Today we’d like to introduce you to Kiara Walker
Hi Kiara, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Doing hair has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. As a young girl I would play with mannequin heads and practice roller sets on family. I used to braid and help maintain my mom’s hair while she was battling cancer when I was a teen. When I went to college I would do sewins in my dorm room for $65 on my classmates. I also learned a lot from my aunt who was a stylist and she taught me a lot about coloring hair and extensions. Ironically even after all of that, I didn’t think that doing hair was my passion so I never pursued it professionally. But I also never felt like I was being fulfilled in my professional either. It wasn’t until I was 30 and working a pretty decent paying job but was so burnt out and tired of the daily routine that I started searching for what I’m passionate about and hair just jumped out at me! So I decided to go to back to school at 30 and get my cosmetology license. Since making that decision, my life has shifted in so many ways and I am so grateful for the gift that god blessed me with, because I get to make people feel pretty for a living and it really excites me! I now am a licensed stylist and I work for myself in a fully functional home based salon suite and I love it.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
This journey has been rocking! Lol. But all great stories have some twists and turns. Once I started school I immediately found out my husband and I were expecting our first child. So I went through school expecting and then on maternity leave so it took a lot longer than expected and I had to do it tired lol. I went from working a corporate job to betting on myself and navigating motherhood very quickly. It’s been a crazy ride. But professionally, I think that it’s been a lot slower than I anticipated originally because I have an obligation to my family as well now. I started out in a salon and quickly realized that it was going to be a good fit for me and my lifestyle so I had to make the decision to try to build a clientele on my own. Let me tell you, it’s hard, but it’s so rewarding having people who do not know you reach out because they like what you provide. Some weeks are better than others and I’m still learning a lot a lot the way. But all in all, I’m grateful for the journey and looking forward to all that comes with it.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a licensed stylist cosmetologist. My specialty is in natural hair and extensions services. For my natural hair girlies I do silk presses, color, and haircuts. I am an extension girl myself, I love sewins, quick weaves, tape ins and I am working towards building my skills with luxury services such as ktips and microlinks.
I have gotten a lot of feedback from my clients that are pleased with the foundation of their sewins and after a couple of months their install is still intact and they get alot of compliments. But I am most proud of my coloring skills, because color is a beast! Learning and understanding the color theory is so intimidating. So when I have a client who asks for something color wise and I deliver, I have to give myself a pat on the back.
I think what sets me aside from others is my genuinity. We have all heard the horror stories of Atlanta stylists and their service and attitude. I have experienced it myself. But I love people, I love to make people feel comfortable. It cost nothing to be friendly and inviting. There are so many talented stylists out here so Its hard to say what sets me apart in that aspect because we are all amazing but I truly love what I do and I love how I brighten peoples day so I strive to make sure incorporate being happy, genuine, and welcoming in every aspect of my business.
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
That comparison is the thief of joy. It’s so easy to try to compare yourself to everything and everybody with all this technology. It’ll make you feel behind when your really right on track. I have learned that what’s for me is for me and my journey is carefully curated to fit me so no matter what anybody else is doing, I know I’m always on the right track at the right time. So with that I try to enjoy the ride the ups and downs!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Eleven23hairstudio.as.me
- Instagram: https://Instagram.com/eleven23hairstudio
