Today we’d like to introduce you to Indya Poindexter.
Indya, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I graduated from beauty school in 2013 and began working for a well-known franchise salon. I remember long nights of me sitting in my bedroom feeling unhappy and like I didn’t fit. It felt like I wasted time and money going to beauty school. Although I knew I wanted to be in the beauty industry, I wasn’t sure exactly what I wanted to do — I wasn’t even sure what I was good at. What was my contribution to my community and to the beauty industry?
Out of nowhere, I came up with the idea of selling nail polish. I loved getting my nails done, so I was familiar with nail trends. Selling polish was something different that no one else at the time was doing, and I could easily sell it while working full time. I received so much love that I decided to expand and add mink lashes to my new brand and cosmetics line that I soon named “Yummy Colour.” After working in that well-known franchise for about five years, I stepped out on faith and decided to open my own salon. I had the highest expectations for my salon. I put ads on Indeed, as well as other job search websites, looking for licensed stylists. The first year, I basically worked alone. I didn’t have consistent stylists to rent booths. I also didn’t have consistent clientele. I would go days, if not weeks, without a single client. I would sit in the salon and just cry. I would often doubt that the investment was even worth it.
I kept thinking of ways to make my life and career better. I took hair classes to offer more services, did giveaways to promote my brand, as well as hosted events at the salon to collaborate with other small business owners. Those helped out a lot. The second-year was a lot better. I started offering Micro links as one of my new services. I also decided that I wanted to relocate to something a little smaller for me to not only save money but to reestablish my brand and my vision.
I am in such a great space now. My clientele has grown tremendously, my social media has gained traction, and people travel to me from surrounding areas to get serviced which are all things that I’ve always dreamed about. Almost eight years later, and I finally found my place. This process helped me realize that success and branding doesn’t happen overnight, despite what many believe. My goal is to keep growing, personally and professionally, and to continue to get my name and brand out there.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It definitely was not a smooth and easy road. I cried so many times in an empty salon. I had so many doubts; I thought about giving up and going back to my old job. Going days and weeks without making money, no clients, not having consistent and reliable stylists were my main struggles and that can be very discouraging for a new entrepreneur/business owner.
We’d love to hear more about Yummy Colour.
My business is Yummy Colour blowout + MicroLink studio. I specialize in healthy hair, blowouts, Silkpress, Micro links, I-tips and cuts. I am known for my silk press, Micro links and although in no longer focus on the nail polish, I still get inquiries about it. I am proud of how far I’ve come and how much my work has improved. I love when new clients come to me and tell me how much they enjoyed the experience. I do not overbook, I love to take my time, one client at a time and I shampoo EVERY client. That’s what sets me apart from others.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
Taking that leap of faith by quitting my secure job to become a full-time entrepreneur was my proudest moment. Although I questioned if I made the right decision because it wasn’t lucrative at the time, I’m proud because I took the risk that I always wanted to take.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.Shopyummycolour.com/book
- Email: shopyummy@shopyummycolour.com
- Instagram: Instagram.com/officialyummycolour
- Facebook: Www.facebook.com/yummycolour
Image Credit:
(Hair spray pic) Justin Wright (@j.wrightsnapped)
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