Check Out Lorraine James’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lorraine James

Hi Lorraine, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I had never considered becoming a hair stylist until my mother suggested it back in 2019. At the time, I was working at a job that I hated, but had no direction on what career path to choose. I hadn’t finished college, so I didn’t feel like I had many options. When my mom made the suggestion, I was skeptical at first. It seemed like it could be a good idea, but I wasn’t convinced. But, after a few more months of working at an unfulfilling job, I said “What the heck, let’s try it.” I took a leap of faith and joined the Natural Hair Care Specialist program at Wake Tech in Raleigh. I very quickly became passionate about hair, and determined to develop my skills. Most of the other women in the class already had years of experience, so I was able to lean upon them as well as our instructor to learn everything from cornrows to silk press. I loved every minute of it.

After graduating and passing my state board exam, I applied to work at a local natural hair salon. This felt like a second leap of faith, because I was going from a “steady paycheck with benefits” to a career where everything is based on how many clients you see. With encouragement from family and friends, I went for it. It was here that I put my new skills to the test, and learned even more about the natural hair world. In the first few months of my time there, I often found myself thinking, “Why didn’t I do this sooner?” It quickly became obvious to me that I was doing exactly what I was called to do.

I worked at the salon for about 2 years, and then decided to take yet another leap of faith and transition into my own business. I rented a salon suite in Raleigh, and decided to call it Uhuru Natural Hair Studio. “Uhuru” is the Swahili word for “freedom”. I chose a word in Swahili because it is spoken all over the continent of Africa, thus uniting many of the countries through language. I believe this speaks to the Ancestors that live within me that called Africa home. I chose the word “freedom” because as people of the African Diaspora, we often do not feel free in many ways, most notably when it comes to wearing our natural hair. I am on a mission to enlighten my people about our hair, and encourage them to embrace every curl, coil and wave.

December 1st 2024 marked 2 years as a business owner! In January of this year I moved into a new suite, and so far I’m enjoying it and thriving. I plan to continue to provide excellent service to my clients and grow as a business owner and Natural Hair Care Specialist.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Looking back, I would say that the road has been relatively smooth. But life doesn’t come without some challenges. One challenge I faced as a newbie hair stylist was my speed. It would take me forever to finish very simple styles. At one point, I became very worried and discouraged. But my father told me “Don’t worry about your speed, just focus on perfecting your craft. Once you do that, the speed will come.” And he was absolutely right. Once I let go of the pressure of trying to go faster, I was able to focus on my skills. Before I knew it I was breezing through all my services.

I also faced a period of anxiety before transitioning into my salon suite. I was so nervous about being on my own! I had so many “what ifs”. But as always, my support system came to the rescue. My boyfriend told me with all confidence “You’ll be fine. You’ll have all the clients you need and you’ll be busy.” My mom said “You’re going to be fine. This is the right time to do this, and there’s no way you’ll fail. . And even if it doesn’t work out, it’s not a failure, we’ll just figure it out. Your dad and I got your back!”

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m a Natural Hair Care Specialist, which means I specialize in black hair care. Our hair is very unique and requires special care and attention. I help my clients develop hair care regimens, discuss products and their proper usage, provide treatments and trims, and I provide styling that fits my clients’ lifestyle and personal style.

While I do many things, my specialties are locs, various types of twists and braids, and silk presses.

I think the first thing that sets me apart and what I am most proud of is my passion for putting hair health before styling. For example, I am big on treatments and trims because for black hair, moisture, hair strength and regular trims are key to healthy hair and length retention. So if a client wants a style that I don’t believe their hair is ready for, I will be honest with them and make alternative suggestions. I am also very honest about split ends and how much hair needs to be trimmed to get a client’s hair back on track. If they aren’t comfortable with trimming the amount I suggest, I come up with a trim schedule that works for them while still giving their hair what it needs.

The second thing that sets me apart is my gentleness. I am very serious about providing gentle services, no matter what. This requires me to be very focused and intentional about everything I do, and I’m happy to do it! My goal is for every client to feel comfortable during and after their service.

The third thing that sets me apart is my attention to detail. I am a perfectionist when it comes to hair styling because I want my clients to look in the mirror and say “Wow, there’s no way I could’ve done this myself!” I also want my clients to leave feeling absolutely beautiful, stylish, refreshed and ready to take on the world.

Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
My advice for networking and finding a mentor is to follow your path and while on that path, be open, willing and ready to learn. And always be able to accept constructive criticism, and accept that you don’t know everything. Once you’re able to do these things, you’ll realize that mentors, teachers and colleagues are all around you!

I am not one to attend networking events and things of that nature, but being humble, a good student, and a good listener has always helped me make the right connections in the right timing.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Uhurunaturalhairstudio.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uhurunaturalhairstudio

Image Credits
Jamaica Gilmer