Today we’d like to introduce you to Iyana Odom
Hi Iyana, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
My name is I’Yana AKA Pretty Blakk. I’m a 26-year-old entrepreneur from Cahokia, Illinois. I started to do hair roughly at the age of 13. My mom always did her own hair, and she loved sew ins. Well, one day she decided to ask me to help her, and I had no clue what I was doing but I tried. Once I got the hang of it, I decided to keep doing her hair and eventually I started braiding and I got really good at it. By the time I turned 17 I had built so much clientele, but it was time for me to graduate high school and go to college. I moved to Nashville, Tn to attend the illustrious Tennessee State University. Coincidentally, my roommate was a hairstylist as well and we helped each other learn new skills and we also built a decent number of clients that helped us stay afloat instead of being struggling college students. I eventually saved up enough money to get a 2-bedroom 2 bath apartment at the age of twenty-one. This place was everything to me but, it was extremely expensive. At this time, I was working at the Hilton hotel, and the pay just wasn’t enough. I had to find another stream of income. I decided that if I am a hairstylist I may as well provide the hair too. I did some research, tested different hair vendors, and looked on different hair sites to compare pricing. I finally found a vendor that I liked, purchased some hair and I promoted myself. This is when I decided to really take the hair game serious because if I hadn’t, I don’t know where I’d be. Within a few months I had enough customers buying hair that I could afford to not work all those hours and stay on top of bills. Eventually I got bored with Nashville and two years later, 2020, I decided to put school on hold and move me and my small business to Atlanta, Georgia. During this time, I met great people who had many talents and skills. They taught me how to be my brand which also helped me gain followers and proper business etiquette. The only thing I was missing was professionalism. I used my recourses and found someone to build me a website from scratch. This included booking appointments, buying hair extensions, wigs, and more. I wanted this to be perfect. Finally, I purchased my LLC and On October 1, 2020, PrettyBlakkLabel LLC was officially open to the public.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I can’t say the journey was smooth sailing the entire way but with God anything is possible. There were people who didn’t like the prices they paid, some tried to dispute payments, tarnish my name and even file complaints. But for most businesses, you will face many challenges but it’s your choice whether you let it define you.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
I’ve always been known for my pretty dark skin. Back in middle school a lot of people called me Pretty Black. When I established my business, I knew it was going to be something that corresponds to my nickname but also something universal so that I could sell extensions and whatever else I decided. Then, I came up with the unique spelling of Pretty Blakk Label and I ran with it. I currently specialize in wig installs which is my ultimate favorite thing to do. I also sell loungewear. Being that I’m a person who loves comfortable clothing, this was a way for me to model my brand. What sets me aside from others is the fact that I didn’t get discouraged after a failed attempt, how many customers I had, or how long it took to get where I am today. Psalm 46:5 “God is within her, she will not fail.”
The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
Covid taught me to save my money. I saved the most money during covid season and still had nothing to show for it when it when times got hard or when it came time for me to restock. Covid helped a lot of businesses but if you aren’t smart with your expenses, you will miss out on a lot of things and opportunities.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://prettyblakklabel.squarespace.com
- Instagram: @theprettyblakk
- Facebook: I’Yana Odom
