We recently connected with Kia Thomas and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Kia with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?
Work by definition means a few different things: 1.) activity involving mental or physical effort done in order to achieve a purpose or result.
2.) a task or tasks to be undertaken; something a person or thing has to do.
So first for me it’s understanding what work actually is. I consider myself an “in the trenches” type of worker. That means there is no job with my business that I feel like I’m too good to do. It’s easy to delegate but in order to be successful (in my mind) I must be willing to exercise humility and that’s done by rolling up my sleeves and diligently putting my hand to the plough. The Bible teaches this kind of work ethic and that’s what I try to follow.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I started out as a banker but my passion for entrepreneurship outweighed my ability to keep working under a ceiling. I began doing hair extensions out of my home while working and pretty soon I had the clientele to support opening my own shop.
This actually birthed a new passion for the care of natural black hair. I realized how black women are very quick to cover up their natural hair with little regards as to what’s going on under the extensions. So I shifted my focus to the basics. I created an oil brand and a moisturizer that I like to use for the sole purpose of growing the hair while installed.
My “brand” so to speak is natural. Natural installs and natural hair in abundance. The Word teaches that a woman’s hair is her glory. So, I’m all about the glory.
My shop was located in Cordova tn for years but I’m about to reopen in Martin Tn with hopes of servicing a broader area and getting products into more kitchens and bathrooms. I really am a simple stylist that cares. I care that your install looks natural and I care what your natural hair does while it’s put away.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
The first thing in the journey to success as an entrepreneur is courage. It’s not easy to walk out of what’s been familiar to uncharted territory. That takes courage. But that first leap of faith can render desirable results if you have the wherewithal to just do it.
You don’t know everything but you can learn anything. Presentation goes a long way too. If you keep a humbleness of heart it’ll keep you from a lot of unnecessary drama. If you work with a servants heart, it’ll always be what can you do for your clients instead of what can your clients do for you. Sounds cliche but it’s true. Keep it simple. Work your business, use social media to market, take care of your clients and be both transparent and genuine. That all goes a very long way.
How would you describe your ideal client?
My ideal client is one who trusts that I want what they want. What I mean by this is that we all want a head full of healthy hair. A client that can wholeheartedly trust you with her glory makes it easier for you to help her reach her goals.
Contact Info:
- Website: EbonyCrownsHair.com
- Instagram: Ebonycrownshair
- Linkedin: Ebony Crowns Hair
