Rising Stars: Meet Zoe Giwa of PHL

Today we’d like to introduce you to Zoe Giwa

Hi Zoe, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I started off by leaving my parent’s home at the age of 17 to move to Philadelphia. I had not visited nor ever thought that I would step foot in Philadelphia but once I was given a scholarship to Temple University, I made the decision to try something new. Since then I helped start an organization at Temple University that targeted for women to learn skills that are not typically taught in the college classroom, SheTribe. Here is where I networked and met countless of influential figures I the city. Working as a server on the weekends in addition to brand collaborations and videoshoots/photoshoots on Instagram and Tik Tok allowed me to save and finally I was able to start my hair extension business my senior year of college, Z Luxe Extensions. I had always been the girl wearing a new hairstyle weekly and was going through a boatload of different cheap hair extensions . I spent more time on Aliexpress and Amazon than I would on my schoolwork, finally I decided that starting a business where women can feel confident in knowing that their hair will remain luscious and full for countless wears. At Z Luxe Extensions luxury and beauty meet, our Vietnamese collection is sourced directly from a single donor in Vietnam. Our hair has not undergone any chemical processing. That means no perms, no dyes, and minimal heat styling if any at all.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Going to school and moving cities during the pandemic was extremely hard. I went through stages of learning myself, who and what I allowed to be around me and also acknowledging that I did not know anyone in Philadelphia prior to moving here. This meant that I had to completely reintroduce myself as well as learning who I was…. all while the entire was shut down.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I recently graduated from Temple University with a bachelors in Health Studies and Minor in African American Studies. Upon graduating I was awarded with the Academic Excellence Award of Health Studies. Besides being a full time business owner, I have been working as a medical scribe and plan to relocate and eventually go back to school.

Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
I have learned to be patient with myself. As a twenty something year old in a new city coming from the suburbs, it felt insane at some points having to see some of the neighborhoods in Philly. You meet so many different kinds of people at college, experience so many things that it gets hard at some points to have that grounding point of feeling comfortable and safe, like you are at home. Having patience with yourself through it all is the only way I have been able to grow because of realizing that you are not going to master everything in a day, it will take time.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://zluxextensions.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/godlyzoe

Image Credits
Godlyzoe on Instagram