Meet Promise Okoye

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Promise Okoye. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Promise below.

Hi Promise, appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?

I get my resilience from the hardship and obstacles that I experienced at an early age in life, and also from my strong desire to put a smile on every woman’s face and empower them through beauty and self-confidence.

I was born in a small town in West Africa and had other siblings. At an early age of 11, I lost her dad, and my mum was shortly afterwards diagnosed with cancer. I faced a lot of financial and emotional challenges with my studies but was determined not to let my early childhood challenges become a set-back.

I worked so hard to earn a university degree in Biochemistry and then ventured into the Hair and beauty industry. In 2013, I relocated to the UK, where I spotted an opportunity in the Scottish hair braiding industry, which aligned with my passion to uplift women through beauty and self-confidence.

My hair braiding business encountered a formidable test of resilience when demand for braided hairstyles in Scotland surged, amidst a limited talent pool of experienced braiders. Hiring individuals unfamiliar with afro braiding techniques risked compromising the authenticity and quality of my services. It was a conundrum that required an innovative solution. To address this challenge, I collaborated with another seasoned hair braider to organise workshops and apprenticeships programs to grow local talent, which attracted individuals passionate about learning the craft.

In adversity, I found opportunity, transforming challenges into catalysts for innovation and community building. All of this achievement was fundamentally driven by my early childhood experience and passion to put a smile on every woman’s face.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I’m Promise, the founder of Beauty Splendour, and we are Scotland’s hottest braid place known for our intricate braiding pattern, stylish and ever trendy braiding techniques. I have over 25 years experience in braiding and Afro hair styling.

Beauty Splendour was founded in Glasgow in 2013 and has evolved over the years, building a dedicated and passionate team. We’ve served over 2,500 customers with over 500 5-star positive reviews across all our online platforms. Notable achievement worth mentioning is the “Best afro hair salon…” award which my business won in the 2022 Scotland Business Award and also the 2023 Circle Of Inspiration Award that we won.

The most exciting and special thing about what I do, is the smile that I put on my client’s face, when I transform their looks and empower them to become more self-confident through beauty. This goes a long way to reinforce the main reason why my business was formed in the first place, which is to inspire others to look good, feel good and be at their very best.
I try to stay on top on my game in the hair braiding industry and set myself apart from competition by constantly innovating on my value offerings. In an industry where there are hair stylists with very similar services, my key differentiator is the neatly interwoven bundle of value offerings that my business offers to its clients, starting from the client booking process to the customer handling phase.

At the moment, I am involved in organising workshops and apprenticeships programs to grow local talent. By nurturing local talent and fostering a culture of continuous learning, this would help in solving the radical shortage of braiding talent in the local market and enrich the Scottish hair braiding industry.

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?

Reflecting on my journey, three qualities were particularly impactful: resilience, adaptability, and fostering an inclusive environment.

Resilience was essential when facing challenges like the shortage of skilled braiders and talent retention issue. I learned to view obstacles as opportunities for growth, maintaining unwavering determination to succeed. My advice for cultivating resilience is to stay focused on your goals, embrace setbacks as learning experiences, and surround yourself with supportive individuals who encourage your persistence.

Adaptability was crucial in responding to the dynamic market demands and operational challenges which I faced. Innovating through workshops and apprenticeship programs enabled me to build a skilled team despite initial resource limitations. To develop adaptability, I recommend being open to new ideas, continuously learning, and being willing to pivot strategies when necessary. Staying informed about industry trends and being proactive in seeking solutions can help you remain flexible and responsive. This helped me in enriching my skill set and in offering my clients innovative and cutting-edge hairstyles.

Fostering a welcoming and inclusive environment helped me in building rapport with my clients. By embracing diversity and celebrating cultural exchange, I created a space where individuals of all backgrounds felt valued, respected, and understood. I actively sought feedback from my clients, listened to their preferences, and adapted my services accordingly, demonstrating a commitment to personalised care and continuous improvement.

All the wisdom you’ve shared today is sincerely appreciated. Before we go, can you tell us about the main challenge you are currently facing?

The number one obstacle that I am facing in scaling up my business to the level that I would like it to be, is the ability to easily attract highly skilled braiders due to limited local talent pool. However, since I have already discussed this I would like to talk about another key obstacle that I am currently facing, which is the difficulty in retaining highly skilled braiders due to the physical strain and health issues associated with the hair braiding profession.

Hair braiders often face repetitive strain injuries, carpal tunnel syndrome, back and neck pain, and other musculoskeletal problems due to the prolonged periods of time spent in physically demanding positions. This physical toll can lead to reduced productivity, increased absenteeism, and even premature departure from the profession.

To overcome this challenge I have adopted ergonomic practices and invested in supportive equipment, such as adjustable chairs and proper workstation set-ups. I encourage my employees to take regular breaks, engage in stretching exercises, and physical therapy, which can help manage and prevent injuries. In addition, I have created workplace manuals for promoting awareness about the importance of self-care and access to health resources, which can support the well-being of my braiders and ensure a sustainable and healthier working environment.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Photographers
@hanieldutchison
@shotsbysherrie

Photoshoot crews

@partycatchlothing
@kayl3igh_miln3
@ainsley_connell
@Chelseaakeir

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