We recently connected with Teqouya Tann and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Teqouya thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. How did you find your key vendor or vendors? Maybe you can share the backstory and share some context and the relevant details to help us understand why you chose them, why they chose you, etc.

Vendor selection is important in the development of a lasting brand. When I started my hair business in 2012 finding vendors was not an easy task at all. In today’s world you can scope them out on social media and you have more reviews to rely on. However initially it was the hardest task ever …I was discovering vendors on marketplaces such as aliexpress and Alibaba … the process was really expensive and tedious and you literally had to research and source your hair carefully to avoid fraudulent business deals and bad batches of hair . I purchased so many samples and tested out until I found a quality product. I always wrote down at least 2-3 vendors a month. I developed a business contact (email and phone ) and begin communicating and forming lasting relationships… today one of my top vendors is a reliable quality assured vendor that I made a great business relationship with for the last 10 years. I made my Elevator pitch to attract the quality vendors and always spoke in an intelligent manner in regards to the hair industry so that they know I mean business and I could not be taken advantage of .

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.

So I go by the name of Kyra Couture I am the founder and owner of Couture Crowns Beauty Studio. Couture Crowns Beauty Studio is a luxury Hair Extensions , Haircare and Salon brand that also offer many other beauty services such as skincare, cosmetics, and fashions. I got into this industry 11 years ago as a college student. I always prayed for a talent and was really broke and wanted more. I got my first moment as I styled a close friend and I got such great feedback that it encouraged me to keep going. In a blink of an eye I was styling everyone on my college campus as well as many other women from all over Georgia. I winged my business then and became a success however , I made a decision to take a hiatus for a few years to explore my college major as a career. I felt empty and really missed out on the art of hair styling and providing top quality extensions. I relaunched my business under a new name Couture Crowns Beauty Studio in 2022 ( formerly known as A Stitched Perfection ) … at this time the beauty industry has expanded and changed in so many ways. I took the knowledge and discipline I initially developed 11 years ago and made a business plan and strategy to make a second wave of success for my relaunch. With the help of social media as well as the reputation I’ve always had I feel confident in my business. We now offer luxury hair care products, hot tools , 100% raw hair extensions and more. I am so enthused and overjoyed of the quality of my products and the feedback from past present and future clients … I also can’t boast on nothing if I don’t brag on my flawless traditional sew installs that made me popular earlier in my career. I’ve learned new techniques and strategies that my clients love and missed. My sew in installs lasts for 3-4 months and with the best quality hair my clients always feel satisfied with their investments. I pride myself and my brand on quality we offer the best of the best. Couture Crowns Beauty Studio is the home of all things beauty , the best Raw and Virgin bundles and the ready to wear wigs (pre plucked, pre bleached , glueless, & HD) , quality haircare that promotes healthy hair as our motto states “Couture Hair is Healthy Hair” … I always want to cater to our beauty and hair connoisseur

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

My authenticity is what helped build my reputation. I always made my styling environment comfortable for my clients. I always asked questions during the booking process to better gather my clients preferences so once they showed up for one appointment I knew that they would return. I offered quality and didn’t focus solely on sales but on the experience. In my college town I was one of the first individuals to have this type of business so it was easy to set the tone and just put forth my best effort to cater to my clients and customers needs.

Can you share one of your favorite marketing or sales stories?

Marketing is something that came so natural to me. Social media marketing was fairly new when I first started my business so my main success wasn’t attributed to social media initially. I became a walking billboard I styled my hair and I always got stopped by individuals on campus and that gave me the opportunity to give my pitch to make a sale. I also developed my own website and booking site that gave my business a more professional look. The convenience is what drew many of my clients. I printed flyers and left them in highly populated areas and school such as buses , ladies room , and student center) . I started a rewards program that was a loyalty card and also a discount for students (which was my target audience) , Lastly a word of mouth from individuals that I made brand ambassadors for discounted styles. All of these things I did early on without really knowing they were major marketing strategies and it was a success for me.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.couturecrownsbeautystudio.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/couturecrownsbeautystudio?igshid=MmIzYWVlNDQ5Yg==
• Other: TikTok -kyrakouture file:///var/mobile/Library/SMS/Attachments/84/04/A9E495CB-E048-4A78-B7B7-E9B0DD2348DB/image.jpeg

Image Credits
Genevieve-LuxeDigiLabs (magazine cover photo)