We were lucky to catch up with Nia Brown recently and have shared our conversation below.

Nia , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Are you happier as a business owner? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job?

Overall, I am happy as a business owner. Of course I have my days where I dread going into my shop, but once my client gets there and we start to vibe, all of that changes and it makes me remember why I went into this profession in the first place. Making people happy and feel beautiful, makes me happy! I feel like I was put here to serve, and that’s exactly what I’m doing. Every once in a blue moon, I do dwell on what it would be like to work a regular job, to have a set schedule, to have a consistent paycheck..but the work I do is so much more fulfilling.

I remember being up late one night in October, looking at my bookings and seeing only 5 appointments booked for the month. This came as quite a disappointment to me being that I was so used to being completely booked by the 1st week in the month. I had to really sit and think to myself, “Is this even worth it anymore? Should I just go apply for something in my degree field (Bachelors in Biology) and shut it down?” Then I thought about how far I’ve came, all the money I’ve invested thus far and how much of a difference I’ve made in this braiding game! I’ve built such a strong clientele over the years and it would be insane for me to throw it all away over 1 bad month! As November settles in, I’m seeing more and more appointments being booked every single day. That’s all I can really ask for.

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

My name is Nia, I’m a 28 y/o professional braider and now crafter based in Savannah,GA. Getting into the hair industry was very unexpected. I was working a job that I LOVED, I got pregnant and started getting really sick while working, the owners thought it was best if they laid me off for a while until I got better. Long story short, I never went back. While I was laid off, I put some Box braids in my hair, took pictures and posted them to Instagram. Shortly after, my very first client reached out to me to set an appointment, It was literally UP from there. My clientele grew more and more as the weeks went by. Now doing hair was not new to me at the time, because I had been braiding my hair and family/friends’ hair since high school & throughout college, but it’s something I never saw myself making a career out of, even though colleagues would joke and tell me I belong in Cosmetology school instead. I think what sets me apart from other braiders is: 1. I start ON TIME as long as you’re in my seat at the time of your appointment. 2. I’m always prepped and ready BEFORE your appointment time, and I’m always at least 1 hour early. 3. I provide the hair and products, all you have to do is bring yourself. 4. I offer complimentary snacks, drinks and wine. 5. I don’t cancel/reschedule last minute. 6. I return deposits if I cancel and I take money off of any inconveniences I may cause. 7. Wifi is available in my suite and I have multiple TV subscriptions to keep my clients entertained. 8. My space is clean and clutter free. 9. I GROW hair. 10. I braid fast and you won’t be in the chair all day. 11. My work is ALWAYS neat. And lastly, I offer discounts for returning clients and have an emailing list that receives random discounts just for signing up.

Last year in December I brought myself a Cricut for Christmas, I only wanted to make shirts and aprons for marketing purposes of my braiding business. Somehow, I ended up taking customers and creating custom items for them! Not even a year later and I have a very successful crafting business called “Kustoms By Nia”. I make T-shirts, cake toppers, Keychains, Pillowcases, coasters and almost anything else that can be customized. I offer a quick turnaround time and majority of my customers receive their orders way before the due dates they provide. As of now I offer pick up and shipping on the site (www.shopniab.com) but pretty soon I will be offering door delivery as well!

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

The most effective strategy for growing my clientele has honestly been staying CONSISTENT. Consistent in the work I produce , consistent in posting on social media. Consistency is really key when starting/owning a business. Clients/customers want to know that they will receive the same great service and products every time they book a service or order a product. That’s how you gain their loyalty.

We’d love to hear about how you keep in touch with clients.

I have emailing list that my clients and customers can sign up for on both of my websites. (www.shopniab.com and www.niabbraids.as.me). I feel this is the easiest way to keep in touch and check in! I use the emailing list for marketing new specials and sales that I drop, they get first dibs on everything before I even post it on social media.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.niabbraids.as.me , www.shopniab.com
• Instagram: niabbraids_ , kustomsbynia
• Facebook: Nia B
• Youtube: Nia LeAnna (@NiaTheBraider)