Keziah Dhamma: Making Curls Her Business

You've probably heard the adage that when a woman changes her hair, she changes her life. When Keziah Dhamma Big chopped her hair after moving from Sacramento to Los Angeles, it led to a whole new career. She went from an actress and model to a beauty entrepreneur all because she couldn't find what she needed for her thick, textured natural hair. Since developing her Snappee hair ties, Swirly Curl has become an ever-expanding platform that includes hair accessories, a blow dryer, and haircare products, including a hair growth serum, a book, an educational platform, and a new podcast, Hey Curlfriend. Keziah shares her personal journey, how she built her business, what she learned from trying to patent her design, why it was important for her business to evolve, and why it is important to stay true to her brand. She will also share some key tips for entrepreneurs, so stay tuned until the end!

Products mentioned in this episode: Snappee Hair Ties, Snap Scrunchies, Headbands, Adjustable Bonnet Manga Moringa Moisture Collection, and the Go Grow Curl Elixir (watch the video to see how you can get 15% off your purchase). Visit the website to shop for the products.

The SwirlyCurly Method Book (watch to find out how to get a free copy)

FULL TRANSCRIPT below:

Keziah Dhamma 00:00

So just for entrepreneurs who are listening to this, from many conversations with our lawyer and things like that is that even though it's your design, if another company changes one feature about it, your patent is no longer valid. So I think the most important thing out of everything is first to market, get some market, get in stores get known, there is always going to be someone coming and knocking you off. China loves to do that. But you got to just be out there and be known and you find your customers and they will ride with you.

CC 00:37

Well, welcome to start right here. We're talking to bipod VT pros about breaking into the industry, standing out and defining success for themselves. I'm your host, Karina COVID, our LGBT director, turned consultant, but I'm also adept connected. What does that mean? I love linking and sharing ideas, information, and people so that we can all succeed. And I do this show because I'm an advocate for creating an equitable, inclusive beauty industry. And this shows one way to bring you the information if you want to take a seat at the table, or build one appearance. So let's get into the show. Everyone's heard the adage. When a woman changes her hair, she changes her life. Well, today's guest not only changed your hair, she changed her life and her profession and became an entrepreneur. I'm happy to welcome because I Adama who is an entrepreneur of ever expanding platforms. She is the founder of swirly curly girl College, and the author of the swirly curly method. We're going to hear how she came to be an entrepreneur and the career path that she's taken as a result. So welcome, because I am so happy to have you on the show today.

Keziah Dhamma 02:00

Thank you, Karen, thank you for that introduction. That was lovely. I'm going to have to take that and put that in my bio. And the way you said it all. Yeah, because

CC 02:08

you do have ever expanding platforms. And that's a wonderful thing.

Keziah Dhamma 02:13

Yeah, thank you.

CC 02:15

What's interesting to me is that you started out as an aspiring model and actress. Tell me about following that dream.

Keziah Dhamma 02:22

Yeah. So when I was a little girl, I was always watching TV. And, you know, if you were born in the 80s, you watch TV. Nowadays, kids don't touch TVs, because you know, it's not good for their brain. But I was always watching Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen movies, they were traveling, I love the Travel Channel. And I would see young, I guess you could say actresses, and I thought, You know what, that's something I would love to do. Because their life just seems so exciting to be able to go on a location that's different from their everyday life and film. And so I went to college, I would say I was under the impression like many people, you know, in the 80s 90s, even early 20s. I feel like things have changed now. But where you go to school, you graduate, you got a good job. That was kind of the path most people took. So I went to school, I got my degree in Communication Studies, and I was focusing on broadcast journalism. I wanted to be a news anchor, I wanted to do CNN. So it was kind of close to being an actress, but not really fully going there. I think, you know, I was scared a little ...