Today we’d like to introduce you to Keira Jennings.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
How often do you hear about a white braider? Hey, y’all, my name is Keira Jennings, and I am the owner of Keira’s Braiding Styles. People always ask me, “Keira, what made you want to be a braider?” or “Girl, how did you learn all this?” And honestly, I’ve never really known how to respond.
But basically, I have known how to braid since I can remember. I used to always give my Barbie dolls tiny box braids and afros. But, one day, my oldest cousin asked me if I could give him cornrows like one of his favorite soccer players wore. I was so hurt when he took them out because he didn’t like how they looked on his head. Let me tell yall, I was so upset, but it only motivated me to get better. I was so motivated that I started taking middle-school clients and doing the three tiny cornrows on the side for $5.
Now mind yall, I grew up in Heber Springs, Arkansas, where there is no diversity. Yep, 98% white folks, so trying to practice the kind of styles I loved doing was hard. But that’s when I started to practice on myself. I got good at doing two feed-in braids on myself. When I got to my first year of high school, I made a new friend, Carisma. She liked how I did my hair so neat and tight, so she asked if I knew how to do any other styles. We stayed the night with each other, and I did lemonade braids on her.
The next day of school, everyone gave her compliments and asked where they could get theirs done. From there on, one person got their hair braided, other people saw it, and more people started booking. But with all this gained popularity came a lot of hate and discrimination. Kids and teachers at school made fun of me, and my dad disapproved. Even though it was hard, I still had something to prove.
I started a salon in the front living room of my mom’s house. I gave my business a name and put it on google in 2019.
Since then, it has been nothing but growth and success. I’ve had clients come from in and out of the state, met several wonderful people, and had some incredible conversations. I genuinely love what I do, and that is why I have enrolled in the Institute for Braiding and Natural Hair in Memphis, Tennessee. My dad drove back and forth from Arkansas to Mississippi when I was little, but going through Memphis was my favorite part.
Memphis has always been such an inspiration and will always resonate in my heart. I am now a senior at Heber Springs High School, class of 2022, and I cannot wait to start the course in Memphis and see the rest of God’s plan for me!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
No, it has definitely not been a smooth road, but it’s a road I don’t regret going down.
One of the biggest struggles I’ve faced is being judged or not accepted. There’s been a few cases where the client’s attitude when they booked vs. when they met me changed. Some people would look at me funny, laugh, not take me seriously, or question my knowledge.
I could understand why, but I hated feeling like people thought I wasn’t good at what I loved to do. Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t mind people’s curiosity, but I could tell if they didn’t trust me. But being as young as I was when I started, I knew that also had to do with it.
The older I got, the more I realized that I’m always going to have people like that in business and life. I learned that I just had to sit back, let it go, do my thing, and let my work speak for itself. Another struggle I faced was that people didn’t see braiding as a career but as more of a hobby.
My dad especially felt this way. When I told him I wanted to be a hairstylist, he thought I could do better with my life. But what he and a few others seemed to think was that I would only make $25 ahead. But what they don’t realize is that Braiding is a 6-Figure business industry.
That is why I am taking 6-figure mindset masterclasses with my business therapist, Mrs. LaShana West, and I am enrolling in The Institute for Braiding and Natural Hair which also includes how to become a 6-Figure Braider.
I have learned that some people may not accept me or believe in me or what I am doing, but that doesn’t matter because, at the end of the day, I do the best I can in what I’m doing.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Keira’s Braiding Styles is a hair salon that focuses on African American hair, braids, and other hairstyles. I specialize mainly in box braids, knotless braids, and feed-in braids.
I am known for my neatly parted braids, good but not too tight of a grip, and having braids with added hair looking natural. I work with all hair lengths, hair textures, ages, genders, and races. My salon is a positive environment created for clients to have the best possible experience.
Entertainment, snacks, drinks, lashes, and sanitation items are available as you walk in. Keira’s Braiding Styles is the only braiding salon in Heber Springs, Arkansas. The salon’s location is a 3-minute bike ride to the town’s biggest tourist attraction, Sandy Beach.
What do you think about happiness?
What makes me happy? Serving others.
I genuinely enjoy helping others in any way I can. It’s also part of my nature and how I grew up to help others. It just feels good. When I get clients that have low self-esteem or parents that have kids and feel bad for not knowing how to do their child’s hair, it absolutely warms my heart that I have the opportunity to help them and also get to enjoy doing what I love at the same time.
Also, outrageously generous people tend to be the happiest people.
Contact Info:
- Email: keirajenningslove@gmail.com
- Website: https://linktr.ee/keerbear?utm_source=linktree_profile_share
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hair.by.keerbear/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hair.by.keerbear/
