Woman To Woman Talk had the pleasure of interviewing Conyers, GA based beauty boss & master stylist, Kenniqua “Nuk” Jones. This Philly native is showing the world how to live life stylishly, build legacy, and live your dreams. Even if you have to “Do It Scared.”
What led you to start your business and become an entrepreneur?
Belief in myself, in my talents, and wanting something more in life. I want to actually live and enjoy my retirement. I don’t want to wait until I’ve worked my whole adult life for another company to really enjoy living life on my terms. Time and financial freedom is true wealth. This freedom is what I want for my daughter and one of the reasons why I created Ecyaj(pronounced e-sage) for her.
Why is leaving a legacy and creating a business for your daughter important to you?
Legacy is vital and important. What we build today impacts our children for tomorrow. And then eventually on to our children’s children and so on. Legacy should also come with security. I want my daughter to have security and options to do what she wants in life. So many of us have worked or are still working our lives away for companies that may or may not take a chance on us. I wanted to give her a way to not only have financial freedom, but also freedom to live and invest in opportunities that align with her dreams. On her terms. I want to take as many limits off her as possible so she can always bet on herself and win. What better way to do that than by owning your own company.
With so many women of color launching haircare lines what makes Ecyaj standout?
It’s true that there are a lot of lines out there being started and forwarded by women of color. You look on social media and everyday it can seem like there’s always a new line popping up. I understand that the first thought can be that it’s an overly saturated market. I believe there is room for everyone, because everyone brings something different to the table. What may work for someone isn’t necessarily going to work for the next person. So options and differences are needed. For Ecyaj it automically stands out because it’s being forwarded by a 10 year old girl. That always surprises people and piques their interest. How many 10 year olds do you know of with their own company? Not many if they’re out there. Especially in the hair & beauty industry. So that’s very unique. Our products stand out because I’ve taken the time to work with a master stylist to handcraft these products so the detail and care is reflected and felt on everyone who tries them. Quality is very important and I want everyone that uses Ecyaj to feel and look their absolute best. Our products are derived from natural ingredients but the line is not exclusive to just naturals. It is for the woman who is transistioning to natural and the woman who wants to stay on the relaxer track. The goal is to have great looking and healthy hair. With Ecyaj you will most definently achieve that.
A few haircare tips for healthy hair and styling at home
Where do I start?! First thing, over-manipulation and excessive products can do more harm than you think! Less is always more when it comes to your hair! Once your hair has been styled, tie it up and leave it alone! The more you manipulate your hair, add more product to it, overly comb and brush it, the more stress you add to your scalp!
Advice for those considering to transition to natural
Just do it! Going natural shouldn’t have to be a trend for you to do it. Although there is nothing wrong with a professional relaxer being done, natural can be a great solution for breakage and for most to experience ultimate growth! My advice would be to avoid comparing your journey to someone else’s. Find a routine that works for you and stick to it!
What advice would you give to a Woman considering to start her own business?
DO IT SCARED is always my advice! If you are passionate about your goals and dreams, then just get started! Do something for your business every single day, no matter how small the task is. Rome wasn’t built in a day, so neither will your business be built in one day. It takes years, blood, sweat, and tears. But get started anyway. Stop waiting for the perfect time to start– that doesn’t exist!
For more information on Ecyaj Hair Care and Nuk’s ATL salon, Salon 215 Elite, be sure to go to her page https://www.stylesbynuk.com/