Meet Imani Aldridge of Hair Tease

Today we’d like to introduce you to Imani Aldridge.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I never thought I would have a business in making wigs. My first wig I made was for my senior prom back in 2015. A group of friends and I were discussing little details on what we were going to have done to our hair for the big day. Everyone was saying either a sew in or an extended ponytail. When it was my turn, I explained to them that I was going to make a u-part wig (a wig for leave-out) and they laughed at me. During that time, wigs were not socially acceptable like how they are now. I felt a little discouraged but I knew that my unit will turn out bomb. At prom when my friends saw me, they were amazed at how my wig looked so “natural” and how it didn’t look like a wig at all. When I first started college, I was only making wigs for myself and friends and I used to tell them to not tell anyone that I was the one who made them.

During my senior year at Hampton University, all of that changed; I became the go-to girl when it came to wigs. At first, I was hand sewing each unit, which would take me around 3 hours to make just one unit. During Christmas break I saw a video of a lady on Instagram making wigs with a sewing machine, so I showed my mom and explained to her that I was going to save for a sewing machine because it would be faster and the units would be more durable. Christmas Day, she surprised me with a Singer Esteem II sewing machine and that’s really what changed everything for me. The first unit I made with the machine was for me. It took me about 6 hours because I’ve never sewn a day in my life and the construction of it was sloppy (which I pretty much expected lol). When I came back to school for Spring semester, word traveled really fast to the point where I was getting DMs and text messages from neighboring schools like Norfolk State University and Old Dominion University.

In the beginning, I was not providing hair with services, but I was getting so many DMs and text messages from people outside of Virginia asking if I provided hair so I decided to provide my own hair. Sampling hair is extremely risky and expensive, so I sacrificed my senior year spring break trip so I could find the perfect hair for me and my business. With extensive research and previous knowledge about hair extensions, I found my vendor on my very first try. Now, after two months of having an Instagram account for my business, I have been able to expand outside of Hampton University, So far I’ve delivered to Ohio, New York, Illinois, Georgia, and Virginia.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
The biggest struggle was announcing my business. I had been working on it since January and I originally wanted to launch in March. I was so nervous about having all eyes on me and my business, so March turned into April, and April turned into May. I didn’t announce my business unit July 9th, six months after my initial day. Also, I am very adamant of owning my own businesses. Why work hard for someone else when I can work hard for myself? I tried explaining that to my parents, but they didn’t understand. They wanted me to be working at my “dream job” in corporate America since I was a five years MBA major at Hampton, but Hair Tease was my dream job! And it still is. Getting support from my parents was difficult at first, but when orders started to roll in they began to see the potential of Hair Tease.

Please tell us about Hair Tease.
Hair Tease is slowly changing the new standard of quality when it comes to hair. People are so used to purchasing subpar hair, they are purchasing hair 4-5 times a year which is ridiculous in my opinion. Hair Tease provides raw Indian hair, which is hair that goes through no chemical or steam processing. Raw hair ensures quality, longevity, and durability. With proper care, the hair can last up to 2 years. Hair Tease also specializes in custom glue-less wigs. With our custom units, customers can easily take their units on and off as they please without having to pay additional money every week to get in installed. Putting on a glue-less unit from Hair Tease takes literally less than 10 seconds.

As a company, I am most proud of giving women the confidence to wear wigs. A lot of ladies tell me that they’re scared that it wouldn’t look right on them or that they don’t know how to put them on, so when they tell me how natural their units look and how easy it is to put them on just reassures me that I am actually helping people feel good about themselves. What sets Hair Tease apart from others is our customer service. I make sure that I quickly answer every email and dm, and I answer each and every question that someone may have. I want people to be confident in our products but I also want them to be knowledgeable about wearing wigs since majority of my customers never wore a wig before.

If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
Sometimes I wish I would have announced my business back in March like how I originally planned, but honestly I wouldn’t even change that. Now, I realize that it wasn’t my time then so if I were to go back to change that, I would just be rushing my process. I am satisfied with the growth of my business within these last two months. I feel that this is the time for me and my business and I am ready to tackle each and every goal I have set!

Pricing:

• Raw Custom Units: $375-$580 range
• Virgin Custom Units: $350-$540 range
• 3D Mink Lashes: $12

Contact Info:

• Website: shophairtease.com
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: _hairtease
• Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/Hair-Tease-460011374795694

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