Today we’d like to introduce you to Ebony Nelson.
Hi Ebony, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I became interested in styling hair at a young age. My aunt was a hair stylist at a popular salon in Baltimore and I just loved the atmosphere, feeling pretty, and the community amongst the stylists. Also, my mom would only let me get my hair done on holidays or special occasions so I wanted to find a way to make my hair look pretty all of the time.
At the age of 8, i started braiding my hair and my sister’s hair to create new styles. My creativity lead me to styling my high school friend’s hair for around $10-$15 each. After being a shampoo girl for a year during my senior year, I went on to work at a salon after I graduated high school, while I was in college.
I attempted a few corporate jobs only to realize that I am at my best when I use my creative freedom and work for myself. I got where I am today through hard work, consistency, investing in mentorship, and challenging the beliefs of the people around me along with those outside of the industry who don’t believe that this is an essential career; a real career that changes lives of many people on both ends. I’ve been in the industry for about 30 years now, managing salons, helping women gain confidence through beauty, opening a luxury salon, educating other stylists through my mentorship programs, and building my legacy in the industry.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
While it has not been a smooth road, it has been a rewarding one. Breaking through mental and financial barriers in an industry that is often undervalued for what we actually represent to our community and culture. One of my toughest struggles was deciding to make and sustain the income to but my first home 10 years ago. Being unapologetic about what you know you deserve and breaking barriers when trying not to consider how you’ll be received while forging forward with your new ideas and concepts can be tough when it’s just you. The second hardest part was expanding into a different version of myself while opening my salon and watching the vision come to life. There were days that I was super and then there were days that I cried. It’s really just about sacrificing the old version of self because at one time, I had to sacrifice to reach that old milestone as well. Growth can be scary because it comes with more responsibility, but it’s always worth it.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Monarchy Beauty Lounge is an 8 chair, luxury salon in Owings Mills, MD. We specialize in hair care and extensions. I created Monarchy with the concept of tradition and legacy. I also planned to offer in person and digital educational class for stylists to keep them business oriented, because longevity goes beyond standing behind the chair. I opted for a traditional salon because I wanted to bring community back to the industry. I currently focus on hair care and luxury extensions like sew in, ktips, microlinks, and Itips to accentuate my clients’ healthy natural hair. My online mentorship, Leverage & Legacy, helps stylists earn 6 figure income, maintain it, and position themselves as a luxury hairstylist/beauty professional (whatever that looks like for them). Staying focused on only a few things has allowed me to lean into building the salon more.
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
What matters to me is helping other stylists develop their careers beyond what they could conceive. Making sure my kids see me going after my dreams. Making a difference in the industry and creating things that will have an impact long after I retire.
Pricing:
- 90-120 starting price for hair care services
- $997 starting price for mentorship
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.monarchybeauty.com/pages/signature-packages
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ebonynhair
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@monarchybeautylounge?si=i2Pqk7VfD9WWTe2H
- Other: https://www.instagram.com/monarchybeautylounge
