Today we’d like to introduce you to Danielle Bailey.
Hi Danielle, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My journey into hair started in 2016 while I was a student at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke. Although I attended UNC Pembroke for school, I’m a Chapel Hill native, born and raised. Hair wasn’t necessarily my passion growing up, I was simply good at it. What started as a skill I had developed over time became an opportunity to earn extra income while I was in college. I printed flyers and posted them around the dorms and cafeteria, offering my services to fellow students and anyone willing to sit in my chair.
The real turning point came when I returned home to Chapel Hill for the summer and began working with UNC. During that time, I reconnected with several student-athletes, and those relationships ended up changing the trajectory of my business. The athletes became my walking billboards, quite literally. As they moved around campus, appeared in photos, traveled, and spent time with teammates, people constantly asked who was doing their hair. One referral turned into another, and my client base grew almost entirely through word of mouth.
Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to work with an incredibly diverse range of athletes at every stage of their careers. From future NBA players like Cole Anthony, RJ Davis, and Armando Bacot, to established professionals such as Danny Green and even LiAngelo Ball. That range is something I’m especially proud of. I’ve been fortunate enough to serve athletes at the collegiate level, professional level, and beyond, building relationships that have lasted long after their playing days at UNC. For six seasons, I was trusted by many of the athletes who represented Carolina on the court and field, becoming a familiar part of their routines both on and off campus.
What many people don’t realize is that the business was built entirely from my home in those early years. From 2016 until around the COVID-19 pandemic, I operated as what I jokingly call a “kitchen stylist.” It wasn’t unusual to have 6-foot-7 basketball players stretched across my kitchen while I washed their hair in the sink. It wasn’t glamorous, but it taught me how to be resourceful, work hard, and create a quality experience for my clients regardless of the setting.
Over time, what started as a side hustle turned into a thriving business built through relationships, consistency, and trust. Today, I continue to work with athletes, alumni, and professionals throughout the Triangle area, including collegiate athletes, professional athletes, doctors, university employees, and members of the local community. I now operate from the Midway Business Center, a business incubator supported by Empowerment, Inc., and I’m grateful for the support and opportunities they’ve provided. Having a professional space has allowed me to continue growing while remaining connected to the community that helped me get started.
When I look back, it’s incredible to see how a skill I simply happened to be good at grew into a career. I never imagined that a few flyers posted around a college campus would lead to working with some of the biggest names in college and professional sports. From a kitchen sink to a professional business space, the journey has been fueled by relationships, referrals, and the people who trusted me with their image. Those athletes were more than clients, they were the reason my name spread throughout the athletic community, and they’ll always be a major part of my story.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I don’t think any entrepreneurial journey is ever completely smooth, and mine certainly wasn’t.
Coming from Chapel Hill and then attending UNC Pembroke, it almost felt like I had just traded one close-knit community for another. When I returned home and suddenly found myself doing hair for Division I athletes, I can honestly admit that I was a little starstruck at first. These were athletes whose names people knew, who were playing on big stages, and who had a lot of attention around them.
But I quickly learned that if I wanted to build a sustainable business, I couldn’t operate as a fan. I had to operate as a professional.
One of the biggest challenges was learning how to separate the athlete from the client. Many of the athletes I worked with were actually younger than me, and sometimes there were moments when clients would try to negotiate pricing, push back on policies, or expect exceptions. As a young entrepreneur who was still growing and figuring things out myself, that wasn’t always easy to navigate. I had to learn how to stand firm in the standards I set for my business while still maintaining great relationships with my clients.
There was definitely a learning curve. I often say it took about a year to get all of my quirks worked out. I was learning how to be a stylist, a business owner, a customer service representative, and a marketer all at the same time. Every mistake became a lesson.
To continue growing, I invested in myself by attending cosmetology school and natural hair school. Those experiences sharpened my technical skills, but more importantly, they shifted my mindset. They helped me realize that while talent can get you noticed, business knowledge is what helps you build something that lasts.
I knew I wasn’t just interested in doing hair—I wanted to create something of my own. I wanted to work for myself, build a brand, and establish a business that could stand on its own. That meant putting on my business hat, creating systems, enforcing policies, understanding my value, and treating my craft like a profession rather than just a talent.
Looking back, the challenges were necessary. They taught me confidence, professionalism, and how to advocate for myself as a business owner. The road wasn’t always smooth, but every obstacle helped shape the entrepreneur I am today.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a Cosmologist and entrepreneur based in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. While I service a variety of clients, I have become especially known for my work with athletes. Over the years, I’ve worked with everyone from college athletes to professional athletes, including names such as Cole Anthony, RJ Davis, Armando Bacot, Danny Green, and LiAngelo Ball. What makes me proud is not necessarily the names, but the trust. These are individuals whose image is constantly on display, and they’ve trusted me to help them look and feel their best.
I specialize in healthy hair care, protective styling, loc maintenance, braiding, twists, and natural hair services for both men and women. My clientele ranges from student-athletes and professionals to doctors, educators, university staff, and members of the local community. One thing I’ve always valued is versatility. Whether it’s a freshman athlete preparing for media day, a professional athlete in the offseason, or a doctor stopping by after work, I strive to provide the same level of care and professionalism.
What I’m most proud of is the business I’ve built from the ground up. I didn’t start in a salon. I started by hanging flyers around campus and later doing hair in my kitchen. There were years when my “salon” was a kitchen sink and a chair, yet people continued to come back and refer others because of the experience I provided. To see that grow into a respected business with clients throughout North Carolina is something I’ll never take for granted.
What sets me apart is relationship-building. Hair is the service, but people are the business. I’ve had clients who started seeing me as freshmen in college and still sit in my chair years later as professionals, husbands, fathers, and community leaders. I genuinely care about the people I serve, and I think they feel that. Many of my clients have become like family.
I also believe my background gives me a unique perspective. As someone who grew up in Chapel Hill and built a business within the athletic community, I’ve been able to connect with clients from all walks of life. I’ve worked with nationally recognized athletes, but I’ve also remained deeply rooted in my local community. That balance has allowed me to stay authentic to who I am while continuing to grow.
At the end of the day, I want my legacy to be bigger than hair. I want people to remember that I created opportunities for myself, built meaningful relationships, and showed that with consistency, professionalism, and faith, a skill can become a successful business and a platform to impact others.
How do you think about happiness?
What makes me happy most is simply being blessed to do what I do. Every day, I get to wake up and make a living using a skill that has opened so many doors for me. I don’t take that for granted.
I’m happy for my family, my support system, and everyone who has poured into me throughout this journey. No one builds something alone, and I’ve been fortunate to have people who believed in me, supported me, and celebrated me long before others saw the vision.
I’m also grateful for the life I’m living at my age. When I look back at where I started and compare it to where I am now, I can’t help but feel blessed. There have been challenges, setbacks, and lessons along the way, but I’ve been able to build a life and career that I’m proud of.
One thing people don’t always realize about being a hairstylist is that you’re constantly absorbing energy. Clients come to you with their successes, struggles, stress, excitement, and everything in between. On any given day, I might take on pieces of dozens of different personalities and emotions. Because of that, I’m genuinely happy for my peace of mind and my sanity. Being able to stay grounded, protect my energy, and remain centered is something I value deeply.
Above all, I’m happy because I feel loved. I feel God’s favor over my life, I feel the love from my family, my clients, and my community, and I feel supported in ways that keep me motivated to continue growing. That sense of love, gratitude, and purpose is what truly makes me happy.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://LocGoddessDanni.setmore.com
- Instagram: LocGoddessDanni
