Pandemic restrictions over the previous two years have been tough on many hair salons and different private care companies. However a Stockton pure hair salon with Bay Space ties has grown its enterprise and is increasing this spring into the South Bay and shortly after, the state capital.
Pure Do is a membership salon and retail retailer that gives pure hair care companies and merchandise particularly for individuals with kinky, curly, wavy, hair textures. Members pay on month-to-month or annual plans, however Pure Do gives a la carte companies to non-members as effectively. It additionally has an apprenticeship program that helps individuals working towards a cosmetology or barber license achieve on-the-job expertise hours at a salon.
The pure hair motion obtained a lift with the Home of Representatives passing the Crown Act in March 2022, which might prohibit discrimination based mostly on an individual’s texture or model of hair. California adopted such a legislation in 2019 and greater than a dozen different states now have related measures.
We sat down with Pure Do founder and Chief Govt Officer Valonne Smith on the downtown San Jose salon she’s opening April 8 to study her ardour for the pure hair model motion and the way she makes her “Curlfriends” feel and look particular. (Edited for brevity and readability).
Q Are you able to inform us a bit of about your background?
A I grew up right here, in Milpitas. I labored at NASA, I labored at Empire Broadcasting, my final stint was 10 years with a biotech firm. I labored in public affairs, promotions and enterprise improvement. That’s the place my expertise lies. I’m not licensed as a hair stylist, however I’m effectively versed and an trade knowledgeable in pure hair, which isn’t offered within the colleges, in order that’s how I began.
Q Once we speak about pure hair care, what does that imply?
A It’s been an enormous motion for fairly a while, for like over a decade, of ladies deciding to put on their pure hair. They need to know what their pure hair will do. In cosmetology you’re skilled to discover ways to handle hair, proper? However it’s all primarily straight hair. And though 60% of the inhabitants has some type of kinky, curly, wavy hair textures, they solely nonetheless focus on straight hair. When you've got curly hair, you need to course of it and get it straight earlier than we are able to do what we need to do with it. So barbers and cosmetologists aren't skilled on how one can take care of curly hair.
Q How does Pure Do match into this?
A We're a salon that specializes particularly for curly hair. We don't do any extensions. We don’t do chemical companies aside from hair dye. We simply focus in your lovely pure curls. I educate my Curlfriends how one can correctly care for his or her hair, to get the constructive outcomes they need. I additionally make it simple for our Curlfriends to find one of the best merchandise and styling methods that work greatest for his or her hair.
Q So this falls exterior the state barbering and cosmetology licensing realm?
A Sure Hair dyes, hair cuts, that’s what you want a license for. Twists, braids, cornrows — you don’t want a license for that. However you continue to need to be good at what you do. That’s why all of our stylists are California licensed barbers and cosmetologists. In the event you don’t model their curls appropriately, they’ll let you understand!
Q Whenever you have been rising up have been your pissed off with obtainable hair companies, like, ‘why can’t I get anyone to provide me the hair model I need?’
A The humorous factor is, no, probably not, as a result of I styled my very own hair. It wasn’t till I obtained older.
Q What was the inspiration for that?
A What occurred was I misplaced my hair on account of my automobile accident. When individuals noticed how rapidly I used to be capable of develop my hair quick, lengthy and thick, they wished to know the way I did that. Additionally they cherished my pure curls and wished to get the identical look. So out of the numerous years of individuals asking me questions, I made a decision to write down a guide detailing how anybody can put on their pure hair and how one can correctly take care of it.
Q What was the trail from that guide to opening your salon in April 2016?
A I might do like these small little Mary Kay-type events, as a result of individuals would invite me. Considered one of final ones was for one of many coach’s wives for the San Francisco 49ers group. She had me at her home doing that, and so then I might begin doing seminars, and as I used to be doing that and selling my guide I used to be like, ‘Wait a minute, there’s no place the place anyone else who’s pure can go and get their hair executed. None! None!’ So I used to be like, ‘as an alternative of complaining about it, may as effectively begin on my own.’ That’s how Pure Do obtained began.
Q Companies had it actually onerous through the pandemic, particularly in California with the lockdowns. How did you make it work?
A Throughout the pandemic, I really felt prefer it was like a superb factor in a approach as a result of it gave me a chance to take a look at my marketing strategy. The shut-down was not nice. However the purchasers have been very supportive. I referred to as each single shopper on the cellphone, I despatched emails each week with updates, I created how-to movies in order that purchasers may see how one can assist care for his or her curls themselves, and I despatched objects corresponding to mouse pads to remain related. You'll be able to lose individuals once you’re not communicative. And folks wished to get their hair executed as a result of they might not determine it out.
Q What introduced you to Stockton, and what made you select San Jose on your Bay Space growth?
A We moved to Stockton as a result of you understand how the housing is. It was simply a lot cheaper on the market. However my roots are in Santa Clara County. It’s my house city. And we've got numerous purchasers right here.
Valonne Smith
Group: Pure Do
Place: Founder and CEO
Age: 42
Birthplace: Gary, Indiana
Residence: Stockton
Training: Some faculty
Household: married, with two youngsters ages 16 and 13.
5 issues to learn about Valonne Smith
1. Labored in enterprise improvement for 20 years earlier than beginning her salon. She coordinated Bay Space talking occasions with NASA scientists, labored on the promotions group at KARA, KLIV And KRTY, and generated enterprise to enterprise contacts at Protrials Analysis as a enterprise improvement assistant.
2. Was a visitor speaker at Bronner Brothers Worldwide Hair Present in Atlanta in 2018 and the Taliah Waajid World Pure Hair present in Atlanta in 2018 and 2019, the place she is going to return this April instructing courses on pure hair and hair demonstrations.
3. Wrote a guide, “Woman Get Your Hair Again Too!” about how one can develop your hair more healthy, fuller and longer, by sporting your hair in its most pure state.
4. Was impressed to do hair care after shedding a few of her hair an vehicle accident and the general public curiosity in how one can take care of pure hair.
5. Enjoys touring to new locations and assembly new individuals.