Today we’d like to introduce you to Dawn Bordelon and Janice Armstrong-Washington.
Dawn and Janice, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
The concept for The Natural Hair Workshop sprung out of a conversation between myself and Janice about how there should be more classes in our local community for people who want to wear their hair “natural”. Because many who do, find themselves on what is affectionately called a “journey”, the process of learning how to care for afro-textured hair through trial and error, and also learning more about oneself in the process.
We also saw a lack of training and mentorship opportunities for those who desire to start businesses that specialize in natural-hair styling techniques.
Wearing your hair “natural” means using methods of styling the hair without permanently changing the physical structure of the hair shaft. Some examples of popular natural hair styles include twists, braids or even locks (dreadlocks), weaves, and some would include the wearing of wigs as a “protective’ style for natural hair.
Maintenance and styling of curly and afro-textured hair is an art that requires skill and discipline. It also holds an important place within Afro-culture throughout history.
The Natural Hair Workshop was founded in San Diego in September of 2017. We offer a rotation of classes on various natural hair topics with an emphasis on live, in-person hands-on learning.
Has it been a smooth road?
It hasn’t been an easy road. Our main struggle seems to be getting the word out about our workshops and getting traction on social media to increase awareness and generate interest in what we offer. Social media marketing involves a lot of time, trial and error. Promoting our classes is an extra full-time job on top of our already busy schedules. But we are passionate about what we are building, so we will continue to press forward, and learn as we go.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Natural Hair Workshop story. Tell us more about the business.
The Natural Hair Workshop in San Diego offers a variety of introductory workshops on Natural Haircare and styling techniques. Our fun and informational workshops are open to people of all skill levels, including beginners, professional hair-stylists and those who are simply interested in the Natural Hair world.
The Natural Hair Workshop provides a hands-on, interactive experience for you to learn about Natural Hair products, maintenance and styling techniques, salon operations, fashion and hair shows, and business basics and mentorship for those wanting to generate income providing natural hair care and styling services.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
The natural hair movement is not just a trend. It is here to stay, And because of the internet and social media people are sharing information about natural hair globally.
African American shoppers spent $473 million total in hair care in 2017, accounting for 8.8% of sales that year.
As more people choose to wear their natural hair, large cosmetic companies are jumping on the bandwagon and offering products targeting these consumers. With so many options, people want guidance on product selection. The Natural Hair Workshop is here to help.
There will always be people interested in caring for their natural hair and looking for styling advice. The Natural Hair Workshop offers workshops covering these topics.
There were 650,000 barbers, hairdressers, and cosmetologists in the U.S. in 2014, and that figure is expected to increase by 10% by 2024. Currently, there is no instruction on natural hair styling or maintenance in the cosmetology school curriculum. The Natural Hair Workshop aims to provide a place for hairstylists to learn how to do braids, twists, locks and other natural hairstyling techniques.
It is very exciting to see so many embracing the natural hair movement!
Contact Info:
- Website: thenaturalhairworkshop.com
- Phone: 858-381-5041
- Email: thenaturalhairworkshop@gmail.com
- Instagram: @thenaturalhairworkshop
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheNaturalHairWorkshop/
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