Today we’d like to introduce you to Debra Leigh.
Debra, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I’ve had a love for hairstyling for as long as I can remember. Even as a little girl, I knew there was something special about helping people feel beautiful. After an amazing and fulfilling career in the nonprofit sector, I made the life-changing decision to follow my lifelong dream of becoming a full-time professional cosmetologist.
For many years, I balanced both worlds—working full time in my career while styling part time at my sista-friend’s salon in California. In 2021, life brought us back home to Texas. That move became my moment of faith. I stepped away from my full-time career and opened a salon suite, committing fully to my passion. Starting fresh in a new area wasn’t easy, so to keep things afloat while building my Texas clientele, I traveled back to California one week every month for two years. It was exhausting—but necessary. Eventually, my Texas clientele grew strong enough to sustain me, and that’s when the vision expanded.
I realized that to truly reach my financial goals, I needed to create an additional revenue stream. Once my clientele became consistent, I began laying the foundation for something bigger—my own beauty supply store and salon.
In May 2024, Dleigh Designs Beauty Supply & Salon officially opened its doors. This journey has required relentless hard work, sacrifice, and unwavering faith. It truly feels like nurturing a new baby—every waking moment is spent working, planning, or thinking about what’s next. As we approach our two-year anniversary, I find myself in what I call my “sink or swim” era. The challenges are real, but every obstacle we overcome makes us stronger. So far, we’ve faced each one head-on and kept pushing forward.
What sets us apart is that we are truly a one-stop shop for all your beauty needs. Our shelves are stocked with a full range of premium hair care and beauty products—from extensions, wigs, and braid hair to shampoos, conditioners, styling tools, barber supplies, makeup, and more. Beyond products, we offer knowledge. Our expert stylist is always available to answer questions, offer guidance, and ensure every customer feels supported. We pride ourselves on excellent customer service and creating a warm, family-like atmosphere where everyone feels welcome.
Our clientele is beautifully diverse. Our doors are open to women, men, and teens of all ages who want to look and feel their best. Nothing inspires me more than our customers, and nothing brings me greater joy than seeing someone leave feeling confident, beautiful, and renewed—whether after a service or simply a visit to our store.
Marketing hasn’t been easy, and resources have been limited. Getting the word out about our location has been one of our biggest challenges. Progress has been slow, but steady—and people are finding us. I won’t pretend the journey has been smooth. There have been tough moments. But when things get hard, I stay grounded in my “why.” I remind myself why I started. I ask myself: would I rather return to a 9-to-5, or walk through these doors and do what I love? As long as my answer remains doing what I love, I find the strength to keep going.
Whether you’re looking for a style transformation, high-quality beauty products, or simply a confidence boost, Dleigh Designs Beauty Supply & Salon is here for you.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
This journey has required relentless hard work, sacrifice, and unwavering faith. It truly feels like nurturing a new baby—every waking moment is spent working, planning, or thinking about what’s next. As we approach our two-year anniversary, I find myself in what I call my “sink or swim” era. The challenges are real, but every obstacle we overcome makes us stronger.
So far, we’ve faced each one head-on and kept pushing forward.
Marketing and getting the word out about our location has been our biggest struggle. Signage for our location is not front facing on the building we occupy so it takes a bit of searching to locate us. Choosing some ineffective marketing strategies early on has exhausted funds so now resources are limited. Progress has been slow, but steady—and people are finding us slowly but surely. I won’t pretend the journey has been smooth. There have been tough a lot of tough moments.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Debra Leigh, Premier Hair Stylist & Owner of Dleigh Designs Beauty Supply & Salon
Dleigh Designs Beauty Supply & Salon is a full-service luxury beauty destination led by premier stylist Debra Leigh. We offer a wide variety of high-quality hair care products, wigs, extensions, make-up, and accessories, making us the ultimate one-stop shop for all your beauty needs.
Our salon specializes in healthy hair care, cutting-edge styling, vibrant color services, precision cutting, extensions, natural hair care, braids, locs and crochet styling. At Dleigh Designs, we are passionate about helping our clients look and feel their best, providing a personalized, luxurious service to each and every appointment while helping to enhance their beauty and confidence.
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
I’ve learned and am still learning that there is no perfect way to start. Yes you’ll make mistakes but hopefully in the end it will all be worth it. It’s a daily task to silence those thoughts of doubt and stay rooted in your faith.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.dleighdesigns.com
- Instagram: dleighdesigns_beautysupply
- Facebook: dleighdesigns
