Today we’d like to introduce you to Renee Bennett.
Renee, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
My interest in hair started when I was 9 years old. I begged for a “Cornsilk Cabbage Patch” so that I could practice braiding on hair versus yarn. My next door neighbors granddaughter was my first client at the age of 10. I charged her $5 to cornrow her hair. As I got on into my teenage years, I was pretty much a part-time braider. Once in high school, the thought of doing hair full time had started to become very vague. If women were anything like the messy girls that were in school, I was not interested. I had the opportunity to go to beauty school while in high school and I opted out because I had truly lost interest.
At 16, I had my first child. I was entering my sophomore year of high school when I had become pregnant. I still graduated with my class in 1997. After 2 failed attempts of community college, a friend of mines talked me into giving beauty school a try. I still was not interested but I decided to do it but under very strict guidelines. I attended Nielson Beauty School which had a 95% Hispanic student body; it was perfect. After being in school only two weeks, I was on the floor doing hair. I initially started out part-time and ended up full time. I graduated in 2002. The first salon I worked in was actually the salon I used to get my hair done it and immediately I knew I did not want “My” clients in that type of environment. It was a unisex salon and it was very unprofessional. I was still working a corporate job and I did hair part time for 4 years. I went full time in 2006 and I opened my first salon in 2007.
After becoming pregnant with my 3rd child, I became very sick and I had to close my salon in 2008 and I felt like a complete failure. I never imagined closing my salon. I had my daughter March 2009 and I pretty much was back at work by the end of April going into May. I never gave up on owning my own salon again. In January 2010, I started looking and that when I searched out Downtown Dallas. I had been working in Arlington since 2005 and I had no idea that stylist had started doing hair downtown. I looked a few places and I was not impressed. The one location I fell in love with had no spaces available. I became very discouraged. By August 2010, I started to look again. I went back to that one spot I fell in love with and I gave them a call. They had 3 available spaces open. I rushed down there. That is when Mane A’Trak’Sion Hair Studio was birthed. I’ve had my salon now for almost 8 years in November and I have had the honor and privilege of meeting so many wonderful people in the industry and rewarding relationships have been birthed from these connections. I never imagined working with high profile and celebrity clientele although it was a desire. God truly does give you the desires of your heart. A man’s gift makes room for him and brings him before great men. I am a true testament of that. He gets the Glory!
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It has not been a smooth road. Lol. I opened my salon in 2010. I was the only stylist in my salon for two years. I was literally ready to walk away and then one day God sent an angel. This client would literally come once a year to get her hair done. So, while catching up on the past 12 months, she mentions all the great things she had done and was doing and I was so excited for her. She then asked what was I up to and I told her, “Oh, probably getting ready to close my salon.” I had grown weary from waiting on stylist to come. My clientele was great when I moved in and then suddenly I was only doing 5 clients per week. I was over it. My lil angel client then says, “Renee, I give you 6 months and God is going to blow your mind.” And my response was that He does it before my lease expired in November because I was not renewing my lease. In a couple of weeks, I got my first full-time stylist. 2 months later, I got two more stylist in one week; but none of this happened void of pain. The day before I interviewed the last two stylist, we had a death in the family. It was so heartbreaking. I didn’t quite know how to feel. Here I am wanting to be excited with the potential of having 3 stylist and then BOOM! BUT, I didn’t know at the time that that was how God operated. It was an opportunity to grow as a person. I just couldn’t see it at the time.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Mane A’Trak’Sion Hair Studi0 – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
I am the owner of Mane A’Trak’Sion Hair Studio. As I stated, we are getting ready to celebrate 8 years of being open. I am a Hair Stylist and Makeup Artist. I do not discriminate when it comes to hair. I mentioned that I started out as a braider; that is the only service that I no longer provide. I retired. I guess you can say I am known for my custom hair coloring, cuts, flawless extensions and makeup. I am most proud of the consistent salon environment. Making an impression on my clients has been the most important thing for me. No one wants to come from a stressful job or bumper to bumper traffic into a drama-filled salon. The salon is usually filled with soul-soothing gospel music and laughter. We offer an uncommon salon experience. Prayer can break out at any time and I’m grateful for a team that is on one accord with my vision. They are the stylist that I prayed for.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
My plans for the future is being able to travel a little more providing hair and/or makeup services. I am looking to expand my extension and custom wig line and hopefully open a beauty college in the near future.
Contact Info:
- Address: 1409 S. Lamar St, Ste 257 Dallas, TX 75215
- Website: maneatraksion.com
- Phone: 972.850.6224
- Email: reneeb@studio9502.c0m
- Instagram: @hairartistrenee
- Facebook: Mane ATrakSion Hair Studio
- Twitter: hairartistrenee
Image Credit:
Kauwuane Burton Photography
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