Meet Rocki Harris of Poppin Hair Studios in Buckhead

Today we’d like to introduce you to Rocki Harris.

Rocki, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I’m originally from the midwest, I grew up in Indianapolis, Indiana. Life for me coming up is one for the books (laughing). My mother was a single parent who owned a salon as a Hairstylist. My mother salon was called Show N Tell. I spent a lot of my childhood there. Me, my brother and sister, would sit in the salon with my mother until she finished for the day. I remember I would sweep around the salon just so I could stay in the mix. If my mother caught you listening or staring too hard, she would dismiss you and tell you to stay in a child’s place! I hated to hear those words, so I made sure I stayed low but still around enough to know about how such and such man didn’t come home (lol). I was a grown child and everyone knew it, I was advanced, I could cook, clean, and hold a conversation like I was grown. I always had to be the leader in whatever game I played with my cousins. If it was TLC I’m T-Boz & Chilli. If it’s Destiny’s Child, you better know I was Beyonce’. Both of my parents are from NY.

When I was around 10, my mother packed us up and moved us to NY. I have the best memories of living there. New York taught me independence, how to fight, where to get some of the best pizza and so on. One of my favorite things to do as a kid was to sing, I wanted to be a singer so bad but I was so shy. My fifth-grade choir teacher believe it or not was Vanessa Williams the actress, mother, she was such a strict teacher. Every morning before we started class, we would have to stand one by one and sing for the class. I would be so nervous but she made me wanna sing well because I never wanted to disappoint her. Once she discovered I could sing, she convinced me to do solos and the talent shows in which I won 1st place singing the Boy is Mine by Brandy and Monica. I would sit in my room for hours and write music, I would even teach my sis and my friends my music. Once I got outside and we would perform all day! My mother eventually moved us back to Indiana, she was aware of my talents and she invested her time to make sure that my sister and I were stars. My sister Shamia could sing too, so we created a group called Reality.

A producer I knew at the time gave me a cd with maybe 20 beats to write to. I wrote a 10 song demo tape that my sis and I recorded in Chicago. My mother had us a photoshoot for the cover of our cd and we went to a convention to shop my music. The Labels couldn’t believe I was 12 years old writing love songs so good. My mom received an offer for 100,000 for one of my songs but I declined the offer, they wanted to have all rights to my song meaning if it went platinum or whatever, I would only get that 100,000. If I knew what I know now I would’ve sold the song, I’m sure it would have lead to bigger jobs but hey, God had other plans. I continued singing in talent shows and writing music until I was around 16. I met a boy named Corey thru an old friend and the rest is history. Corey lived the fast lifestyle, once we connected we were inseparable. I moved out graduation day to live with Corey and I never returned home. Life changed drastically, I thought I was grown you couldn’t tell me anything, I dropped out of college after two weeks and my mother wasn’t having it so I enrolled into Beauty School.

It took me 10 months to complete hair school, I worked in a salon soon after graduation. In May 2011, I lost Corey to gun violence, I was 23 at the time. I was so devastated, I lost my whole world in a blink of an eye. The night of his murder, I was with him which brung on a lot of negative energy and false accusations. Corey and I talked of one day moving to Atlanta and starting over, so during the time of his loss, I would have dreams that I moved to Atlanta and that I ended up successful. One day, I received a phone call from an old friend from high school sending me her condolences for my loss. She told me if I ever wanted to get away, I could always come and visit her in Atlanta. Atlanta started to be on my mind more and more, I felt that if I didn’t move away my life would be in danger. I kept my ears to the streets during the time of my lost and knew that I had to go, I know longer trusted a soul. People changed on me so quick due to rumors, I was heartbroken but I knew I had to go!

By August 2011, I was moving in with my friend ShaMarla starting a new life with just $1500 and three boxes of clothes. I no longer had a car or my flashy lifestyle. The day my mother dropped me off in ATL was the saddest day of my life. Here I am in a new city with no friends or family and I’m going through a mourning process with someone who didn’t even know my boyfriend. My emotions were everywhere, I lost job after job because I wasn’t used to structuring. I wanted to do hair! I had a call center job. I would show up to work every day with my hair laid. Girls would ask, who do your hair? I always responded to me. I would do hair in my sunroom in the apartment that I shared with my roommate for my coworkers. I ended up getting fired from that job too, by then I had a solid six clients that came regularly. My roommate worked for Kontrol MAG at the time and I would often sign up to do free hair for promo, fashion shows or shoots they would have. I loved it! I started applying for salons but I could never afford the booth rent. I remember crying my eyes out because I couldn’t afford the $250 weekly booth rent at The Glam Bar. I ended up applying for a commission job at Walk-in Weaves, where I became a stylist. I made 40% of whatever I touched. I was now living on my own no roommate. I worked for Maja Sly who is a marketing beast, I learned a lot from her. That lady could sell you your breath!

After 3 1/2 years, I eventually ventured off into my own salon suite. Most of my clientele followed me to my Buckhead location. I named it ROCKIDIDIT Studios. I was so nervous I had to pay $225 for my small suite weekly, I eventually needed more space for my growing clientele and had to knock a wall down to expand my room. I had my suite for 3 years when one day I received a text from the Salon owner saying we had 3 days to move out of the salon. I met a girl during my three years there named Evan known as ” The HairGuru. We clicked instantly she reminded me so much of my younger self. For months, we kept saying we were ready to go and we should open a salon. We dragged our feet for so long that God literally had to show us. I went into panic mode because it’s easy to lose clientele due to moving locations. I was so scared that I was gonna lose everything. In a panic, I reached out to the owner of the building and pleaded for him to allow us to stay at least two more weeks until I figured something out!

By day three, I was exhausted and I returned to the owner in tears, he looked at me and said Rocki stop crying, it sounds like you’re meant to be an owner. He handed me keys to a property on the same street. I was so nervous to go see the building without Evan because if she didn’t like it we were back to square one! Once Evan finished her clients we went to check out the building. It was down an alley we never knew existed on the street! Once we finally got the right door, we couldn’t do anything but cry and thank God because here we found an old salon that didn’t need a buildout, plumbing was already done for our shampoo area and everything. I thanked God so much that day. I took the FOR RENT sign off the door and walked it back to Jack Brown the owner and said we’ll take it! Poppin Hair Studios is the name we offer everything from healthy hair styling to makeup.

Great, 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?
Building my clientele was not a smooth road! My first year in ATL, I didn’t have a vehicle so I depended on rides. When I started working at Walk-in Weaves, all the customers went to this one stylist named Jazz. They would literally tell the front desk they didn’t want me and that they would wait for him. I was so jealous of him, when I would finally get a client, I would make sure I laid her hair while the girls watched me. I didn’t care if she only paid for a $50 weave that didn’t include a style she was getting one. Eventually, the same women who didn’t want me touching their hair were sneaking in on Jazz’s off days just to request me. I went from 2 heads a day to about 10-12 all requesting me.

Poppin Hair Studios – what should we know? What do you do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I have a salon along with my business partner Evan, located in Buckhead called Poppin Hair Studios. I’m a master cosmetologist who specializes in extensions and healthy hair. I am known for my Poppin Ponytails and really cute half up and half down hairstyles. Most of my clientele work the nightlife, I love going to the club and seeing my girls bring the bottles out while swinging my pretty hairstyles. Something about watching a man lust over a girl you know you had help contributing to her look! Its also the perfect marketing for me because someones are always gonna ask who did your hair. My styles are unique and one of a kind. You’re able to see my work and say oh “ROCKIDIDIT.” I am most proud that my sis Evan and I are able to come together and create a happy place where you can meet new girls, laugh, give advice, sing your favorite songs all while making someone feel good in the end. What sets me apart from others is my inviting vibes, I’m always the girl everyone loves to be around, my clients ask for advice and I have plenty of lil sisters that I have met along the way who love me down and I love them. I’m always gonna be me, I can’t hide my emotions so I’m easy to read. I found that staying true and owning who you are making life a little easier.

What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
The proudest moment of my career so far would have to be the opening of my salon!

Pricing:

• Extension Installs starting at $175
• Natural Silk Press w/ hydration included $75
• 100% human hair bundles starting at $75

Contact Info:

• Address: 22 Bennett St NW suite K
  Atlanta, GA 30309
• Website: rockididit.acuityscheduling.com
• Phone: 4045092594
• Email: rockididit@gmail.com
• Instagram: rocki_roe
• Twitter: rocki_roe

Image Credit:
Photographer for the boxing photo was done by Focused Minded media, the other photos were done by ShotbySed

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