Today we’d like to introduce you to Kierra Taylor.
Kierra, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
In October of 2013, I relocated from my birth state of Mississippi to Houston, Texas to seek greater job opportunities. Being a new graduate, I had little to nothing financially and was struggling to find job opportunities both within and outside of my degree field. One day, with less than twenty dollars in my pocket and my faith, I packed a suitcase and moved to Houston, Texas in search of growth. With the help of my oldest sister and her husband, I found a job, some form of stability and a tiny sense of peace in my new found home, BUT, I was still unfulfilled. Although I had a job, I was only being paid minimum wage and was barely able to make ends meet. One day while helping my sister shop for her wedding gown, she suggested that I apply for a second job at the bridal salon. Watching me give my expert feedback (unknown to me at the time) on my sister’s dress choice, the assisting stylist quickly agreed. I had never considered myself a “fashionista”, but I did enjoy assisting my family and friends while shopping and had always appreciated an opportunity to play dress up! Not to mention, I had a sincere appreciation for the art of fashion and the power it had to make people feel good. With that, I applied for the position as a stylist and became a part time employee for Alfred Angelo Bridal. I quickly tapped into my potential as a stylist, climbing to the top in sales. After two years (off and on), I parted ways with my Alfred Angelo family and gave birth to Styled by Taylor K in December of 2017. This would be a business that would offer every style service imaginable, accommodate every woman and man, and most importantly-make everyone feel beautiful. This would provide an opportunity for the little girl who was singled out for being “different”, the platform to make “different” okay.
Great, 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?
Along my journey, the biggest challenge that I have faced is financial resources and marketing. Funding and marketing a business independently can be tough. When you are new at anything, it becomes challenging to have hope when so many people around you are established and have more experience. But at the end of the day, you have to keep working hard to prove that you are worthy of being in the race and trust that it will all work out!
We’d love to hear more about your work.
Styled by Taylor K specializes in 1:1 styling, personal shopping, style/fashion consulting, and will soon offer clothing rentals.The thing that I am most proud of is that my business was built to help empower people through fashion. As a bridal stylist, the money isn’t what motivated me; it was always the feeling I got when my brides felt beautiful. Their tears of joy when they found the perfect gown for their special day gave me fulfillment. My genuine desire to cater to the needs of my clients is what sets me apart. I desire to provide an intimate experience for each client, including my male clients. As a female stylist, it’s very easy to focus on women and forget about our men. I am so committed to providing superior service to every client that I offer 1:1 service with a male stylist (Tyyon Jefferson) for my clients who prefer a male’s perspective! I hope that when people do business with me, they can say they felt like family rather than just another client.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
When you have enriched someone else’s life through your own, you have achieved success. My success is not contingent upon the things I achieve personally, but rather what I have helped others to achieve spiritually, physically, mentally, and emotionally.
Contact Info:
- Email: mztaylor_08@yahoo.com
- Instagram: styled_by_taylork
- Facebook: Styled_By_TaylorK
Image Credit:
Ciera Harris Photography
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