ups and downs as well as my lows and highs, because it’s all apart of the process. I always say “people see the highlight reel, But nobody knows what it takes to put together the movie” So I post what’s real and authentic to who I am And what I do.

In 2015 I started going viral but then life hit me so bad that I stopped going live. Even though by the time I would end 1000 people or more have viewed my video already. I didn’t think if I stopped it would matter. It wasn’t until I slowed completely down where I realized how much my words impact some people everyday life. But I had to take some time to access my own life. Understand what was important, necessary, needed and how to get to a place of peace for myself. So I stopped doing videos as much and continued to impact and empower through words. And I developed Moments With Mo. Where I share wisdom moments to empower or even interrupt thought patterns to expand the capacity of the mind. To think outside the box and realize there is no box. We have no limits. So I share thought provoking what you would say, thought of or wanted to but just don’t. Or those not know how to put it into words but that’s exactly how I feel moments. My main community is Facebook. This is where I get the most engagement and interaction over all.

I have videos that are viral on Facebook, Instagram and Tik Tok.

So I continue to build, in return learning how to be creative and now hiring a content creator to showcase my artistry differently. I am back doing live videos but no where near how I used to. But I have some great things aligning itself to push the envelope and increase my visibility. So STAY LOCKED IN!!!

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

Social Media was, is, and will always be a platform to build and showcase my business, and empower and motivate those that connect with your brand. I built it by being authentic and genuine at all times. No fluff or flattery. I showed my ups and downs as well as my lows and highs. It’s apart of the price. I always say “people see the night reel. But nobody knows what it takes to put together the movie” So I always post what’s real and authentic to who I am And what I do. In 2015 I started going viral but then life hit me so bad that I stopped going live. Even though by the time I would end 1000 people or more have viewed my video already. I didn’t think if I stopped it would matter. It wasn’t until I slowed completely down where I realized how much my words impact some people everyday life. But I had to take some time to access my own life. Understand what was important, necessary, needed and how to get to a place of peace for myself. So I stopped doing videos as much and continued to impact and empower through words. And I developed Moments With Mo. Where I share wisdom moments to empower or even interrupt thought patterns to expand the capacity of the mind. To think outside the box and realize there is no box. We have no limits. So I share thought provoking what you would say, thought of or wanted to but just don’t. Or those not know how to put it into words but that’s exactly how I feel moments. My main community is Facebook. This is where I get the most engagement and interaction over all.

I have videos that are viral on Facebook, Instagram and Tik Tok.

So I continue to build, in return learning how to be creative and now hiring a content creator to showcase my artistry differently. I am back doing live videos but no where near how I used to. But I have some great things aligning itself to push the envelope and increase my visibility. So STAY LOCKED IN!!!

Contact Info:

• Website: Momentswithmo.org
• Instagram: Moments_withmo
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MonikaLWillis?mibextid=LQQJ4d
• Linkedin: Monika Willis
• Twitter: Monika Willis
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@momentswithmo9886
• Other: Tik tok moments_withmo

Image Credits
Tate Digital In Philadelphia For my professional images