Today we’d like to introduce you to Brandi Williams.
Hi Brandi, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I am professionally known as Picasso the illestrator. I’m a Jackson, Mississippi native. I started my interest in my career at the age of 16. I attended a cdc program at Jim Hill highschool for cosmetology.
At age 16, I found it hard to get hired or be taken seriously. One day after school, my brother walks in, and bomb rushes me like “hey, I want you to start doing my locs. I’m gonna teach you how and I want you to do my friend’s hair who have locs”. I nodded like “okay” and that was the beginning of my journey.
I would come home from school and do a couple of my peer’s locs for a fee and added hustler to my personal title of accomplishment. I would do hair and locs after school and in between work and jobs to stay afloat and help my mom whenever I could.
I got really serious about it after graduation. I opened my living room up as my working space and shop to do business. I printed up business cards, advertised on my Facebook, took pictures and added them as a portfolio of work for all to see, and would even do research on the skill to sharpen my expertise. I struggled a bit with business but I had regulars. It wasn’t until I was 20 that a salon owner by the name of Tstylez (Tiffany D. Turner) wrote me on Facebook to inquire about expanding my business and renting a booth from her salon. This was the birth of Picasso the illestrator.
Tiffany would often sit me down to talk as a meeting and to mentor me about the business. She randomly asked me one day, “you seem artistic and passionate about your craft” “what is going to be your business name and what would people call you?” I sat and thought It over and said, “I’ve never thought that deep. I always use my government name”. “Give me a minute to think.” At that time Jay Z ‘Picasso Baby’ single was out and it happened to be my favorite tunes. I had also had a client tell me “yo you got those Picasso hands “
I said “P Stylez” & instantly I regretted it lol, and thought again. So like 3-5mintues later I say, “Picasso” “Picasso the illestrator”. I loved the name so much. I was always able to create something quickly after giving it thought. I later talked to her that day and said, “I changed my name “. She asked how, and I explained that I was a fan of the ‘illest’ streetwear brand. I had their logo as my photo cover on my Facebook profile. I go “you know how illustrator is normally spelled, I want to change that to illestrator. I am the illest, I’m flawed but I am the illest.. the illestrator”. That was the birth of my name in 2013.
I worked with her, learning how to brand, purchase llcs and understand the beauty industry as a whole. We would take trips out of town for classes, hair shows and to do trade shows so that I could learn about selling your own product and merch. We worked together for four years until she hit me with the idea of moving to Dallas, Texas. It scared me but we decided to do it together because growth would be the result of planting that personal seed. I had worked with her four years and she mentored me into moving on my own and establishing business on my own.
From that great leap, I have been living and growing my business in Dallas for four years now. I started out with a job at Tom Thumb, which was a walk from my apartment to keep steady income. I also worked from home as a stylist and makeup artist, practicing on my mom and friends to make content to share on Instagram.
Starting over scared me, let’s be honest. But I was very determined to become known and respected in Dallas, as I did back home in Mississippi.
I am now Presently working out of my own suite, located inside of One Love Barber & Styles in Irving, Texas. I’ve worked here for almost two years and am enjoying all of the well-thrived growth of my business.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
It hasn’t always been smooth road. Starting over meant lack of money and learning how to be stable under my means. I faced a lot an adversity with finding clients. I’d often try to hand out my cards personally and sometimes, the rejection from people and their lack of interest in my craft was a great discouragement to me. But determination and learned lessons kept me strong. God has always been key to my foundation.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a loctician, hairstylist & makeup artist.
I specialize in locs, such as maintenance and styling, making actual locs by hand, creating loc jewelry, and extending locs.
I also style natural hair, doing silk presses and protective styles such as braids & goddess locs.
As a makeup artist, I specialize in Bridal makeup, special occasion makeup and special fx.
What’s next?
I have a couple of brands in motion, as far as products, my own salon and branded merchandise.
Contact Info:
- Email: illmatic187info@gmail.com
- Website: www.illmatic187.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/fullyxlvced?utm_medium=copy_link
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/picassotheillestrator/
Image Credits:
Courtland Brown Courtland pictures
