Source: Tamika Douglas/ Four Star Tresses
Tamika Douglas was going through a traumatic separation from her husband and in need of healing when she decided to start Four Star Tresses. Despite the pain Tamika was facing, she found comfort in putting her “best foot forward” as it was essential to her healing. The 42-year-old entrepreneur and mother wanted to show strength in the face of adversity.
“I needed to do something to make me feel empowered and beautiful as I was going through a traumatic separation from my husband,” she revealed. “I made it a point to make sure my hair was slayed, and my face was beat each time I stepped out the door. The other option was to lay in the bed and cry, but i had to put on a brave face for my children. I wanted to show them that in the face of adversity, you push through and persevere. You can’t allow it to defeat you.”
Tamika brought her first home and started her first business when her child was six months old. And ventured into several other businesses since then. She was inspired to become an entrepreneur by her parents. who were self-employed since she was a young girl. She chose to venture into the hair industry to service the diverse clients in her neighborhood.
“Starting a hair-line that markets to the diversity in the community was definitely a trend I wanted to explore,” she said. “My inspiration to get into the hair industry was two-fold. Mount Vernon has a diverse customer base that is filled with women who love to slay their hair. Starting a hair-line that markets to the diversity in the community was definitely a trend I wanted to explore.”
As a woman who spends her fair share of money on her own hair, Tamika decided to capitalize on it. Tamika learned early on, being an entrepreneur isn’t easy, but the desire to create her own wealth and empire keeps her motivated. “It’s one of the most rewarding things that I could have chosen for myself. Yes, it comes with its challenges and pitfalls, but the lifestyle and opportunities that I have created for my children is enough for me to push through any obstacles and challenges that arise along the way.”
In an oversaturated market, Tamika realized she had to make her business stand-out. “Marketing and standing out the hair industry is very difficult because there is a lot of competition. Unlike my other businesses that have a physical location, my hairline is exclusively an online boutique. I definitely wished I had a different marketing strategy in the beginning, but I have learned so much that it has inspired me to write an e-book to help other budding, single mom entrepreneurs.”
Tamika’s definition of success involves seeing her children thriving. “Success for me is seeing my thoughts, and those of my children come to life. When I started my after School program, 10 years ago, it was because my then 4-year-old son expressed an interest in ‘doing what those people are doing on TV.’ Training your child to be a triple threat is very expensive, so I decided to create my own program.”
She added, “Though I had to sacrifice the opportunity to expand my business to its full potential, being the vessel that allowed my son to do the things that the people were doing on TV was well worth it. I have since included an athletic component in my program to inspire my youngest son Nathaniel, as the arts is not his passion. That is my success.”
Order Four Star Tresses, here.
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