Today we’d like to introduce you to Tyanah Semone.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I am an Atlanta – greater Atlanta hairstylist of about a year. Growing up, I always did my own hair but learning myself, my hair, and my blackness was an ultimate struggle. I grew up in a household with a mother that was not very well-versed on black hair, so I endured years of perms and flat ironing. I did not have a lot of representation of black women in my life, so it took me a very long time to learn to love my natural, very kinky coily hair and learn how to care for it. When I entered high school, I decided I wanted to go on a natural hair journey and discover my hair in all of its glory. Once my hair grew to a decent length and was in a very healthy state, I clung on to my hair as a part of identity. Natural hair became a key factor in my life, constantly finding new ways I could explore and discover my hair. Freshman year of college, I decided to do a big chop and completely start over. The big chop really helped me to better understand my attachment to my hair, and learn to love myself and appearance outside of my hair, as well as to love and care for my hair in every state and at every length.
Before I began doing hair, I did a number of jobs from hosting birthday parties at Chuck E Cheese, to working at Foot Action, ushering at the Braves Stadium, and working hospitality for UK Football games. Since I was 16, I worked very long hours and treacherous days expanding my customer service skills and breaking through many layers of social anxiety, shyness, and anxiousness to better my communication schools and make myself more comfortable being an open active member of society. When I began college, I became financially independent and had to figure out ways to provide for myself even when I nearly had nothing at times. I experienced very hard seasons of having to take hour-long walks to work football games in the cold and rain, and service guests soaking wet from being drenched from the rain, then take another hour walk back to my dorm late nights. At the time, it’s what I had to do to get by. I believe all of these experiences shaped my work ethic into what it is now and helped me to persevere. These experiences built my character and made me humble to all of the blessings and opportunities I have been receiving, as well as very open to when it comes to supporting other’s dreams.
When my hair started growing out to an awkward length and no one was willing to braid hair under 4 inches, I decided to take matters into my own hands and practice different protective styles I could do on my 2-3inch hair. I turned on a YouTube video and taught myself how to do box braids on my self. After posting the process and results, many of my friends and followers loved my work and encouraged me to start pursuing hair services on other people. The summer of 2019, I impulsively decided to launch ” The Baddest Braids ” and watched it quickly begin to grow. At the time, I was working at the Braves Stadium in Suntrust Park. I was getting a lot of clientele because my $50 price for braids was dirt cheap, and it was summertime. After many women saw me braid my own big chop, they wanted me to braid their short hair as well. I was taking clients at 8am, finishing at 3pm then heading to usher Braves games from 4pm-past midnight some nights, then repeating the same routine everyday. Some days I found myself working on my feet for 16 hours. I began getting very skilled at my craft very fast because I was practicing every single day and almost taking no days off from doing hair. After about a month, in July I decided to quit at the Braves stadium and pursue hair full time over the summer because my clientele was growing very rapidly.
At the time, I was a student at University of Kentucky in Lexington, so I would be abandoning Atlanta and heading back to Kentucky in August. I also had a job as a Resident Advisor at school. When I arrived in Lexington many of the students were eager for me to do their hair. Being that UK is a PWI, there is a very small black population, so at the time I was one of the only people locally offering services tailored to black hair. People were coming from cities all over Kentucky, and even Alabama, to come get their hair done in my dorm room. I found myself being overloaded with clients while being a full-time student and working a full-time job as an RA. At times my schedule would be too hectic to bare, causing me to fall short of school or my job and I had to make a decision of what mattered most to me. I was in school studying Integrated Strategic Communication as a Sophomore, working toward a marketing internship with UK Athletics.
Ultimately, after seeing how I was able to make a positive impact on the lives of black women, mothers, daughters, children, etc. I chose hair over school. Black hair is a very sacred thing to me, after experiencing my journey of growing to love my hair, I want to help other girls and women move forward in their self-love journeys as well. Black women to me are some of the strongest beings on earth, constantly given “angry” stereotypes, hateful comments toward their natural hair, forced to assimilate to society’s standards of hair and appearance, etc. These women come to me in their most vulnerable states that society often criticizes them for, and they trust me to give them empathy and genuine care. I handle their hair with gentle care and attention and offer them a comfortable experience. I make them feel confident embracing their beauty while protecting their crowns. My business shines light on black women of all shades, backgrounds, mixtures, features, appearances, personalities, and hair textures. I feel as if I’m able who reprimand every stereotype one head at a time by showcasing blackness in all of its versatility. I’ve done hair for proposals, pregnancies, birthdays, graduations, baby showers, etc. Black women have trusted me to be apart of some of the biggest moments in their life. Not growing up having this kind of representation of blackness around me, motivates me to make sure younger generations of black girls have it. I decided to drop out of school and turn down my internship with UK Athletics to purse doing hair full time.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Struggles for me were definitely trying to balance the workload of school, work, and hairstyling on the side. When I decided to being, I was very afraid that I would receive no support. I soon began to see that when you openly believe in yourself and really sell your vision, others begin to see it and believe in you too. I made my mission clear from the beginning about my target audience and wanting to empower black women who are often left behind by society. Some disagreed, but the clientele that was meant for me to reach supported me and helped my business grow by sharing, interacting, and booking my services. Learning proper time management, budgeting, and boundaries were definitely struggles as well. Being a first-generation student and entrepreneur, I had absolutely no guidance when it came to business, professional, school, or anything involved with those listed. I nearly had to learn everything through YouTube and trial and error. Many times I would get discouraged and want to give up because I would constantly compare my work to others on social media, compare the pace my business was moving to others, and not believe in myself at times. However, I had to keep reminding myself that my pace is my own, and everything worth pursuing takes time. I watched myself succeed, get better and faster as I became more patient with myself and my process.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into The Baddest Braids story. Tell us more about the business.
I am a hairstylist that specializes in protective styling for black hair, and black hair care for textures prominently found on those of African/AA descent. I am known for everything braids, twists, and ponytails. Many people refer to me by “The Baddest” which is the name of my company because I make women feel beautiful, confident and untouchable. I am known for educating black women on their hair while reassuring them that their many textures, lengths, and depths are beautiful. I also have the reputation of braiding big chops under 4 inches of hair, which is a service many stylists will not offer to women with shorter hair. I’m known for making sure women know that no matter who they are or how they are, there is a space for them in my chair. I have now started traveling to locations outside of Georgia such as Kentucky and Texas, and more locations in the future to spread my passion and broaden my audience.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I honestly don’t believe luck has played a role in my life or business. I believe that everything I have been through good and bad have shaped me into the person I am now to build me to a point where I have been able to take on this position and influence. I am a very hard-worker that rarely takes days off from doing things that help me progress in my skill or as a person. I put good energy into the world and into those around me, and constantly speak life into myself, others, and my future. I’ve watched everything I’ve manifested through strength, dignity, integrity, endurance, and perseverance come to life. When I speak things into existence and put actions behind my words, I am able to sculpt my reality. No luck just hard work and blessings.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=17798427
- Phone: 6786515513
- Email: tysemonebraids@gmail.com
- Instagram: @thebaddestbraids
Image Credit:
Beach image @vivbakee, Adidas shoes w brown pants @iamqbea, Music store with earphones @alannah_lacole, Proposal image @geniaa24 @swanky_sand @smith2alexander_
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