We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Darian Locklear a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Darian , first a big thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and insights with us today. I’m sure many of our readers will benefit from your wisdom, and one of the areas where we think your insight might be most helpful is related to imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome is holding so many people back from reaching their true and highest potential and so we’d love to hear about your journey and how you overcame imposter syndrome.
Imposter syndrome is sneaky because you reverse psychology yourself into somehow believing you are inadequate. Imposter syndrome is a psychological phenomenon that cause people to doubt their abilities and accomplishments even when they have evidence of success. Truth be told I think most of us have experience this at one time or another. If I’m being really transparent, I experience it regularly. 8 years into the industry and there’s still moments, days, opportunities that I feel under-qualified for. Here’s the reality, we all start under qualified, in all areas of our lives. The only real way to become qualified is through experience. So My advice, walk through the doors that don’t seem like they could have possibly opened for you, EVERYTIME time you start to experience imposter syndrome, note it as a checkpoint of growth that you have entered new territory. You’re not a fraud you’re not under qualified you’re not a failure when you need to ask for help. Guilt shame inadequacy they’re all false realities. Do not be discouraged through emotions and you will thrive.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
Indigenous Beauty was built off the dream of being A Boss and cultivating the beauty industry in a different way!
January 2020 came…..
Covid HIT
June 2020 two lines on the little white test turned pink and I had precious little surprise of the way.
With salons shutting down during Covid and then reopening as I got a positive pregnancy test, I had some choices to make on what my future as not just a stylist but now a mom was going to look like.
Through prayer and provision, the idea of the transformation from my garage to a home salon was Born.
January 2021 my daughter was born and though I had figured out what I wanted my “Dream” to look like, the logistics still needed some sorting.
The next year was spent servicing my clients in my dinning room, washing their hair out in the kitchen sink while I planned out every minor detail on how to bring this vision to life.
I told every single client I had about my garage, becoming a salon before it was ever even confirmed.
I prayed every night the salon would come together and provide my daughter with the life of having a present mom even through me finding success in my industry.
May 2022 INDIGENOUS BEAUTY rebranded and officially opened.
I’m thankful everyday for my clientele and the business that has been grown. If you’re looking for a new hairstylist, come see me!
Specializing in color techniques, our focus is lived in dimensional colors, blonding and balayage. We take great pride in our finishing styles and blowouts. (Ask about our monthly blowout membership) we look forward to serving our clients on the highest level and making them feel beautiful from the inside out🌿
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Looking back there’s been many areas that I feel are significant to the growth of my business. The top 3, that have held the most weight through my journey of becoming a business owner have been Education, self motivation and emotional intelligence.
Education and knowledge is gonna be key in attracting clients that will be trusting your expertise. I recommend finding a mentor who is willing to really take you under their wing, show you the ins and outs of the field you are looking to specialize in to help grow you.
My first boss hired me as her assistant before I was out of cosmetology school and she really cultivated a space that I could have hands on training and feel confident when it came time. She has been a defying factor in my success.
Area two and three have tied together for me. Self motivation and emotional intelligence. As a business owner you are going to be faced with choices, decisions, situations that aren’t always going to “feel good”.
Your emotions can not be the lead.
Reality is, there are gonna be days you wake up and your battery life is empty! Those are the days where you’re feelings can not dictate your theology.
Self motivation has to kick you into high gear and over power the emotions that want to keep you stagnant.
For most, I think naturally we struggle to be motivated in some area or another. Ever notice though, your progress promotes motivation.
Think cleaning, an activity for most that you didn’t really want to be doing but when you progressively start to see the change in environment it creates the motivation to finish .
Self motivation is a skill that will carry you through and help you with perseverance.
When you don’t have the motivation, just start, because the progress will keep you going.
What has been your biggest area of growth or improvement in the past 12 months?
Faith
Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Building a business is painstaking works at something only you can see in the hope that someday everyone will be able to see it.
Before a business is a business, it’s an idea.
An idea no one else can see, it isn’t tangible.
As your idea develops you work out the details, refine and then refine again.
Through the process some can choose to reject your idea.
Your faith has to be bigger.
The year between the salon becoming an idea to a reality my faith was tried ,tested and grown immensely.
To say these last 12 months have doubled in the testing of my faith, would be an understatement.
Bringing this salon to life was the easy part. Maintaining the dream through unforeseen circumstances, life trials and grief would be the true testament to how faith would become my driving force to all things.
When you learn to utilize faith you begin to trust yourself! You begin to unapologetically tell your story.
In faith, you can confidently represent your business.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://indigenousbeautystudio.glossgenius.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/indigenousbeauty_llc/profilecard/?igsh=NXpkanhvMm1vNnh2
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/darian.d.locklear?mibextid=LQQJ4d
Image Credits
Rustyandsagephotography
https://www.instagram.com/rustyandsagephoto?igsh=bTk2Mjdzb2U1eHJp
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
