Conversations with the Inspiring Ashley N. Davis

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley N. Davis.

So, before we jump into specific questions about what you do, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I’ve always loved being able to transform my look. The transformation always started with my hair. I remember putting my first weave ponytail in at the age of 10 and thinking “I think I could be good at this.” My mother gave me the freedom to do my own hair at a very young age and that freedom empowered me. I eventually became very creative with my looks and soon realized that I could pretty much mimic any hairstyle that I saw without any training or practice. That’s when I knew I had a gift. I didn’t put my gift to work until I got to college. I remember it was the beginning of my freshmen year and a friend of mine asked me to do her hair. I was so nervous but I sucked it up and gave it a shot. She loved her hair so much that she suggested I do the same for others and I should charge them money. I was shocked, to say the least, as it was something I had never thought of. I took my friend’s advice in the spring of 2004 and the rest is history! I learned quickly that having a niche was important to the consistency of my business as well as my skill. This is the reason why I only do weaves and wigs. I’ve made hundreds of wigs and have styled thousands of women over the DFW area and have done all of this part-time. I have a real passion for making women feel beautiful the same way I did when I was a ten-year-old girl. The smiles on my client’s faces mean more to me than the money. Most don’t know this but I would do hair for free because I love it that much, however, I also understand that as a business owner you have to value yourself in order for others to value you. So, although I do charge for my services I am one of the most affordable in the city. I keep my prices affordable because I believe that everyone deserves the opportunity to feel and look their best!

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It hasn’t always been easy, I remember wanting to quit several times and funny enough in my head I did. I would tell myself I’m not doing this anymore but my clients would still reach out to me and I would never turn anyone down. This is a tough business. People take their hair very serious and at the end of the day, want what they want whether they pay a lot for it or a little. People want high quality at a low cost. This can be hard to understand as a business owner/hairstylist because a lot of time, effort, skill, and talent goes into what I do. That can be a tough balance, however, the right people will recognize and appreciate your value and will be willing to pay whatever price you ask. My advice to those coming up is to never sell yourself short, value yourself so that others will value you and always have integrity when providing a service. Effective communication is key, find out what your client wants and reverberate that to them so that you both are on the same page. Lastly, I’ll say “be honest” if you cannot provide a service because it’s not something you can do or are comfortable with, then “don’t do it,” refer them to someone else. Doing this will keep your sanity and will ultimately protect your brand!

What should we know about Maintain My Mane? What do you do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I am an on-demand mobile stylist. I specialize in creating custom wig units and installing sew-in weaves. I have done hair for all races and genders including those that are non-gender specific. I am what some would consider being an “untrained” stylist, I attended beauty school, however, I have learned my skills by doing most of the styles on myself first. I can pretty much do any type of weave by simply seeing it one time. I taught myself how to braid at the age of 13 and later how to sew. I realized that weaving came very natural to me. The same with cutting and styling wigs and weaves. After years in the business, I learned that there was an opportunity to offer my clients more. Hard-working Moms, single mothers, fast-paced professionals, etc. don’t have a lot of time for the salon or for traveling to you. I took that as an opportunity and decided to offer my services mobil-ly where my clients would have the option of getting their hair done in the comfort of their own home! If I am unavailable, then I find another stylist to come to you. I am still building the last leg of my mobile service business and am looking for new talent to add to my umbrella. I believe there’s enough room out there for everyone in this business and this is one of the few industries that survive during economic downtimes. I truly enjoy making others look and feel their best. I believe when you look good you feel good. I have a God-given talent that I get to use on a daily basis and can’t wait to share the opportunity with others that are just like me!

It would be great to hear about any apps, books, podcasts or other resources that you’ve used and would recommend to others.
I love the Tony Robbins podcast! He is very insightful and helps me to see beyond my limitations, I also love Impact theory and any of Devon Franklin’s books!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.styleseat.com/ashleydavis13?utm_campaign=vanity
• Phone: 4696659076
• Email: Maintainmymane@yahoo.com
• Instagram: MaintainMyMane
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MyBSorelle/
• Twitter: MaintainmyMane
• Other: https://www.facebook.com/MaintainMyMane/

Image Credit:
Titan Media Entertainment LLC

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