Today we’d like to introduce you to Gloria Williams
Hi Gloria, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Whew well it feels like forever ago. When I was growing up I would do my brothers hair and my friends. I said I wasn’t going to be a stylist because I didn’t want to have to stand on my feet all of the time.
Here I was in my now senior year of high school my mom and dad sitting on the couch and a client in my chair getting a sew in done.
I took a pause and realized I am loving what I am doing and that was sewing hair in. At that moment I had made up my mind what my career path would be. I would graduate high school with the 2014 class take my summer break and enroll in cosmetology school that following fall.
From there I worked I had an at home salon moved to a suite and was doing ok for myself. However salon suites were expensive I mean really expensive I was really still a kid when I think about it going through trial and error. I had no guidance I just knew I had a passion for something and was going for it.
My goal was always to have my own salon so I set out to find a space. When I say I bumped my head more times than I can count its mind boggling!
I linked with this guy thinking he would be good to do business with. He had this space and I was like oh perfect only to find out after I had purchased a shampoo bowl, me and my mom spent hours painting. I couldn’t even make the space into anything due to plumbing issues.
Here I thought he was a good guy saying that he wants to be my silent partner find a space and he would help fund on the back end. This man took my $500 and stopped answering the phone.
So now back to square one. I am in the salon suite ready to get out because I’m paying so much money. I still wonder to this day how things would have went if I just had stuck it out at the suite but that obviously wasn’t the path for me.
So I find this new space its $800 a month I have my LLC. I start remodeling the space I buy 3 shampoo bowls 5 chairs and a host of other things for the business. This is right before summer time and oh how I wish someone would have told me to get a building inspection first.
The AC didn’t work and the landlords promised to fix it well long story short 3 months went by and they still hadn’t fixed it by time they got around to it it was about to be cold outside my money had just about ran out and I didn’t have time for more excuses. After all I had been through in the process I was still going to be looking crazy because the landlord had put an AC unit in the space that didn’t have a heater. so we were going to be going from being hot in Louisiana heat to freezing.
Oh I forgot to mention the best part the toilet hardly worked and I went to use the restroom and a rat ran by my foot so not only did I not have proper working plumbing and air conditioning I had rodents. Now that I sit back and think about it why didn’t I just give up?
Nonetheless I was up It creek with no paddle. Hair was my only means of income and I had dang near given all of my clients away due to the unforeseen circumstances at the salon space. Clients couldn’t use the restroom and it was hot in there. So at this point I am on a witch hunt for a new job because I need money coming in. It seemed like at every turn I was getting denied.
Well I started venturing out thinking about Houston and Dallas. Well I had 3 interviews lined up in Dallas before I knew it. This was a very complex time in my life I must add.
So I took the job with the most steady income. When I say I am thoroughly convinced God is always working in my favor ! For my first job in Dallas I didn’t know how bad morning traffic would be I got to my interview 5 mins before it was time to take the tour. I worked for months even picked up a second job to save and be able to get my own place.
It starts getting good even though the pandemic is in full swing at this point I still push forward because I have a goal and big plans.
So I start my journey looking for a new salon home and I find a space. It was excellent. Ghetto but good. I was still working my other 2 jobs and now doing hair. I had a suite mate at the time when I first came in and she looked dead at me and said quit my job you gonna make money but you have to be here. Some of the best advice I could have received.
Boy was she on to something I was making so much money rent was affordable the dough was rolling in. After the first year I started to realize I didn’t really fit in. I started charging more for my services and realizing whew I need to make some changes.
Well I got a big break and began working for this really big hair company working on photo shoots something I was extremely passionate about and had been dibbling in before I left the salon I was at. I was in Vegas and got the call that I had gotten the job for the rest of the year my life would be like a fairytale the money was great I did hair on the side I was rolling in it until it all came to a halt.
Man it was one of the hardest decisions I had ever made when I walked away from something I had loved and was so passionate about. It was being so cruel to me. I had made so many sacrifices for this company. Only to get the short end of the stick. I never wanted to walk away and thought I would have still been with them to this day.
Well Its okay cause here I am now rebranded my name. I use to be Lovevalee Hair Enterprises. Now my own salon and its coming together slowly but surely. God is in the center of everything I am doing and I trust that ill be more than ok moving forward. Its been a process but I am happy to say this path was divinely picked for me and Make Me Glo is only going up from here. I know where I want to be fully and as a whole now and I don’t have to play tug of war with myself anymore in my career.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I wish it had been easier sometimes. In the process of moving into my apartment here in Dallas I lost almost everything I had known for the past 25 years. My brother was killed by boyfriend was killed I was in a draining relationship that was taking too much of my personal funds.
I had a hard time putting myself first. I deal with spats of bad depression. I can say it has been rewarding but it was anything but smooth. I worked 2 jobs and did hair to be able to get the salon space I am in right now. I worked about 18 hours a day several days through out the week and did hair after work and the few off days from my other two jobs.
I have a daughter and a mom that I take care of. They are literally counting on me everyday. I don’t get to take the easy way out. I sit in my bed and cry sometimes dust myself off and get back to it. Its not easy it hasn’t been easy but its been worth it !
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I specialize in extensions mostly. I help clients with alopecia achieve looks they never thought they could have. Instilling confidence and a Glo in each one of my girls that come and sit in my chair rather they are struggling with hair loss or just ready to look their best just because.
I am a licensed cosmetologist I have been for 8 years now. I wont say I do it all but I do a lot. I sell hair extensions, I make wigs, I work as a hairstylist on photo shoots I’ve even done full photo shoots from start to finish doing hair, makeup, taking the photos and editing them. Yes all of it! As of late I have been considering going to school to learn photography to tie in with my beauty business.
I don’t really know what I am known for outside of doing hair as a whole some girls know me from working with a big hair brand. While others know me for my sew ins and silk presses.
What I am most proud of is my perseverance though. Its been so many times I wanted the pain of life and trial and error to just be done but I didn’t give up and I still stand to live my dream and tell my truth.
What sets me a part I believe is my integrity my genuine heart and my customer service. I am so very passionate about doing hair and being in the beauty space. Yes I need to get paid but I do this because I love it. If money wasn’t a factor I would still choose doing hair. I genuinely enjoy being a safe space for my clients and being sure to do my part in delivering the best customer service especially in an industry where people are constantly telling you how rude other stylist are. Oh and another thing that sets Me a part from most stylist especially here in the DFW I shampoo my clients hair I get so many new clients just from doing that and all it is is professionalism.
Do you any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
My dad taking me under the bridge to ride my green machine bike.
Pricing:
- Traditional Sew in $250
- Custom wigs $150+
- Glam Photoshoot $1300
- Silk press $90
- Micro links $450
Contact Info:
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Website: makemeglo.com
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Booking site: makemeglo.as.me
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/makemeglo_
Image Credits:
Gloria Williams
