Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Tesha McDonald. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Tesha thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

I moved to the Poconos 17 years ago. When I moved there, there were absolutely no Natural Hair Care Salons. I have been braiding hair since five years old and got my first pay when I was 12. In New York City I was “grandfathered” into the Natural Hair care industry, but in Pennsylvania I had to get my full cosmetology license in order to open a salon. I did not like that because I never wanted to do “cut & color” I just wanted to do braids, locs and extensions. Too bad for me! I enrolled in the local cosmetology school but since I already held my Nail Technology and Esthetic license in New York, I received credit and did not go have to go as long as a new student. One day a guest speaker came in and said they do ALL types of hair including mine, so later on I went to their salon and there was no one there to do my hair. Easter was coming and now I had to do my own hair. I was lied to!
I told my husband, I do not want to work for a salon. I want my own salon. There is no one out here that offers the service I will offer! He could not see it happening for me. He did not see all the potential. Well as I was nearing the end of my cosmetology classes, a student told me about a salon that was closing. I jumped at the opportunity to take over.
I would come after school and the owner of the salon would introduce me to her clients. In July 2009, Alternatives Salon opened. I then began classes for my Cosmetology Instructors License. I would teach the nail care and esthetic classes then come to the salon and do clients.
I was correct! Til this day, I am still the only Natural Hair Care salon in my area, specializing in locs (specifically), braids, twist, and extensions. I get excited when I hear people are coming from far and near for my services. I have put on 3 hair shows, raising money for different organizations such as a Beauty school scholarship, Women’s Resources and Reignbow’s to name a few. I have since changed the name to Alternatives Beauty Studio, so that people know that I do not only do hair, but offer other services as well.
My next endeavor is to open Alternatives Beauty School. Most beauty schools are still lacking when it comes to teaching ALL textures of hair. They fall short of teaching the latest trends and are stuck on teaching the same curriculum from the 1950’s. We need to bridge the gap between old school and the new. We also need to have inclusivity in this industry. Like I said I never wanted to learn “cut & color” but was forced to and those are services I rarely perform.

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

I am the oldest of five. I am an identical twin. At 5 years old I started braiding–self taught. At eleven my siblings and I were placed in foster care. My parents were drug addicts. Braiding hair became my outlet. My sister and I were kept together, but split from my brothers and my brothers were split from each other. We would remain that way for a couple years, until my grandmother (foster mother) said no, if there are five kids they should be together. Give me all five. My brothers father died first, Christmas Eve on his couch. A year later, in January, my mother was beaten and left in the street for dead. She died when we got to the hospital. The following year, yes you guessed it, my father died. Three deaths in 3 years. All the while I am continuing to braid.
My foster mother, said Tesha, you sure are good at that. You need to go to beauty school. I don’t know how you do all those little braids, she would say.
I taught my sister how to braid. On Monday nights we would braid each other’s hair for the school week and on Saturday evenings we had to take out the braids to get our hair done for church. That cycle went on until we got to high school. Then we got relaxers and what was called the Jheri Curl.
To be honest, people always compare twins. I was always the dumb twin who would turn out like her mother with a bunch of children. My sister, however, was the smart twin and would go far, introvert, always in her books–that was her outlet.
Well, we were the first to graduate high school. What an accomplishment! We both were accepted into college. I wanted to go to beauty school as my foster mother suggested but my biological grandfather said no! They are the first to graduate high school, they are going to college. (Well we knew my sister was going, lol) She went to school for nursing and I went to school for stenography (court reporter), because I was always good at typing and shorthand.(Yes, we went to separate colleges. We needed our independence).
While at school, there was a girl there who did nails. You could smell the acrylic way down the hallway. Well, that sparked my interest! When I went home for break, I was practicing nails! There goes my grandmother again, because I was also doing hair. Tesha, you sure know you can do some hair she would say.
Well, let’s just say I was in a 2 year school with a 4 year plan. I did not graduate. I went to school for nails! My grandfather was not happy. Nails?! What you gonna do with that? A year later, I went to Christine Valmy for esthetics. Since I already had my nail license, I would substitute teach nails to offset my tuition.
I would go on to work for a prestigious salon at the World Trade Center and train the nail technicians how to do acrylic nails. Five years later, my nail teacher, unbeknownst to me, recommended me to the New York State Board to become a Nail Technology Examiner, I accepted the assignment and appreciate that to this very day. That was back in 2004!
At 23 years old, I opened my first salon. Had no clue what I was doing. It was a nail salon in the front with 2 braiding stations in the back. It flopped within a few months. So, I found a job braiding hair at a well known shop….as a matter of fact the owner writes the natural hair care portion of the book for Milady (cosmetology book used by many schools across the U.S.). She was an amazing mentor and we are still in contact today.
There I learned about photoshoots, how a salon should look and feel and the importance of retail.
Once I decided to leave there and do my own thing, I had it down pat! I started booking my own photoshoots and my work has now been seen both nationally and internationally! I started doing “B” list celebrities. This was it, I will braid! That is what I am meant to do! But you know what–that is not all I was meant to do. Following my foster mothers steps, my husband and I took in sibling groups of foster children for eight years. We adopted two. Braiding hair gave me and still gives me the freedom to be with my children while still making good money.
I am always in some kind of class whether its for business or to learn a new skill, I am always learning and forget about it, when there is a conference–I am there! No, I no longer only braid hair, I do facials and I love make up. Oddly, my first license is in nail care and I don’t do them at all. I am addicted to continuing education.
Proper techniques are so important. I am working with the cosmetology board in my state to set some kind of guideline for the natural hair care industry and currently, there is no license needed for braiding hair. The solution is to take the full cosmetology course to obtain a license, but many students like me are not interested in the full course.
So many women are losing their hair because of improper braiding techniques. Unlicensed salons are getting away with improper sanitation or no sanitation at all.
My salon is very “niche”. We do not offer chemical services (besides a natural color). No relaxers, perms, or keratin treatments. We also do not do precision cuts. Many of our products are hand made and has been for the last 14 years. I love teaching the next generation things of the past and present. Things I wish I was taught in beauty school. Things I have learned since having my business. I have come a long way since losing both parents to drugs at a young age and being a foster child. Anything is possible. I cannot wait for Alternatives Beauty School to open. I thank my grandmother (foster mother) for believing in me.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

I had to unlearn — Tesha is the dumb twin. I am now 50 years old and up until very recently, I was still dealing with being called dumb from multiple people who were supposed to care for me. I still am not computer savvy, because I never felt smart enough to learn the computer. I struggle and I may stay on the computer for hours trying to learn something. I have taken a computer course at the local community college to become better at it and lots of times still can’t get it. That does not help me feel any better. One thing my twin sister said to me that made me feel so much better about myself, Tesha, you are not dumb. You could not run a business if you were dumb. You could not teach classes if you were dumb, You could not write books if you were dumb.
I learned that even if I did not do those things, I am a good person. I have a good heart. I am not incapable of learning. So what if I do not know this or that, no one knows it all and I have always believed, if you do not know how to do something either learn it or hire someone who knows how! I am done holding on to what happened so many years ago. Words are powerful, we need to be careful of the things we say, especially to children, because they grow up and don’t forget.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

There are two stories I would like to share about my resilience. I am a daughter of not one but both parents addicted to drugs. I am a daughter of both parents dying when I was very young. I am a survivor of several forms of abuse. I am a former foster child. There are people with stories worse than mine. There are people who story is not as bad as mine. With my life’s circumstances, one would think, she (Tesha) is not going to make it. She’s going to be like her parents. Well, I never wanted to be like them. I wanted to be just the opposite. I have never once touched a drug in my life. I am a better parent to my children than my parents ever was to me.
I may not be rich, but I have made a success of my life. I speak to young adults who may be going through similar situations and let them know, you will be ok, don’t give up.
Secondly, when my first salon failed, I did not quit. It was not the time. When we moved from NY, I found an open space and filled it. Find what is missing in your space and fill it. Believe in yourself. You may not get an encouraging word from anyone. My husband did not believe my salon would work, but I did it and I am still the only salon in my area specializing in what I do almost 15 years later.

Contact Info:

• Website: AlternativesBeautyStudio.com
• Instagram: AlternativesBeautyStudio
• Facebook: AlternativesBeautyStudio

Image Credits
All photos taken by Keston Duke of Keston Duke photography