Conversations with Kayla Simone

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kayla Simone.

Hi Kayla, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
Well, hair has been a part of my identity since a child. As I got older, I was able to make decisions and experiment with different hairstyles and I loved trying something new. I really had the idea to start my own hair brand in 2018 but I didn’t officially start it until 2020 right before Covid hit. I launched in March 2020 and made my first sale the same month. I was in another state when I launched where I knew no one and I built my clientele out there through a hair group page and it went from there.

I also was able to build a clientele from back home here in NC. All my sales were made in person and through DMs. I didn’t create a website for a whole year due to my personal reasons for wanting a certain look for my vision so I waited until everything was everything. When I moved back home, I moved to Raleigh and did the same process I did on the west coast and built another set of clientele so here I am now lol

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?
It has not been easy at all. It’s been very challenging. There’s no blueprint for starting any business. I don’t have any guidance so it’s been a lot of trial and error. I do everything myself and I’ve been funding out of pocket. I’ve been learning and scaling what works for my brand as I go. Knowing what and how much inventory to buy, along with finding my target audience are the struggles I face.

Also by starting before the pandemic and now currently a recession inventory prices are always increasing and that causes very slow days/weeks with no sales and that’s challenging to push through sometimes. I know it’s a part of my process and it’s just something I have to endure so I keep pushing. I also feel like I wouldn’t have started when I did if it wasn’t destined for me to win.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m an entrepreneur but I’m an LPN as well. I use to do nursing in long-term care settings, school nursing, mental health, and pediatric home health. I’m known for my ambitious ways and for being an influence in my own way. I’m most proud of my ability to keep going and how I overcome any obstacle.

What sets me apart from others is my mindset and my confidence alone. I’m very creative, determined, and unique. I do everything I say I will do no matter how long it takes and I don’t need validation from the outside.

Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out.
For those starting out, I would say to push through it and stay down with your journey. Be authentic and do what works for your business. Don’t pay attention to likes or anyone else. It’s going to be hard and everything isn’t going to be perfect in the beginning.

It will seem crazy at first to promote something and get little to no feedback until it happens. I wish I would’ve known how to scale my hair brand properly and I wish I would’ve started in 2018 when I first thought of having my own brand.

Contact Info:

• Website: Kaysimonehair.com
• Instagram: @Kaysimonehair
• Facebook: @Kaysimonehair

Image Credits
Berry Nash and Preston Mangum