Today we’d like to introduce you to Uno.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Looking back, I always had an interest in hair, but the idea of making it a career didn’t come until the summer going into high school. After high school, I enrolled in Cosmetology school and worked as a shampoo assistant for my aunt, Melissa. My aunt was very instrumental in getting my career started. Actually, both my grandmother and aunt were my influencers. I had the chance to witness two Black female entrepreneurs in my family making money on their own. I loved the freedom that they had to create their own schedules and make money on their own terms. The more I perfected my craft, the more that I realized I like working for myself.
I initially started working in bigger salons and was set on the idea of not owning my own studio. Eventually, I realized that in order for me to provide my clients with the best experience, I needed to step out on my own. I am now the owner of my own studio and can provide my clients with the personal touches necessary to create an “experience” instead of just a hair service.
One of my favorite aspects of hairstyling is color. It has always been said that it wasn’t possible to achieve a bone-straight platinum pixie haircut on textured hair for women of color without complete damage or hair loss. The need inspired the dream… in all aspects. As a person who loves to defy normalcy, it became my journey to dispel those myths. After years of testing and researching, I created the Perfect Platinum Pixie technique, which allows same-day blonding and straightening services for textured hair with little to no damage. The more I perfected my gift/craft, my close friends and family members encouraged me to share it with others. In 2020, I began teaching classes and today have over 300 certified specialists in the United States and the Caribbean.
Alright, 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?
One of the most challenging things I have encountered was getting products manufactured and going through the legal process of trademarks and patents. It is a very stressful game of “hurry up and wait.” The pandemic has been making it extremely difficult to get many of the raw materials needed in a timely matter. The legal process can sometimes take a few years to get everything finalized. However, you can’t let that stop you or kill your motivation. In business, it is imperative to make sure that you are patient and always thinking of alternatives for “worst-case scenarios.
Despite the challenges I’ve encountered, my faith in God for giving me this gift is what keeps me inspired and motivated to persevere. Most of my close friends have always seen my greatness and have often seen more for me than I saw for myself. I resisted it for a long time. I prayed about it, and GOD finally stepped in and was like, “SON… I gave you this gift. You better use it before I take it away or take you out of here for ignoring me.” That forced me to see it with my own eyes, believe that it could happen, and stop letting fear of failure run my life.
Creating the Perfect Platinum Pixie technique and realizing new ways to help hairstylists with their business practices did not come to me by chance; I know and believe it was something predestined for me to do!
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a licensed cosmetologist and educator with over 20 years of experience, specializing in precision haircuts and custom hair coloring. I am most known for creating my patent-pending technique, the Perfect Platinum Pixie, which allows same-day blonding and straightening services for textured hair. I have a team of 300+ specialists worldwide that I have trained with this technique. The look has been seen on celebrities such as Toni Braxton and Tiffany Haddish.
My dream is to continue training more hairstylists with this technique and build the Perfect Platinum Pixie brand. I am also about to launch “Hair UnoVersity,” an online continuing education course for licensed cosmetologists and barbers. As they continue to grow, the goal is to help them scale back their services, improve the overall salon experience for their clients, and increase their revenue.
What sets me apart from others? With all humility, I don’t view anyone as my competitor. I saw a wide-open market for a service that nobody seemed to be perfecting, nor that anyone seemed to be interested in figuring out. There are many hairstylists that do platinum pixies; however, they are all still textured and temporarily straightened. Mine is not. What I’ve achieved is a breakthrough in the industry. So I consider myself to be in my own lane, separate from other hairstylists.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
When it comes to networking, it’s okay to reach out to others in your industry. Different people contribute different perspectives, and the synergy between these individuals can produce creative and productive results. Everyone has different strengths and by working together we can learn from each other as well as allowing everyone to shine in their respective area. But be sure to give more than take. Networking is a two-way street. Building your network should never just be about you. It’s about providing value to the people in your life.
Next, never be afraid to raise your hand and ask for help! We’re living in a time of “No new friends” and entrepreneurs believing that they don’t need anyone else. There is always someone else who knows more than you do and is willing to help you get to the next level, you just have to ask! When I started gaining success with the Perfect Platinum Pixie, I could have kept the secret to myself. Instead, I chose to share what I knew with others. I want stylists to see that they too can increase their revenue by trying new things. This is a high-value service and can help them expand their client base as well as their prestige.
Lastly, I have to mention that you NEED a team. You can’t do everything yourself, and you will drive yourself insane/ have a multitude of unfinished projects because you never learned how to delegate responsibilities. Make sure your teammates know more than you do in whatever field they are helping you in.
Contact Info:
- Website: hairbyuno.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/hairbyuno
- Facebook: facebook.com/hairybyuno
- Other: www.perfectplatinumpixie.com
