Meet Shikyla Whitaker of BRAIDS BY Shy Money

Today we’d like to introduce you to Shikyla Whitaker.

Hi Shikyla, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Well, I’ve been braiding since I was eight years old. But I was only doing my own hair and dolls, I didn’t get real clients until middle school and I grew up in the hood, so I was always doing somebody’s hair. Lol. It was my little side hustle. I did that until I had my first daughter at the age of 20. I started working 9 to 5 until 2 years after I had my second daughter Kimora six years later.

One day, I was at work and I just said to myself “I can’t keep doing this” I hated that job, so I just left. The next day I signed up to go to school to get my license, graduated, and started working in a salon in Greenville, NC Harmony Hair Spa where I started promoting my work, my name got out there and my clientele grew fast. I worked there for over a year until the pandemic came a couple of months later, I moved back to my hometown but I always had plans of moving to Georgia to pursue my dreams. Six months before I left for Georgia, my childhood friend Avreille called me and asked if I wanted to get my own shop, and of course, I said yes! Because I’ve always wanted my own.

So, we went half on everything and opened our own beauty bar, located in Rocky Mount, NC in two weeks! I started my own edges control, hair tool line, and since then my edge control has sold out three times! I started looking for salons to work at in Atlanta and a couple of weeks later, a friend I know from my hometown hit me up about someone looking for a braider! From that point, I left NC to work at this salon VIBEZ Beauty Bar. Located in Smyrna, Georgia. I came here with no clientele at all, so I started promoting my work more and my location, I was on my 3rd client in February when I posted a video of some pop smoke knotless braids and got over a 1.6million views, braid pages started posting my work on their pages, I gained over 22,000 followers on IG and my clientele went through the roof.

This year in June we opened a new and improved Girl Talk Beauty Bar/Day Spa offering more services literally a one-stop-shop! Located in Rocky Mount, NC. Since then, I’ve been back in Atlanta braiding hair and working towards a lot more goals and plans, I have coming up in the next few months, I’ve been so blessed since this news! All my dreams are coming true right before my eyes and I know if I can do it anybody can do it! Never stop chasing your dream and remember winners never quit!

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
OMG. No, not smooth at all, literally from starting a business with no business plan, using your own money to invest in yourself and end up losing out on the money from bad products/inventory to learning about business and how to handle finances, to learning marketing and creating content! It’s literally so much in being an entrepreneur but the end results are always worth it.

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?
BRAIDS BY Shy Money is my brand! I am a Licensed Master Braider, from Enfield, NC. I specialize in protective braid styles and keep your natural hair healthy at the same time while protecting your edges! I know for my stitch braids mostly, my clean, crisp parts, and my client’s baby hairs lol…

What sets me apart from others is I take pride in my client’s appearance and hair, my heart, and my passion for braiding. I literally breathe braiding, besides God, it’s my go-to for release and peace. I’m most proud of how much my brand has grown. In only three years literally coming from nothing! I still can’t believe it sometimes.

With God nothing is impossible! If you are ever in Smyrna check me out at VIBEZ BEAUTY BAR if you want quality services, neat braids that last for months, and the best edge control in the world!

Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
To anyone just starting out stay consistent, take pride in your work, and know your worth! Just know that some days will get hard, sometimes you’ll feel like it’s all falling apart and you want to quit. Please don’t give up ever, push through those down days and come back harder, always invest in yourself and your business!

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: Www.Braidsbyshymoney.com
• Instagram: Braidsbyshymoney
• Twitter: BigShymoney
• Youtube: Braidsbyshymoney