We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Patrina King a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Patrina , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.
It wasn’t my idea. Starting Curl Ministry was not my idea. I was just a woman on a search for products that would aid me on my journey to experience the natural hair of my dreams. After relaxing my hair for 21 years I decided to join the countless women across the nation and return to my natural curls. From the very beginning, I dreamed of having long defined curls that bounced when I walked, glistened in the sun, and were easy to maintain. I dreamed that it would be an entire Herbal Essence experience and I was here for it. So, I made a plan.
First, I focused on growth. I wanted my natural hair to grow fast and I knew from my Guyanese upbringing, castor oil would help me achieve the length I desired. This knowledge inspired me to create my first product, Prosperity Thickening and Growth Oil. I used it religiously and I went from an inch of hair to hair that reached the middle of my back in less than five years. Once I got the growth part down I knew I needed to focus on the rest of my hair dreams and that was a little easier said than done. The defined curls that were easy to maintain, that bounced when I walked and glistened in the sun, continued to elude me.
My hair was dry, lack luster, and very hard to maintain. It took hours, several broken combs, and a fist full of breakage to wrangle my curls into a style. I was so frustrated and although I wanted to give up, I pushed on. Amid my hair struggles, I became a mom. I discovered my baby’s skin could not tolerate the “organic” baby products on the store shelves. I started using Prosperity Thickening and Growth Oil in her hair and on her skin. My baby’s skin never peeled, she never suffered from cradle cap, and she never lost her hair. I started experimenting with butters to create longer-lasting moisturizer for our skin and the result was Prosperity Body Glaze.
As my daughter got older, and her hair got longer, my frustrations with the product market grew. I tried almost every product in the multicultural aisle at Target only to discover I couldn’t find one product line that worked well on both of our curls. So, I started researching and experimenting with oils, fruits, roots, and powders in hopes of creating a cleanser and conditioner that would allow our curls to flourish. It took many attempts to get the ingredients right. When I did, I shared the resulting products (Embrace Moisturizing Shampoo and Embrace Deep Conditioner) with a friend, who asked for several refills, and strongly suggested I start a business selling my products.
The idea to begin creating organic products from scratch was birth from a need that was not being fulfilled by the current market of organic products available to Black women. However, the idea to create a business based on these products belongs to my friend.
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 was born in Guyana and raised in Brooklyn, NY. I am, mom, wife, and entrepreneur. I love paranormal romance novels and carry-out chicken wings. I am the owner and operator of Curl Ministry LLC which was birthed from my desire to end the hair care struggles endured by many naturals young.
Curl Ministry’s strategy to identify personalized hair care process has helped individuals re-discover personal connections with their natural hair. Through individual sessions, I help naturals identify and modify dysfunctional habits and process that cause unfavorable results. We leverage those discoveries to reframe and build consistent, individualized hair care routines.
Curl Ministry offers four products perfect for tight curls/coils; Prosperity Thickening and Growth Oil, Prosperity Body Glaze, Embrace Moisturizing Shampoo, and Embrace Deep Conditioner. Curl Ministry’s products are free of alcohols, detergents, and additives. These products get their effectiveness from familiar organic ingredients known to add vitamins, nutrients, and exceptional hydration to your hair. These ingredients also assist with detangling and conditioning dry brittle hair for a shorter, easier wash day.
Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?
Yes, there were two. Profit First by Mike Michalowicz and We Should All Be Millionaires by Rachel Rodgers.
I was introduced to Profit First a few months after starting my business and it changed the way I viewed business income. I initially thought that for the first few years of my business, I had to reinvest all business revenue back into the business. I didn’t expect to see any profits or to be paid as an owner. Profit First introduced me to a simple method of allocating a percentage of all sales to profit, owners pay, taxes, equipment, and operating expenses. As a result, within my first year of business, I was able to pay myself a lil sumthin while maintaining operations.
Reading We Should All Be Millionaires was a game changer. It altered the way I thought about money, my relationship with it, my ability to earn it, and my success. The book was awe-inspiring and highlighted the various ways I was making “broke a$$ decisions”, letting fear and a fixed mindset keep me from succeeding. After reading the book, I joined the Hello Seven club and was welcomed into a diverse community of women entrepreneurs seeking to build their businesses. It was truly an amazing experience.
What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?
The best source of new clients has been my current clients. They are my champions, brand ambassadors, and superfans. Every time they share their experiences using Curl Ministry, I receive a new client.
People want to know that the products they are interested in buying works. Of course, the owner will say “my products work” or “my products are great.” However, the endorsement lands differently when it comes from a customer whose hair looks amazing!
Contact Info:
- Website: Curlministryproducts.com
- Instagram: @curlministryproducts
- Facebook: @curlministry