I started the Curl Bar several years ago, a place for curly-haired clients to feel empowered and embraced. It wasn’t an easy journey, but it was something that I had so much passion for. Growing up, you would rarely see hair salons that catered for natural curly hair of all textures. They would rather straighten the curls before cutting and styling when, realistically, we shouldn’t have to heat damage our hair just to get a trim. So, I learnt how to dry-cut hair, and alongside this, I wanted to create a safe space for girls to get their hair done the way they wanted. Six years of learning about hair and different hair types and here I am. I’m proud of the journey that I have taken, and it’s taught me that I can achieve anything if I believe in myself. Being a Black business owner today carries much significance. Beyond entrepreneurship, it’s about community empowerment, cultural heritage and resilience. It’s not just about personal success and hitting that first milestone, but also social change that we’re still on a long road ahead. Dismantling those systemic barriers that have been put in place for years takes time, and we need each other to make it work. This Black History Month, it’s all about reclaiming your narrative. While it’s important to recognise and support Black business-owners, it’s also important not to let that define you and what you are ultimately working towards. You can express yourself and empower yourself in many different ways, and being a Black business owner is just one of them. My career has been a huge part of who I am, starting the Curl Bar has allowed me to be more confident and wiser about who I am as a person. Although, as I’ve grown up, I’ve also started worrying more about the prospect of failing. I try and remind myself what my 17-year-old self would tell me now. I was more driven and had more energy back then, but society feels different today and I feel external pressures more than ever. When you’re a young Black woman, you are always told to focus on your goals and work hard, and you’re never given grace to go and enjoy yourself. But I know young me would be saying ‘Young Black women should be able to go out and enjoy themselves too and not feel the pressure of having to succeed at such a young age.’ To all future aspiring business-owners out there, my tip for success is just being able to listen to your clients. It sounds simple, right? But as a hairdresser, your vision for someone isn’t always what they want to achieve, and that’s not just in hairdressing but in other areas of life, too. People aren’t always ready for what is right for them, and that is okay. It’s about having the skill set and patience to guide them to the result that they’re happy and comfortable with.
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