Today we’d like to introduce you to Maureen Washington.
Maureen, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My journey to success begins in an unexpected place where tragedy met opportunity, and voila, Beauty Supply Vending was born.
Seven years ago, my mother was diagnosed with colon cancer. The news rocked my family to the core, and all I wanted to do was support my mom through her path to wellness. She endured treatments that left her tired, irritable and soon, my beautiful mother was losing her crown of curls. We high-tailed it to the local beauty supply store to find a stylish wig to make my mom feel whole again. Instead, we were met with an unruly sales person. Black shoppers know that feeling when it seems someone is watching your every move. On top of my mom’s woes, we were dealing with racist store clerks who thought we might be thieves simply because of the color of our skin. I saw the angst and anger on my mother’s face, and in a flash, we left the store without a wig.
After months of discussions with family and friends, we tried to open a beauty supply shop for my mother and all mothers, but every door was slammed in my face. Try as I might, I could not get this store open before my mom’s untimely death. After her passing, I mourned for four years, kicking myself for not bringing this to pass faster. I just wanted her to see our dream come to pass, but I know she is in that great cloud of witnesses watching me now.
In 2019 I dusted off the dream by Googling “hair vending low,” and behold, Rasheeda, Diamond Dynasty, The Mane Vendor all had Vending Machines. (By the way, ladies, you are all geniuses!!!) These haircare moguls had cornered the market, but then I had my AHA moment when I noticed their machines were only vending HAIR. It baffled me because we need the whole team! We need the needle and thread, Glue, Edge Control, Wig Cap, Lashes, Hair – the entire A treatment.
Right then and there, I started sketching the machine on paper. After that, everything just seemed to flow, and soon I purchased the supplies, called a company to have a machine configured. Within a few weeks, I launched Beauty Supply Vending!!
There was just one missing piece to the puzzle with the machine in hand; where can I place them? One morning I woke up and just knew that my niche was college campuses and, more importantly, HBCUs. So many African American girls go off to college, and they do not know the area. They don’t have a car even to venture out to find a beauty supply store.
I did not realize my journey was just beginning. I beat the pavement, made countless calls and contacts for colleges. I just knew they would jump at the chance to have a free vending machine to put in the residence halls for the students and faculty. I was wrong. My messages and calls went unanswered until one fateful day Marsha Brown at Cheyney University called me and said she wanted the machine at the college. I happened to be driving when I had to pull over so that I could hear her correctly. My client Cynthia Hameen had prayed for it to be Cheyney because of its history of being one of the first African American colleges. I am here in Atlanta, so my thoughts were Spellman or Clark. When I called Cynthia to tell her the news she started to scream, then it got quiet. She was crying for joy, which in turn made me cry. The rest is history. Now we are poised to launch a dozen machines on college campuses in the next few months.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
The road to small business ownership is never easy. COVID has added a layer of complacency in the workplace. I think employees are overworked and are suffering from COVID fatigue. As a business owner, I found customer service is at an all-time low. The most disappointing thing can be driving across state lines to meet a prospective client only to find that the calls are falling through the cracks because of labor shortages. It is a tough time for small businesses, but I am resilient.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
I am a specialty vending machine company. I offer a chance to advertise and sell your product through a customized approach. This method is unique in today’s modern market. We offer a way for you to sell your products, such as homemade items, to the public directly with an easy, effective method. We provide pre-designed models as well as custom. These customized vending machines come with your very own graphics on the machine and a QR Code that will bring the customer to your website and act as another source of sales wherever they are placed
The purchasers of these vending machines can be divided into two categories based on the locations they will be housed in. The first group of buyers for the machine are business owners like hotels, conference centers, cruise lines, performance centers, laundry mats, they all have a customer base that always forgets something, and that is where the Beauty Supply Vending Machine is needed. If a business owner has the space to house these machines, they can take advantage of more profit besides Snack and beverages.
The second category would be existing business owners who want a way to increase buyers or clientele. Beauty Salons are a great example; salons can earn extra income by selling Beauty supplies in the salon or leasing space to an owner of a beauty supply vending machine. The salon owner can also put their brand of hair or products in the machine.
What sets me apart from other vending companies is that I offer a lot of add ons when you purchase a machine. I include your graphics, free shipping white-glove service, credit card reader, proposal, personal consultation, 100 business lead list, tee-shirt with your brand, and a 1yr warranty.
I am best known for Beauty Supply Vending. And Business With A Business
I am so proud of Beauty Supply Vending; it is a Billion-dollar business, and it gives everyone. I mean everyone, all ages, industries, and demographics, a chance to start a business and have fun doing it. More importantly, it will make my mother so proud to know that you don’t have to go to a beauty supply store; you can go to your local salon: barbershop, hotel, college, etc., to get what you need.
So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
People can help by embracing the ideal of Beauty Supply Vending by opening up their businesses. Beauty Supply is not just hair. It is other items that we all need like tweezers, razors, wipes, emergen c vitamin, detox tea,
I love collaborating with new business owners. Email me today, and I can have the appropriate machine in your establishment without any fuss.
Pricing:
- $5194 Regular Coil
- $7595 LCD Screen
Contact Info:
- Email: mobeautysupplyvending@gmail.com
- Website: www.mobeautysupplyvending.com
- Instagram: @mobeautysupplyvending
- Facebook: facebook.com/mobeautysupplyvending
Image Credits
Reaux Woods Portrait and Branding Photographer www.Reauxwoods.com
