Today we’d like to introduce you to Sheena Leaym.
Hi Sheena, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I’m from Flint, MI now living in Atlanta, GA. I started doing hair at the age of 10 years old. I picked up the very unique craft from on my Mom and as time went on my creativity expanded more and more. My mother did not work in a salon she worked at home so that gave me the opportunity to see the type of work it took for a hairstylist to satisfy a customer. As a young girl, I was able to observe her and learn her techniques as a master of the waving back in 1993. Being that I was very creative, athletic and naturally talented I easily picked up her techniques with styling hair. She was very good and very neat with styling, especially doing waves. Today that is what I’m known for in the beauty industry. Learning waves at such a young age I was able to master them and it’s what sets me apart from other stylists. It was in the 90s when most women were wearing their hair in waves and french rolls.1993 was the year I began doing hair. It was the waves that I picked up on very quick that captured the attention of my mom and also her friends and clients. She knew I was really good at doing hair so that gave her every reason to come from behind the chair when her hand started hurting. She gave all her clientele to me. I didn’t know exactly what I was getting myself into I just knew I loved doing hair and I loved the way it made women feel and the way it made them love me.
I also loved how I was making money for myself at such a young age. I didn’t understand at 10 how much hair meant to a women. I didn’t know that a woman’s hair is her crown and without that she doesn’t feel her best. That means once I showed my talent I was stuck behind the chair. Knowing how to do hair at such a young age allowed me to keep a little money in my pocket all the time. I was making more money than anyone of my friends. Doing hair forced me to be very mature. I was always mindful of how I appeared to others so that people would want to do business with me. This passion took me all the way through my school age years and even my adult years. No matter how much I wanted to let it go my peers around me wouldn’t let that happen. I had all my friends looking fly and also kept my own hair looking good. I was my own walking advertisement. Clients called for my business week after week. All through middle school and high school. I did hair for all homecomings, proms and school dances. Some students were my regular clients who got their hair did on a weekly basis. I knew I was really great at doing hair but I was knew I was great at a lot more as well like sports. Therefore I had to make a choice to go to practice or do hair. I had so much drive and energy that doing hair was not that important to me like most may have thought it was but it became part of what I was known for.
I thought it was just a hustle, something that could get me by for a little while. I did it for so long only because I was good at it and also because I had my first child at 16 years old which the money was great for helping me support my children. I didn’t think it was something I would be doing as of now for 29 years. It became my passion and I really got connected with hair the more I realized it was a natural God given gift that truly makes a difference in people’s life. I believe God gave me this gift so that I can’t help change people’s lives and bring back pieces of them that they lost or issues that clients struggle with. I help women look at themselves in the mirror and smile again becoming happy with their natural self. I’ve seen so many women get their smiles back and it touches a place in my heart. In my senior year in school was the first opportunity I got to go to cosmetology school. That is where I received my first 400 hrs towards cosmetology school. After I graduated I didn’t go right away to the senior cosmetology school because I was more concerned about finding something else that could make me more money. Well a few years later, I finally went and finished cosmetology school. There was no other career that paid me the money I made doing what I actually loved doing. I learned that when it comes easy and effortlessly it’s exactly what you should be doing. I stopped looking for other jobs and gave my all totally to doing hair and providing an experience. I opened my first salon 2012 in Flint, mi with a totally booked clientele. I also had a full staff salon with booth renters.
About five years later in 2017, I moved to Atlanta, Ga starting all over. I didn’t know any clients or stylists and opened my second salon in Marietta,Ga. Doing hair in Atlanta has brought back so much fire in me that I thought was lost. Moving to the “A” made me realize why I love doing what I do. I have never seen the reactions like I see now when I give a woman a completely different look. The tears and the intimate conversations is like no other. Now in 2023, I am still servicing a full clientele changing lives one head at a time. With the growth and expansion of my brand as a stylist I thank God for keeping me and maturing me to still have what it takes to please 1,000’s of women from all around the country. Clients drive hours to come to let me give them an quality experience with a Sheena Marie Makeover and that I am so thankful for.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Most of my career, I can say has been very smooth. The biggest struggles were tryna run a successful salon with no mentorship from someone who has ran a business or salon before. No mentoring and no experience lead me to run a business with my heart which may not have been the best for business. I learned from experience now that it was a bad idea be in doing what’s right and tryna give to much ends up being not appreciated. Even though I love people and I love working with people, I didn’t realize how much knowledge experience I had gained along my journey that helped me become a successful stylist. Whereas I would work with several stylist that was just not motivated enough no matter what I poured into. I tried to give what I didn’t have in the industry not knowing it wasn’t gonna ever be good enough.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Right now in my career, I am most known for doing short hair makeovers. That is taking a women helping her break out of wigs and weaves to a nice short haircut. A style that shows her natural face and beauty. Most woman after many many years of wearing weaves have damaged hair. Leaving them edgeless and thinning. With the knowledge and experience I have gained over the last 29 years of doing hair, I am able to give them something that’s rare. I give a wonderful salon experience. Inspiring and motivating them with whatever they may be dealing with. I encourage them that they are not alone in this hair journey. I make them comfortable and go on the journey with them. Once I’m done with the service I can tell clients believe more in themselves than when they came through the door. Most hair issues go right way and their hearts are full of joy. Sheena Marie Salon gives you that old school feel with the old school salon experience because that’s where I started from. My soul is much older than my age when it come to helping people with their hair. I’ve been behind the chair for so long listening to women much older than me. I am most proud of myself for sticking it out all this time in the industry. It’s definitely gotta better over time with me learning more about myself, understand how to say no and knowing if a client is for me or not. What sets me apart is I only do short hair. I was one of the first few stylists that offered one service specializing in only short hair setting a trend and being successful at it.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
I’ve definitely taken big risk in my business. I would say the first risk I took was opening my very first salon in 2012. Then in 2017 moving to Atlanta stating all the way over was a really big risk for me. Especially opening another salon not knowing anyone. Starting over with my clients and opening up a salon in a new city has been one of my proudest moments. I had faith in myself. It showed me anything is possible. I moved to Georgia doing everything on my own a single mom with three children. Lots of other risks took place like saying no to all other services except short hair was a big risk. I didn’t know if there were enough people that would come to me for that service. My career has definitely been a roller coaster but a good ride. It wasn’t easy but it was all worth it.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.sheenaatlantamasterstylist.com
- Instagram: @iamsheena.marie
