Life & Work with TaKyra Smith

Today we’d like to introduce you to TaKyra Smith.

Hi TaKyra, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself. 
I started braiding as a kid; I would braid my grandma’s hair or my friends. As I got older, I ventured into doing locs. When college came about, I focused and studied hard and came out with a degree in geographical information systems, but I just wasn’t happy. I began doing hair on the weekends to make ends meet, and one day, it clicked; I had so many people aspiring me to do hair full-time that I did just that. I quit my day job and started doing hair every single day. I am now in the works of opening a small salon soon but with time… 

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It definitely has not been smooth. Some struggles I have faced are managing my time and clientele, which I have definitely worked on since starting. 

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am current a traveling stylist specializing in locs and braids. I am most proud of my growth, starting from the bottom and actually building a strong clientele base has made me very proud. I went from maybe 2 clients a week to now 2-3 clients a day. I have my own edge control like, and I plan on having more products to sell like bonnets and du-rags. My clients appreciate being able to have a stylist they can trust and talk to. 

What matters most to you? Why?
Starting my own shop. I just want to have my own personal space, less overhead, and a place for my clients to go when they don’t want to be serviced at home. 

Pricing:

• Locs-$100
• Braids-$100
• Wash- $15
• Edge control- $10

Contact Info:

• Instagram: Braidsbyteekayy