Today we’d like to introduce you to Brandy Sims.
Brandy, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
A South Carolina native, I grew up spending most of my time in a small town hair salon with an ambitious mother (currently a salon owner for over 30 years and the first female AND African American Mayor of Darlington, SC okurr!) Okay, but seriously… I developed a strong appreciation and passion at an early age. I didn’t grow up rich or living a fancy lifestyle, but my mom made sure I wanted for nothing. Even at a young age, I was passionate about ALL that I did and just knew I would be a millionaire one day, but I often lacked confidence in many areas and tried my best to hide my insecurities. I was a severe empath (look it up), although I didn’t truly know it at the time. My quietness would often get me labeled as “stuck up,” and I was always highly misunderstood. I battled a lot with balancing my analytical and creative sides, and I was a major overachiever (the pressure!). I never could tell where I fit in, and as a result, would often morph into being someone I wasn’t to seem “cool.” I struggled behind the scenes with anxiety, lack of confidence, and emotions. On the outside, I had it all put together…
Receiving the most scholarship offers in my high school class and a full ride to all of the schools I applied to, I decided that college had to be the right path for me; a fresh start for me to figure myself out. Although I had no clear plan, I moved to Atlanta to pursue college at Spelman College. While there, I realized I hadn’t chosen the path that truly fit me, so I decided to leave college and pursue my dream of being a famous hairstylist.
I finally had things moving in the right direction, or so I thought. I was actually studying for a career that would allow me to be creative, to soar! Then… I got pregnant. Yep, smack in the middle of my 3rd month of school. I worked hard to get out of school and still managed to make the honors program while going to school for 12 hours a day (overachiever). I had my son a month after graduating and instantly put my dreams to the side. So much for making a name for myself…
Let’s span over the next five years: I moved back home to get myself financially together and could feel the whispers… I felt ashamed. The father of my child and I got married, moved back to Atlanta, and soon after had a second child. While continuing to do hair at a popular salon in Atlanta, I decided I needed a more stable income, so I completed my degree at The Pennsylvania State University with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology, fully intending to quit the hair industry and work in Human Resources.
Just when I thought I was about to start a corporate career and finally get my life going in the right direction, God had other plans. Despite a stellar GPA, I couldn’t seem to even get a CALL back from any job applications. My husband and I couldn’t understand it. I was then presented with a business opportunity by a co-worker, Stephanie Lipsey. I didn’t seem to have any job prospects, so we decided to start a salon together, Replenish Salon, and that is where my life changed. We started off as a two-woman show in a studio.
My faith increased as I saw God work in CRAZY ways. We didn’t have money to start a salon, but he kept it flowing. I didn’t even feel I was good enough to say I was a salon owner; I mean, its Atlanta, and there are SO many great stylists. Throughout my entire career, people would say how they never met a stylist like me, that knew so much about hair, but somehow I didn’t even believe in myself, didn’t believe I could compete.
Despite my insecurities, I worked really hard (that was never an issue) and Replenish’s demand was through the roof; people thought there had to be more than two stylists from our website and social media presence. After one year, we expanded into a larger location and because of years of playing financial catch-up, I couldn’t truly afford that either, but GOD made it happen. Our business began to grow, and my faith began to increase. It was during this time that I started to discover my purpose in life. I knew that I couldn’t move forward in the path and purpose God designed for me until I took a good look in the mirror and truly figured out why I was so insecure, why I could soar on one end of the spectrum but struggle on the inside. I needed a mindset shift…
This story could go on forever, but I’m finally in a place in life of truly understanding my purpose, walking into my purpose, and allowing my past to propel my future but not hinder it; I’m still figuring things out but can see more clearly. Through my hurdles and revelations, I’ve been able to build multiple brands and achieve one of my first business goals, making six figures. I’m Co-Owner of Replenish Salon, and we are the TOP rated natural salon in Atlanta, GA and we have a natural hair care line, Naturally Replenish, in the works. We also have an inspirational/faith-based apparel line, Replenished apparel, and I’ve recently launched an online training academy for stylists and non-professionals, Texture Training Academy. I’m a budding wife, a more put-together mom, and I’m managing to use all of my facets to dive into my purpose, create an experience for my clients, and shine on my brands! I’ve learned so much, and I feel as though my best life is just beginning… no more comparisons, no more doubt; simply shining my light and walking forward.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
My path has been far from easy. One of the biggest struggles has been starting a family before truly knowing myself. I’ve had to get to know myself while raising children, being a wife, nurturing a family, and still allowing my ambitions to shine through on my brands. I never initially had the funds or means to start many projects, but never took a lack of money or no as an answer. I’m a faithful, assertive, DIY type of chick, so everything has been built from scratch. Because of this, I’ve had to learn financial and business lessons, how to market and brand myself without losing authenticity, and lessons on managing and communicating with people. I like to say that my brand has been my “school of life.” Through my growth and self-reflection, I’ve developed a strong passion for empowering women, mothers, and helping entrepreneurs reach their true potential and like to be transparent in my journey to inspire others.
Please tell us about The Replenish Salon Brand.
Replenish Salon is a treatment and regimen based salon that specializes in length retention and regimen creation for textured clients. We are known for not simply being stylists that are about a “look” but creating regimens for our clients to be able to learn how to take care of their hair at home, in the midst of check-ins with one of our texture experts. We pride ourselves on providing professional, quality, one on one services and more importantly providing an environment for women to feel empowered vs creating drama and comparisons.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
Wow! I can’t honestly say there is anything I would do differently because I believe that you grow from lessons in life. I could easily say “have kids later in life once I was more emotionally secure or financially stable… or I would have done this differently with hiring employees, etc.” but again, I wouldn’t be able to excel if my path was perfect. The lessons I have learned through my business and about people make me who I am today. My journey is my story!
Contact Info:
- Address: 1745 Defoor Pl NW
Suite C
Atlanta, GA 30318 - Website: www.brandycsims.com www.texturetrainingacademy.com www.replenishsalon.com
- Email: brandycsims@gmail.com
- Instagram: @BrandyCSims @BrandySimsHairArt @ReplenishSalon
Image Credit:
Photography by Didier Hatungimana, Stephanie She, Trarell Torrence, Halle Williamson, and Cornell McBride
Suggest a story: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
