Today we’d like to introduce you to Sandy Williams.
Hi Sandy, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I got my start in the beauty world through modeling. I later pivoted into the pharmaceutical industry on the sales side. I did not necessarily love the field, but it did afford me some of the things I value, like time with my family. Ultimately that time with family brought me back to the beauty world and this endeavor – as the proud co-founder of CurlyKids Mixed Texture Hair Care and CurlyChic hair care products.
Our family is a diverse bunch. And like many, family occasions became not just an opportunity to see loved ones, but also a chance for parents to commune about parenting, both the struggles and the joys. In time I noticed the conversations around the adult table surprisingly shared a recurrent thread: our kids’ hair and its manageability – whether we were sharing anecdotes of tender headedness, dryness, thick hair, thin hair, curl, wave, it was an enlightening conversation to hear our multicultural family discuss the landscape of our children’s scalps. Over time the conversation became a glaring headlight on how hard it was to find any products to style our children’s hair, let alone comfortably or affordably.
Stores are stocked with a number of products from a who’s who of names, but finding something for the everyday parent that provides extra moisture or conditioning without being sticky, greasy, heavy or for which proper use requires a virtual certificate – practically a college degree – all while trying to get a fidgety kid to school in the morning felt impossible. So the idea for CurlyKids Mixed Texture Hair Care was born and I’m ever more grateful for it. We went from identifying the issue to meeting the need and now to successfully exceeding our own goals. This year we celebrate landing our product in over 6,000 retail stores nationwide. Our newer product line, Curly Chic, also results from listening and responding to adult hair care issues and a progressing successfully. A decade later, not only am I running a successful business, but I am using my gifts to help others find their way through struggles I have had. And to be useful is a simple but necessary joy.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It was important to us as a company to be made in America. And as noble and ambition as that may be, it did create some obstacles we needed to clear. But we made our commitment and saw ourselves through it. Also, finding commercial property in the great state of California at a reasonable rate is itself a trapeze act. Additionally, sourcing the materials and ingredients, many of which come from abroad, and making sure we have a product and formula we can stand behind; these are not just aspirations. They have become part of our overall mission.
As you know, we’re big fans of CurlyKids HairCare and CurlyChic. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
We are a proud, black-owned family business. And much like the company name says, we specialize in hair care products that cater to curlier hair textures. Though all types of hair are created equal, not all hair textures received the same range and availability of products for care. Be they curly, coily, kinky, frizzy or wavy, our products are designed to work with all-natural curl styles and manage against dryness and breakage. CurlyKids Honey Combout Moisturizing Detangler is our best-selling item. It sells out regularly which is a testament to the conversation that essentially started among our family and in our company, and we are proud of that. But from that product to our leave-in conditioners, moisturizing gels and curl defining lotions we offer a number of items to help the everyday parent get a hold of their child’s style. We have begun to grow exponentially on social media, and as a mother first, and then a business owner, having a front row seat to see children embrace their natural hair with our products, some doing so for the first time, is an uncontested joy. It honors everything we set out to do as a family business. On top of being a black-owned business, our entire company, from the board members to the warehouse is multicultural. We think of ourselves and our employees as a vibrant quilt of colors much like we see this great country of ours. And it makes that “Made in America” text that appears on our products even more meaningful.
Any big plans?
I think paramount on any and everyone’s mind is a reprieve from the Coronavirus. Our company was able to pivot from making our signature projects to creating and distributing hand sanitizer when the demand got so high. That was not only a mandate for our better angels but also an opportunity to serve our community. It was a disappointment that like so many things to be put on hold or canceled, our My Hair My Way children’s hair show, created and designed to showcase and celebrate children’s natural hair in all its texture and glory, had to be put on hold as well. We look forward to the event every year, as do our vendors, ambassadors and their families. We now look further forward to that celebration occurring in 2021 and hope the bend in the road is closer than it feels. Though we can all see there may be no going back to “business as usual,” a return to community – to open arms and warm hearts – even if socially distanced, is top of the list of things we look forward to.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://curlykidshaircare.com/
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/curlykidshaircare
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CurlyKids
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/curlykidshair
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrN6sOWM5jlGYpXhVQWu20Q
Image Credits
Creative Soul Photo, Leah Rae Photography, PhotoVideoCreate by Heyly, Vibrancy Agency
