Today we’d like to introduce you to Paige Malcolm.
Hi Paige , thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory
I’ve always been into beauty. I remember when I first moved here from Jamaica permanently and discovered Youtube, it was like a whole new world opened up to me. I used to watch nail polish videos and do cute little styles, then from there, I got into makeup. I would always buy makeup at the beauty supply and experiment at home. When I was in 9th grade, I even started doing girls’ eyebrows in the bathrooms during lunch break and some of my friends even booked me for makeup sessions. I taught myself how to do braids when I was around 12 and I got good at it in high school also and a lot of people started to notice and my friends started booking me and it kind of blew up from there. I’ve been able to access a higher network of clients through doing exceptional braid work and through referrals, which I am grateful for. Along the way, I’ve met many amazing women, most of whom are professional women and entrepreneurs and I gained a lot of knowledge and wisdom from them to take with me into the next phase of my career.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It definitely has not been a smooth road. My personal life has had it’s ups and downs but I try not to let it get in the way of how I conduct business. Some of the struggles I’ve had starting out included managing school and building a business. I would always be out late doing hair after I left school so I would end up oversleeping the next day which made me late to class and that wasn’t a good look academically. I always had car issues and as a traveling stylist, that’s like the worst so I would always be switching cars, calling my family to come rescue me when my car broke down and there was a time where my mom even let me use her minivan for months until I got my car. When I first started college in 2019, I took on a lot of financial responsibilities.
At that time, my mom gifted me an investment property for graduating and getting into college which I turned into a short-term rental on Airbnb. Then I decided to move into an expensive apartment on campus (Georgia State University) AND on top of all that, I decided to rent an office space where I could do hair in Buckhead. So imagine having to keep up with two rents, a mortgage, managing an Airbnb listing and doing client appointments and being a full-time college student… not the move. So basically, I failed all of my classes a first semester because I was too busy trying to make sure my bills were paid on time while still trying to have that freshman college experience. I tried my best in my classes but my best just wasn’t good enough. The second semester was smooth, I passed every class and finished with a 3.3 GPA but then the pandemic hit mid-semester which was devastating for everyone. My business took a hit since everyone was forced to isolate then in May I lost my brother due to a highway accident. All of this sent me into a kind of depression that I feel like I’m just now starting to get out of. I had to find it within myself to keep going no matter the difficulties and look ahead because things will get better.
We’ve been impressed with Illimité Cheveux, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
My company, Illimité Cheveux (translated in English meaning “Limitless Hair”), is based around catering to the needs of my clients, mainly who get protective styles and want to take better care of their hair underneath. We provide high-quality headwear, products that women can use, such as braid/growth oils, braid spray etc. As a braider, I specialize in knotless braids and I want to continue providing my braid services even after my site is launched so my clients will still be able to book appointments. I believe what sets me apart from others is the fact that I am a traveling stylist because you wont find many stylists who are willing to do that. My clients love it and it’s more convenient since we are in a pandemic so not having to leave your home to get your hair done is a luxury in a time like this.
What I am most proud of brand-wise is the fact that my work speaks for itself. I love when my clients tell me about the compliments they get on their hair and about how many people stopped them in the grocery store to ask who did it. I chose the name Illimité because I believe that we are limitless beings capable of doing anything that we set our hearts to and you shouldn’t place limits on yourself to fit in or be accepted. To the people reading this, I want you to know that I always try to better my service and bring more to the table in any way I can so if I come up with an idea or concept that I think can benefit the people I’m serving as well as my brand then I will see it through and I place emphasis on good customer service.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
I think that the hair industry will remain to popping as it always has been. To me, everything that could be created has already been created hair-wise but I do see more creative styles coming out in the future and many small business owners coming out with unique business concepts. For the black community specifically, I’d like to see more ownership in beauty supplies and human hair brands. I think we consume so much of what’s here yet we own so little in the production of it so that would be amazing.
Pricing:
- Medium Waist Length Knotless Braids $200
- Smedium Waistt Length Knotless Braids $240
- Jumbo Waist Length Knotless Braids $100
- Wig Install $100
Contact Info:
- Email: contact@illimite.shop
- Website: www.illimite.shop
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/illimitecheveux; @illimite.experience
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCaSwtNSdY8gwFNrXtZLx8A
Image Credits:
Trey B. Martinez and Marko The Shooter
