Today we’d like to introduce you to Areyana Wrather.
Hi Areyana, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
As a Los Angeles native, going to the swap meet on the weekends to purchase hair and products was rather eventual and exciting. In my adolescent years, I grew up watching my mother and older sister style hair, and I just remember being fascinated by the level of skill and patience that went into completing a hairstyle. One day, when my mother was at work, I decided this was the day I attempted to give my new Barbie doll a few Shirley Temple curls. Boy, that was a disaster. The hair instantly melted, and I had to hide both my Barbie and curling iron so I didn’t get in trouble.
My family relocated from LA to Bakersfield, and this is where my passion for hair truly began. A few days before my freshman year, my parents were out of town, and my mother instructed my oldest sister, Emeiko, to braid my hair in individuals. Well, let’s just say I ended going to school with Straight Backs before it was ever a trending style. Talk about devastation!! We still laugh about it till this day because I still can’t understand why she sent me to school like that. That was the moment I decided I would braid my own hair! And that’s exactly what I did. When my Straight Backs got old, I sat on my bathroom counter and took my braids out one by one, and I reinstalled them. From that moment on I braided my own hair and eventually was known as the girl in high school that “did hair” lol.
Deciding to become an entrepreneur was challenging because I didn’t know the first thing about running a business, but I trusted God’s plan for my life. With the support of my husband Edward and family, I turned a vision into reality, and Yana’s Hair Co LLC was born. I wear many hats as a wife and a mother, so it was important for me to stay home with my children while running a business. I service over 200 clients a year, and I am so blessed to have beautiful women and young girls trust me with their crowns. Entrepreneurship in the hair industry can be challenging, but the lessons I’ve learned thus far are priceless. I said all of that to say I’m just a girl who loves hair!
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?
Yes, I would have to say this journey has been a smooth road. The struggles I did face were more personal. It mainly involved my challenges with motherhood, not the business side.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next, you can tell us a bit more about your business.
I am protective stylist in Bakersfield, CA. I specialize in braid styles that are trending, as well as hair growth. I am known for the excellent service I provide for my clientele. It is my mission to not just style their hair, but to give them an experience they can’t get anywhere else. I go above and beyond to ensure my clients are comfortable and relaxed while receiving hair styling services from me. I provide Wi-Fi, snacks, beverages, and blankets to all clientele. I created a Braid Essentials Box that supplies my clientele with hair accessories and products to last them the duration of their style. I also added braid classes to my website to offer one-on-one training for anyone desiring to join the hair industry. In the Fall I will be hosting my first youth braid camp for young ladies ages 15-18, this braid camp will provide them with the supplies, and skills, and business information needed to guide them in their entrepreneurship journeys. My motivation is to empower young black girls to become their own boss.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
I have recently enrolled in college at the University of Phoenix to finish my business degree. My mission is to earn my business degree with a minor in entrepreneurship to better assist my community.
Contact Info:
- Website: yanashairco.as.me
- Instagram: instagram.com/yanashairco
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@yanashairco
