Today we’d like to introduce you to Chekelia Dawsey.
Hi Chekelia, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
HI…..my name is Kelia Dawsey. I’m from Dothan Alabama. I started doing hair when I was 13 years old. I always loved doing hair. All I used to want for Christmas is a barbie doll! I started off by doing braids. I did all types of braids. I did micros, kinky twists, box braids, and scalp braids. If you can name it, I did it. So as the years passed by I started doing quick weaves and sew-ins. Once I started elevating I started talking to God to bring me some great ideas that would make me great money but at the same time help my clients take care of their hair. So once I started praying, God gave me a vision of some bonnets.
So I started writing down my goals and working on them day in and day out. God put the right ladies in my life to get me where I need to be. I can’t take the credit for anything. God is always at the head of anything I have going on. I had my first child at the age of 17 and my second child at the age of 23. My first daughter’s father went to prison when my daughter was three months old for murder and my son’s father got murdered when my son was eight years old. My kids are now 13 and 19. So I fell to my knees and told God to lead my path. So I started getting more serious about my work. I started googling ways and being better and I started calling ladies that was ahead of me in this hair industry! So after my son’s father died, the house I was living in ended up getting put up for SALE! I had 30 days to move. I couldn’t find a nice neighborhood or a decent place so I ended up moving with my sister Shequita Brown and my brother-in-law Rashund Brown. They welcomed me with open arms. I was embarrassed because I always had my own place since I was 19. So I stayed with them for a month or two then I got very uncomfortable and it was all me……again (they welcome me and my two kids with open arms). So I moved into a hotel for four months paying $100 dollars a night at Comfort Inn & Suites. I dropped to my knees and cried because I felt like I failed my kids!
So while in the hotel I birth EDGES DO MATTER. That name came from my ex-fiance (my son’s father) we were getting ready to go on a trip and he told me to go do my hair. I said my hair is done. He said no, it’s not. So the next morning came and he has seen my edges and said BAE YOUR HAIR WAS DONE THE WHOLE TIME LOL. EDGES DO MATTER DON’T THEY!!!!? So that’s how EDGES DO MATTER CAME ABOUT! It was something about the way it sounded to me. I can’t even explain it. I started using it as a hashtag then I just ran with it. So once I prayed over the name I started asking God to direct me. As I was birthing my business in a hotel room, I couldn’t sleep until I learned how to work with my vendors the correct way! When I first started working with my vendors a lot of them blocked me. So I spoke with a great friend of mine and she walked me through the process and I took off from there. So first I noticed my clients was allllll sleeping on cotton pillowcases and that’s a huge NO NO. SO, I came up with silk bonnets double layered so your hair won’t get wet in the shower. That was to stop the hair from rubbing out in the cotton pillowcase. Once I got the first batch of bonnets back they were garbage and was not double-layered and I cried my heart out and tried it again and the second time was amazing. So then I came out with the braided doubled layered bonnets and then I came out with the EDGE BANDS to keep your edges in place.
Once I have seen a difference in my client’s hair I asked God what’s next? Then I stumbled across some hair growth oil and I decided to try it and it worked wonders for me! So I decided to invest in it and it was the best decision I’ve made in my life. It’s my number one seller! So Then I noticed a lot of ladies would comb their hair from the root to the end. That’s completely wrong you start from the bottom and work your way up and that’s what made me come out with my detangle kits with the big brush….the big wide combs and an edge brush! Once I have seen the wigs started popping I invested in the EDGES DO MATTER WIG KIT and that is the best of all time! I’m still working on things but everything I’m working on is involved with helping others! I’m really big on taking care of your real hair. Once a lady gets old her hairline will say so much. SO I decided to be the one with the plan to keep the hair under the weaves healthy by taking care of the scalp, the hair and especially the EDGES! I WOULD like to Thank JANET Gilbert for helping me with anything I call her about with getting my business on track! She also do all my business cards and decorates them so beautifully!!!!!! I would like to thank Alexis Cierra Vaughn for telling me girllllllllll you know you suppose to be bigger than what you are and for putting some great ideas and tips and in my life! She’s always been there to help me with any and everything! I appreciate you so much!!!!!!!!
I would like to thank Deana Shantrice for showing me the ropes for the vendors and giving me the vendors and answering all my late-night calls when I call at night! I will be working so late thinking everyone be up and guess what she be up working on her businesses as well! I would like to thank my sister Shequita Brown and my mother Phyllis Dawsey and Dwight Dawsey for always picking me up when I fall. I would like to thank my close friends and family for always being there. I would like to thank Promise Bennett for bringing EDGES DO Matter TO light with how she decorated my backdrop and how she supports me. I would like to Thank Chelsea Cooper for putting up with me when it comes to my website and so much more. She’s patient and always fix the problem! I highly recommend her and Chelsea when it comes to this website world. I’m beyond blessed that God sent some wonderful people to me that never held anything back from me. Some ppl will hold back because they’re scared of you getting ahead. These ladies are very real and genuine and I can’t thank them enough for putting up with me. Idk where I would be if God wouldn’t have laid it on their hearts to help me get where I am today!!!!!!!!! God will always send the right people. When I prayed I was real and raw with my emotions and I asked God to send people that would help me with a genuine heart and he sent the right ladies! Blessed is definitely an understatement!
THANKS to Sade and Latona for mentioning me to this magazine!!!!!! Thank yall so much!!! I would like to Thank Keni Patterson for praying with me anytime I needed it. Anytime she prayed, the tears would flow. It was always so genuine and her and her Husband Nate Patterson has always been there for me and the entire city. I would like to thank my Pastor Alfonso Neal and my first Lady sister Neal for praying over my products and always being a listening ear even if it’s for 4a.m. my Pastor is always a call away. I’m so very thankful God definitely sent them to change me!!!!!!!! God works through them. I’m so blessed. I would also like to thank Khaniyah Perkins and Jermani Sanders (MY KIDS) for always believing in me and going through the entire process with me. Thanks to my cousin Hayley Reynolds for always being real and fixing my crown when it falls!!!!! Also thanks too Shea Johnson and Kishawanna Brown for allowing me to work in their shop that they passed down to me and Sade. If I missed anyone, I’m truly sorry. God knows my heart. I promise it wasn’t intentional!
Alright, 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?
No……. it definitely wasn’t a smooth road……! I endured so much pain throughout my life!!! The situation with my kid’s father and the death in my family. Also, coming up was hard. I use to be a fighter and put my mom through so much and no matter what I did that was good my past followed me. Instead of me! Every brick that was thrown my way I used it to build my brands!!!! You have to ignore everything that comes your way in order to be successful! If you don’t, you’ll end up being someone who always wanted something and never got it. You have to pick your battles and it took me a long time to learn that! I’m so hungry for success, I don’t even watch TV! It’s taking me longer to get there because I won’t cross a soul to get there! I’m still trusting God! No matter how it looks……trust the process!
As you know, we’re big fans of Edges Do Matter. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
I’m a hairstylist that specializes in bobs…….quick weaves and sew-ins and little girl braids and styles!
What sets me apart from others is……..EDGES I’m known in my city for some of the best edges around! I actually care about my client’s hair more than anything!!!!
I’m proud of my brand because everything I come out with sells out!!!!!! It’s the quality for me! My bonnets…..melt bands…..edge bands and hair growth oil helps everything! The bonnets help the hair stay in place. The bands help the edges stay in place and the hair growth oil helps the edges grow!!!!!!
My email is Info@edgesdomatter.com. I offer safe, quick weaves, sew-ins, and little girl scalp braids.
I help other up-and-coming business owners get on the right track.
I’m also working on teaching classes that will offer so much about this business and entrepreneurship world because it’s so hard. In the business industry, if you try to do everything alone, you’ll never in life reach your full potential. It’s always someone who will always know more than you! Never be afraid to ask for advice. That’s the only way you’ll grow!
What does success mean to you?
Success is something that everyone wants but everyone isn’t willing to put in the work! Success is hard to get and very easy to lose. One wrong move can cause you everything you’ve worked so hard for. Never look for a handout. You’ll appreciate it more if you put in the work!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.edgesdomatter.com
- Instagram: Edgesdomatter
- Facebook: Edgesdomatter
