FROM THE START: A chat with the founder of Naptural Beauty Supply
Ascender’s FROM THE START series continues with our 2022–2023 Incubator!
Too often, we learn from other founders only after they’ve “already made it,” but there’s a lot to gain from their journeys as early-stage entrepreneurs. FROM THE START is our ongoing interview series with founders from our Incubator that traces their startup stories from the beginning, reveals some of the resources helping them overcome the bumps, and points out ways you can help them thrive.
Since joining the 2022–2023 Incubator in June, all of the companies have been hustling to get their brands and businesses out there. Now it’s time to get to know them!
Some answers have been edited slightly for brevity.
What’s been the journey that’s led you to start your company?
This is a question that can be answered in so many ways. Everything I experienced seems like it led me to Naptural Beauty Supply. I have loved hair and aesthetics since I was a child — doing my dolls’ hair and always admiring someone’s hair or clothing choice. I have three children and have never really felt like I belonged at a job; I always felt restricted and like I was supposed to do something other than the job I was doing. But I do and have always gotten fulfillment out of helping others.
I was working as a mortgage processor, and I actually liked the job. I had a good schedule, flexible for my single-mom schedule, and I was in school, and they offered tuition reimbursement. I was there for three months, and they laid the entire department off. I got laid off in January, and my mom’s birthday is in January. I’m too old to make her a macaroni necklace, so I made her a body scrub. My friends and family started to purchase them, and that’s how Naptural had its first product. The other side is that I applied for an LLC for Naptural in July of 2017 because I wanted to open a beauty supply business for black people who are natural, meaning they are no longer chemically straightening their hair. My daughter Taylor was born severely premature at 23 weeks, and she was bald when she was born. I mixed oils to aid in her hair growth, and now she has a head full of hair. That is known as Holy Grail Hair Oil, our top seller.
What’s the problem that your business is solving?
When I started my natural hair care journey, I didn’t know much about my hair, and I noticed others were also uneducated about it. I would hear things like, “natural hair is not for me.” How could the hair that grows from your head not be for you?! I realized there’s a lack of education, empowerment, and encouragement, which are our pillars. We’re a self-care company that happens to sell a great product.
What bumps have you encountered so far in your entrepreneurial journey?
So many. One that sticks out is COVID. I had a storefront before the pandemic but had to close it in March 2020. To keep business moving, I created a lab space in my basement, revamped the website, and our sales grew. We then had a flood in July 2021 in our lab space that we’re trying to recover from. I still never gave up.
What does being an entrepreneur mean to you?
It means trying your best, not having all the answers, but being willing to find them or someone that can help you find the answers. It also means sleepless nights, building something that, more than likely, no one else has, and creating a parachute from scratch as you freefall in the sky.
What’s a resource or tip that’s helped you develop as a founder and move your business forward?
Not giving up. I bend, but I do not break. Also a schedule and Google Calendar help!
What’s next? How can our readers help you?
I am looking for a space (low cost or offset by grants) where I can make products. I’m outgrowing my home. As you can imagine, we need space to grow this small business.
Learn more about Naptural Beauty Supply.
Visit: https://napturalbeautysupply.com
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From fledgling tech companies, healthcare innovators, and nonprofits to makers, creators, services and shops, Ascender is for Pittsburgh’s entrepreneurs. We help businesses of all types in the Pittsburgh region start and build a business through education and connectivity. See how Ascender can help you.
LASHESIA HOLLIDAY was originally published in Ascender on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
