Braider Q&A | My Last Job, Back & Hand Pain, Favorite Brand Of Braiding Hair

The first day that i was scheduled, i didn't show up - and i haven't - had a job since i used this baby right here - really gon na drive you to get better okay. I don't want this in it or my phone, okay, hi. Everyone welcome or welcome back to my channel if you're new here my name is india individually, braves hi. If you don't know me, i'm a 21 year old braider located in orlando florida and i go to ucf, i'm a full-time college student. So i'm a full-time college student, a braider content creator and i'm tired, no i'm just kidding so here my channel. I create everything, hair, beauty and diy to help people embrace their inner confidence and creativity. Because you know you look good when you feel good and vice versa. So i asked you guys yesterday on my instagram, to ask me some questions. It was titled writer and creator. Q, a so i said, drop a question down below to have it answered in tomorrow's youtube video, and i just wanted you guys to ask me literally whatever you wanted about braiding content, creating school, my personal life literally anything that you'd want to know, and i got A few really good thought-provoking questions. Stop me answer them. We'Re gon na get straight into it. I'M not even gon na hold you guys up. Oh, i am don't forget to subscribe. Under that picture, i gave a little spiel about my life. As i said, i'm 21 years old and i live in orlando florida and i've haven't worked a real job since 2018.. Okay, the last job i had was old navy and i haven't had a job since, and i've been able to turn braiding into a career, a job. A lifestyle like everything that i have and that i buy is because of what i do. I have no other job. Some of my clients ask me if i have another job on the side. If i'm, you know how i'm able to pay for everything, it's braiding and content, creating that's the simple answer, so i'm here to answer any questions that you guys have just give me a little more insight about me. I'M gon na have the username right here, because some of these i can't say, question number one: it's tahila, or i really hope i'm saying it right, but her ass gon na be right here. How long did it take you or how long did it take before you got your first brand deal slash paid collaboration honestly, my first brand deal was: it was a headband wig actually, and i was the one that reached out to them. This was almost recently. It was probably like a year or two ago that i got my first deal, but it wasn't braiding hair, as you could imagine so like random. But in my head, i'm thinking. Okay, i want to secure a deal. I don't really know what or how i'm going to do it, but in my head to me making it was having a company. Send me a wig. I don't know why. I don't know why i reached out to i think it was aaron 21 hair or wigs or something and i reached out to them, and i was like hey. I am a content creator, i'm a braider and i also do styles on my actual hair. Would you guys want to collaborate and send me a wig, and you know what they sure did i got lucky enough for them to send me the wig in exchange, for i think it was like two three tick tocks something like that, and i also made a Youtube video out of it as well, so that was my first brand deal or brand deal or collaboration, and as for braiding hair or like things i have to do more with braiding. That was more kind of recently. I now partner with outre hair i've partnered with shake n go hair. If you guys are unfamiliar with them. You probably do if you walk into any beauty supply store, you're, definitely going to see these two brands. They dominate every beauty supply store. They sell literally every kind of hair extension like so, but those were more recently, i would say in the last year that i was able to work with them and it is honestly so amazing like i would have never thought they were the ones that reached out To me - and i would have never thought that little me like what: why would they want me, but, as time went on, i really did realize like okay, the things that i'm creating are cool valuable like i'm really it. So what was the question? Oh, those brand deals were more recent, so within the last year, how long did it take for you to grow your clientele? So honestly, this is like an ongoing process, my clientele's still growing, but for it to grow to the size where the demand is more than the supplier me um. It took about two years. I would say: i've been braiding for roughly four years and the first year. It was rough girl, okay, not too rough, though, because i attend ucf, so you know on a college campus, everybody wants their hair braided, okay and they sometimes they don't even care by who, like you, can have zero pictures of your work, and somebody will be like You know how to braid hair braid my hair, so it wasn't too bad, but it's definitely been a journey to extend it, especially during coven when i went back down to miami because i definitely started from scratch. So i started up here technically writing hair and i build my i built my clientele in orlando then moved to miami and had no clients, except my mom, and my sister, so starting over again was again a little difficult, but you have to be consistent with posting. Your availability and posting your your work so that people can see that it's good and would want to book you um, but yeah. Just with like consistency, i was able to grow it to the place that it is now third question: how do you combat hand and back pain after a long day of doing hair y'all? My back, my back, is sometimes messed up, but there are some things that i do to help a little bit. I use a waist trainer. Sometimes let me grab it. I'M gon na grab it. I use this baby right here. I have no clue what brand she is, but i'll probably put it in the links down below, but at first i bought this because i was like i want my waist snatched. Okay, but then i realized wow. This is really great support for my back. So now i use it kind of as a waist here kind of as like back support so that it keeps me standing like or sitting upright, and it honestly really helps it's got like metal sticks. It has like metal in it so that it keeps like the shape in the frame. I love her, though, as for like hand, pain, listen, i really need to do better at getting hand massages or just treating my hands right, because carpal tunnel and arthritis is real. Y'All, like i haven't, had anything near that, but sometimes my hands they'd be hurting. So currently i just kind of take a break when i really need it um. Sometimes you know sometimes i'm booked every day for like two weeks, just because it's my fault, because i can't get enough - i can't get enough of the braiding, but sometimes it is necessary to take a break for your hands. Your fingers, your wrists, because they're important like please don't, run yourself into the ground, trying to braid every day and everyone it's not worth it. So i definitely take breaks when needed and when i feel burnt out or like my hand and body is tired. I'Ll just take a break if i really really need to reschedule um i'll, do that as well and make the accommodations or you know, communicate with my client, because you know i'm human and i'm sure a lot of my clients now that i have relationships with them. Definitely understand that and they're, so i i love my clients y'all, so understanding like. If i, what time i needed my wisdom teeth, this has nothing to do with back pain, but one time i needed, um emergency wisdom, teeth, um surgery and i have appointments back to back to back and i was like what am i about to do. I have to cancel everyone, and everyone was so nice and was able to reschedule, and everything worked out perfectly so bottom line. Take care of yourself. If you are in pain, cancel the appointment. When did you first start learning how to braid hair slash? Why did you start learning how to braid comma? What made you want to okay, three questions in one: when did you first start learning how to braid hair? I started braiding hair on myself in high school, so around 20 17. 18. yeah. That was one. Why was because i wanted to braid my own hair, not that there was anything wrong with my um braid lady. I was just kind of bored and i'm naturally a creative. So i was like you know what i could probably do this myself and i don't have to spend hours in somebody else's house in a chair when i can spend the same hours in my house in my underwear watching whatever i want. So that's kind of why and now i break other people's hair because it's fun, i love making people feel good, and you know when you get your hair done and you're feeling yourself and now all of your problems that you were worrying about before kind of don't Matter because you look good, i like making people feel like that, so why? What made you want to same kind of question same answer girl next question: how do you, how did you know that braiding or doing hair was something that she wanted to do for a living? So i kind of didn't um really funny story, though i worked at old navy, like i had said before, and the first day that i transferred up here to orlando, because when i was working on navy, i was back home in miami. I think it was over. The summer, so when school was starting again, i transferred to the old navy up here, and i went for a little onboarding thing to like put my name in the system and the first day that i was scheduled, i didn't show up. I was like no, no so, but by then i had already braided like a few people's hair, and i was realizing that okay, this is like kind of a demand and i'm kind of good at it. I'M not. I wasn't really surprised that i was good at it because, like i said, i'm like a creative like if there's something crafty, that i can use my hands or my fingers to do, and i have the resources to figure out how to do it. So youtube mentoring like something, and i can figure it out - i'm gon na try to do it and i'm gon na try to be the best. The best i'm gon na try to be the best at doing it too. So it wasn't really something that i wanted to do for a living up until you know things started picking up and more people started wanting to get their hair braided. I kind of just went with the flow and, let god in the universe, what are your favorite, braiding, gel and braiding hair? Currently i use shine and jam as the braiding gel, but i know a lot of people have a lot of problems with shiny jam. I can kind of see why, but i kind of don't because i still use it if you're a good braider you're a good braider. The braiding gel, isn't really going to make too much of a difference. But it does make a difference. But if you guys have any recommendations, please drop them down below comment them and i will try them because i'm on the hunt for something new braiding hair, i love expressions. Pre-Stretched um, some of them come in two packs. Some of them come in three packs. I will say, though, the one in the three packs the bundles are a little thinner than the one, the two packs, because they think they're slick, it's the same amount of hair. I also like arua hair. I forget who the main company, who makes that is, it might be expressions or i don't know, but it's like arua, and i kind of like that, one too, it's really smooth and like does it tangle too much ruba? Is that girl? How did you come up with the initial with your initial funds to be able to purchase things to start? So i didn't when i first started braiding hair. I only had a comb in the product and maybe a chair and a tv y'all. When i first started braiding i was in the trenches. Okay, i didn't have any of the things. I think the first real thing that i got for braiding hair was a ring. Light and my boyfriend got it for me for christmas so before i would just use a comb, and i would have my client bring the braiding hair as well, so i would just have a comb and the product and that's really all you need to get started Because, once you have the knowledge in your head comb gel hands, you know you don't need all the extra lighting, the cameras, the fancy background. Those things are really good to have and they look good and you know blase blase, but you don't need them at all. So don't let money or the fact that you don't have a lot of equipment or like tools, deter you from starting, because you can start from nothing and then, as you build your clientele and work your way up, you can definitely purchase more things. Like you know, extra things, snazzy extra things, what kinds of things should i be looking for when choosing a wig? Oh, when choosing what kind of thing should i be looking for when choosing a braiding, slash wig course in my area? How can i be sure that i'm choosing a good braiding class, where i'm getting a good value for my money? Okay, social media, that girl social media is so powerful? Okay, you hear me make sure that when you're looking for a good braiding course, wig course lash course, micro, micro link course you're, looking at the t-shirt or the main person's instagram or facebook or literally their social media, you want to scroll almost stop them to an Extent to see what kind of quality that they're putting out into the world, you know you don't want to buy a course where it's just one flyer, with no preview with no like they're, not telling you what's in the course they're. Just like here's, my breakhorse, it's this much, that's it! You really don't want to purchase things like that unless you know for sure that that person is going to give you, you know what you're paying for um. So usually, look at instagram see what kind of quality they have. Oh, also see if you vibe with that person's energy, because energy is everything. Okay, you don't want to buy somebody's course, where they're kind of blunt rude. If you will or just negative you know just not good energy um, it's just not one! You don't want to sit there and listen to them talk. You know if it's not something that you're going to want to hear. And secondly, if you have any problems or issues with the course or questions, and you reach out to them, they you don't want them to be rude. You know so just make sure that the person that you're purchasing the course from is a good person. Make sure that you can listen to their voice? I think that's something like important, because sometimes i'll watch a video and i will click off immediately, because the person's voice is just not what i want to hear. I don't know sometimes people, i don't know how to explain it. You know somebody that just has an annoying voice. You don't want to purchase a course with somebody that hasn't has an annoying voice, because it's just you're not gon na listen as good. You know how can i get more clients as a? How can i get more clients as a brand new brainer, with no recognition? What initial steps should i be taking to get my braiding business note noticed? Okay, how can i go with clients as a brand new grader with no recognition? Okay, like i said, social media is everything you better have an instagram, okay, you or or facebook, or something that you have a portfolio of your work, because without this you will literally get no clients. Unless you walk around saying hey, i braid hair, please let me braid your hair. It'S fly, yeah so make sure you have a portfolio make sure you have a portfolio and also make sure that you're consistent with posting your work. So that kind of means that you kind of need to have clientele. But i would say start off with your friends start off with your family, because they are the more likely ones to say yes to either letting you practice or just letting you do their hair so that you have a portfolio that you can take. Pictures of the styles also, i feel like something: that's a little underrated um make business cards. I know that's not really like a thing of, like you know: 20 20, like business cards like when somebody hands your business card. I hope i remember where i put it like, but it also it really does help like carry them with you in your wallet, because a lot of the times i find myself, you know shamelessly promoting my business out in public and i'm like damn. I wish i had a business card right now to literally just hand you with my information, so definitely carry business cards because i think that's really important honestly, but there definitely has been times where i'm like at the club having a ball and people are like. Oh, my god, i love your braids or, oh, my god. You know, whatever you know, girls in the bathroom when they're drunk, that is like the best place to be at a club. So i definitely have passed out my business cards to random people in the club because most likely they're from my area already, and you know why not here, take a card. You know, and you never know next one, do you need your license to braid ooh? Also, do you have any tips for marketing and branding yourself? Do you need a license to braid? It depends. It depends on your state and you know where you're located, but here in the state of florida you do not, and you want to know how. I know that, because i applied for it and it does not exist in the state of florida, you do not um. I know it depends kind of state by state what the regulations and rules are, but i would literally just go on google type in what state you're in and if you need a license because uh, don't quote me, i'm only human, but i do know you need A cosmetology license to do everything that has to do with like bleaching, hair, coloring dyes, sometimes washing, because you know you're using chemicals like shampoo conditioner in your hair. So those things you do need a license, but i currently do not offer those services and i also don't have a sink in my studio. So right now i only add in the braiding hair and do that service. So you don't need a license technically, but fun fact i am going to be starting cosmetology school after i graduate college in december, so i'm so excited i'm going to start doing more than braids y'all and you know i'm going to bring you guys all 80k of You, that's so crazy to say: i'm gon na bring all 80k of you on that journey with me, so that i can share the tips and tricks that i learned and put y'all on okay for free. Do you have any tips for marketing and branding yourself be consistent? You know um, oh, i have a neon sign that i got from etsy. The seller was neon. Artisans, maybe have something in the back that you can identify yourself with, or you know, notice in your pictures that people can be like. Oh okay, that is so-and-so's work. Last question: what was the beginning process like for you? How did you be? How did you over sorry guys, i can't read what was the beginning process like for you? How did you overcome frustration and become a better braider? Also, how did you braid the back of your head without a three-way mirror? Okay first question: what was the beginning process like for you rough rough, okay, um? When i first started braiding, it took me a hell of a long time to do anybody's hair. It didn't even matter what size was style. It just took forever. Okay days, it took so a little rough, but you know i was consistent with it, something that i like doing so. I really never put it down completely. Even during covid i was doing my mom's hair, my sister's hair um, my brother's hair, and that's actually how i became um noticed on tik tok, because i was making content doing their hair. So you know how did you overcome frustration and become a better grader? You have to enjoy the journey, basically you're gon na get frustrated. You know that you're learning something and you're actually getting better at it when you get frustrated at times, and that frustration is really gon na drive you to get better, because, if you're not frustrated at doing something like are you even one? Are you even trying? You know, are you trying to get better, because if you are you're going to be frustrated at times there have been times where i've seen other people's work look 10 times better than mine and i'm looking at both of them like? Oh, my god. What can i don't even know where to start to how to improve mine, to look like that, but overcoming that literally just in baby steps figuring out new techniques, learning new things that i can like add to mine to make it look better overall, is really just Important and like i said, you're going to get frustrated, but just try not to be. I know that sounds a little easier said than done, but just take it easy, you know, you're learning, all of us are learning i'm still learning. There are so many resources out there. I have my knotless 101 class. If you like the way i talk and teach i feel like that, would really help you out youtube such an awesome resource. I owe everything to youtube, okay, which is why i like to give you guys information and kind of like give back to the resource. That taught me everything. Also, how did you braid the back of your head without a three-way mirror? I used to take a hand mirror you know like one of those mirrors on a stick and i used to tie it up onto a new rag and hang it on the back of the door and make my own three-way mirror, and that was before. I even knew, or it wasn't even at the rear, mirror. It was kind of like the mirror in front of me in the mirror behind me. So i can kind of see the back of my head, but i was winging it honestly, oh and before that i would have the mirror in front of me here and just sit on the floor of my room and place a mirror on the bed. You really don't need all the fancy things that people promote and sell. Now you know you just have to be creative and you know that's what my channel is about: okay, being creative, being resourceful using what you have. That was all of the questions that hopefully i answered in depth pretty thoroughly um. Thank you guys so much for watching. I always enjoy doing little videos you guys, like my little background setup. I just put this together today. If you guys have any questions or comments. Definitely leave them down below, as i i'm going to try to make these q a videos kind of a more kind of a thing that i do more often and if you leave a question and it's a good question i'll, take note of it and write her Down don't forget to subscribe to my channel if you're interested in more hair beauty, diy things as well as learning how to be a boss: okay, a boss, baby, a boss, i'll see you guys later!