Today we’d like to introduce you to Chimere Faulk.
Chimere, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
In 2004, I completed my studies in Creative Advertising. I moved to Atlanta with hopes to work in an advertising firm. I quickly realized that dream wouldn’t happened. I got a job working in a regular 9-5 corporate job. I was responsible with scheduling groceries into a warehouse working with Buyers, Vendors and Carriers. Not really understanding how I got stuck with this job.
Soon the office was laid off and I moved up as a manager in my part-time job. I hated my life at this point lol.
I once heard a woman say on my way to work, “do what you love, you’ll never work a day of your life.’ This changed my life.
I remember doing hair while in college and realized that was pretty dope. So I looked online for natural hair stylist positions. I interviewed and got the position. Over the course of 6 years, I managed, hired, trained and ran a natural hair salon in Little 5 Points. The absolute best experience of my life.
In 2011, the salon owner let me and the salon go the weekend of my 30th birthday. I didn’t know what the hell I was going to do. That summer clients found me online and called me up asking for service. I’ll never forget one client told me, “I don’t care if you were in a back alley with a step stool and a water hose. I only want you to do my hair.”
So I went to a thrift store and bought a comfy office chair and used my mom’s old vanity table. I decided to create a salon area in my living room. Candles, relaxing music, and a clean environment. My clients absolutely loved it. They also appreciated that I didn’t have the responsibility of managing an entire salon anymore.
The Natural Hair Lady was born. I created my website and social media handles. I was all set. Soon, people booked me to take care of them all over the country. I was flown out to New York, DC, Denver, Tampa, and Ohio to create locs on people who saw my work online.
In 2014, I noticed a continuous situation. I would notice build-up in my clients locs. Build-up is a cluster of old product. I’d fuss at my clients and ask what they’re using. They would tell me and I’d tell them to throw it away lol. Then the infamous question, “then what am I suppose to use then, Chimere?”
I looked online to research the best ingredients for soft hair, moisture, and hair growth. That entire year, I mixed and played around with mixtures. I used them on clients each day to see how well or not it worked. I decided to solve problems I heard continuously as a natural hairstylist. Clients trusted me and were happy to be apart of the process.
By the end of the year, I was gifted by a client/friend who believed in everything I did. She loved how I positively co-parented and how I didn’t give up on life as a newly single mom. She was a single mom once and always wanted to give back when she could.
By this time, I had five products finished. Her gift gave me the opportunity to purchase enough ingredients, bottles and tops for 80 bottles of each product. I opened drlocs.com in 2015.
The year was pretty steady. I made 76 orders that year. In 2016, I was apart of the World Natural Hair Show that spring. Afterwards, Youtubers started testing and loving the line. Things skyrocketed that summer.
At this point, I had employees in my home helping with planning, marketing, and production; plus the salon still.
In 2017, The Natural Hair Lady got a facelift and moved into an elegant space of her own. I share the salon with my best friend who’s a natural hair stylist as well.
By 2018, Dr Locs reached six figures in revenue and is steadily growing each year. The Natural Hair Lady is steadily growing servicing natural hair and loc clients in an area where people are constantly moving in from out of town. The space continues the original idea which is to provide a place where clients can feel good and get their hair done.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
NO! lol. The struggles I’ve experienced in both businesses are feeling dips in sales and client bookings. There are times where sales have dropped and/or clients aren’t booking as much. The key has been to be aware of these seasons and treat them with marketing and brand awareness. I’ve learned to keep my head high into my business because people are looking for me (the business). Also to understand that dips happen and to look at the overall sales chart, year to year instead of day to day.
Please tell us about Dr Locs and The Natural Hair Lady.
My businesses are Dr Locs and The Natural Hair Lady. Dr Locs is a line designed for the loc’d community. The loc’d community consists of people who have locs (dreadlocks). The Natural Hair Lady is a cozy natural hair salon with a minimal, modern, chill vibe. The salon is known for always running on time; clients don’t wait around to get their hair done. Clients brag about being in and out on time.
With Dr Locs, I’m most proud of my staff culture. Yes, the company is making money. But I’m most proud to say everyone who’s worked for my company, they could always say they loved working. It’s my mission with any business I have, to create a good feel atmosphere. There’s certain principles I hold dear to my personal life, that I picked up while working at Apple years ago. I believe if you hire passionate people, people who have something they love already, then they’re happily to contribute to your company as well.
With The Natural Hair Lady, we are set apart from other salons because of our holistic and compassionate approach. We’re big on consultations which strengthen the relationship between client and stylist.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
I would have been better at bookkeeping lol.
Contact Info:
- Address: 1655 Mansell Rd Suite 210 Alpharetta GA 30009
- Website: drlocs.com and naturalhairlady.com
- Phone: dr locs 1-877-376-3761 natural hair lady 404-671-9222
- Email: info@drlocs.com info@naturalhairlady.com
- Instagram: @drlocs @naturalhairladystudio @naturalhairlady
- Facebook: facebook.com/drlocs facebook.com/naturalhairladystudio facebook.com/thenaturalhairlady
- Twitter: twitter.com/drlocs. twitter.com/naturalhairlady
- Yelp: yelp.com/naturalhairlady
- Other: pinterest.com/drlocs
Image Credit:
Phyllis Iller Photography (the woman holding the product in hand), Tatum Lewis with Honey Photos (the product shots laying down on wood platform), Kelley Raye (my profile photo of myself with a hat on), and Joy Evonne Photos (the photo of the brown bottled products with yellow labels on a shelf). The rest of the photos are shots made Chimere Faulk.
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