Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley Graves.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I knew I wanted to do hair at a very young age. I was the little girl that loved doing my baby dolls hair. By the age of about 12, I was braiding my family, classmates, and older kids in my neighborhood hair. Fast forward to the age of 20, I decided to move to Marietta, GA from Norfolk, VA where I was born and raised. At the age of 23, I went to empire beauty school in Kennesaw GA. After beauty school, I worked at a couple of salons and ended up getting a suite with another stylist in Woodstock GA. I was doing all of this while also working a corporate job. I would work a 8-10 hour shift and then come home or go to the suite and braid for another 6-8 hours. This started to make me become exhausted. Every year at my corporate job I would say that this is my last year I will be working here. Before I knew it, I had been doing all of this for five years. I was miserable and could see and feel how miserable the other people around me were. I fell into a state of depression. I started to attend church more and got heavy into prayer because I did not know what I was supposed to do next. All I knew was that I wanted to live a happy life. I started hear God say to me trust me my child if you leave your corporate job all will work out for your good. Believe it or not, I even had random people start approaching me saying that I was not living in my purpose. That is when I decided to listen and take that leap of faith. The same day I put in my notice at my corporate job, I had an interview at KBB Salon.
The next day I started working as an assistant. Yes, an assistant. I was just so happy to be at a well-known salon. I had faith that all would work because I knew that God would not plant this seed in me and give me this gift and not allow it to prosper. I was an assistant for about six months and then I transitioned to being a stylist. I was the braider for the salon. I stayed busy. Clients really loved my work and that made me feel amazing. I did that for about a year and a half and then boom covid came. We closed down along with everyone else for about three months. Prior to covid, I started to say that I did not want to braid anymore because I wanted to do so many other things with hair. I didn’t know how I was going to get away from braiding because that is what I had built my reputation on. Being an amazing braider. Little did I know when we returned from covid that the owner of KBB Salon, Kalena Duru did not want to offer any weave services when we got back due to timing and we were trying to not have too many people in the shop at on time. Ever since then, I have not done one braid since. I have been the busiest I have ever before. I am so grateful for where I am at today. I now specialize in color and cuts. I am a true example of started from the bottom and now I’m here.
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?
This road for me has came with a lot of ups in downs. A lot of times our mind is so negative and we don’t even realize it. There are traumas in the mind from our past that we have to heal from so that we can experience all the great things that this life has to offer us. So for me, I know for a fact that who you surround yourself with and what you listen to has a huge impact on your life. There were and still are times I feel unworthy and or not good enough. I have to surround my mind with positive thoughts. So I listen to a lot of motivational things to keep my mind in a positive space. I read different books to keep me going as well. I have a couple for mentors that are always there when I need them. All these things help me because its life obstacles are going to come but the biggest thing for me is that I know what it takes to overcome them. No matter what the obstacle is I always remind myself this too shall pass. If I would have gave up in the beginning years, I wouldn’t even be here. So if I keep going, there are no limitations on how far up I can go in this life. This is what keeps me going everyday.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a natural hairstylist. I specialize in color, cuts, and silk presses. I am very knowledgeable in what I do. I am really big on continuing education because in this industry things are forever changing and I like to stay up to date with the trends. What sets me apart from other stylists is my personality. I create relationships with my clients. I let them know upfront as long as you come, I will be here. It takes both of us to make this healthy hair journey be successful. I literally pray for the right clients to come in my chair because it is deeper than hair for me. I am a firm believer that every client is not supposed to be your client and that’s ok. The ones for you will stay. I style, inspire, and uplift my clients when they come to me. I always express how important self-care is. I try to motivate them as much as I can. My goal is to take your natural beauty to another level.
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
The bible app helps me do my best in life. I put myself on plans so that I stay committed. I start off my day with my daily devotion and that is what sets the tone of my day. I also watch a lot of transformation church on youtube. I know that I am in control of my reality. If I want things to be a certain way, it all starts in my mind.
Contact Info:
- Website: kbb.aurasalonware.com
- Instagram: @hair_dna
