Today we’d like to introduce you to Ebony Stroder.
Ebony, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
My story, whew. It’s so compact. I’m a native of Indianapolis, Indiana. I started being paid to do hair at the age of 12. I enrolled in beauty school at age 18, after getting pregnant with my daughter, but I was dropped from the program. I was in a really bad car accident that put me in the hospital for nearly a week. Due to my absences, I was terminated from the program. In 2001, I relocated to Ft.Wayne, IN with my daughter. I enrolled into cosmetology school a second time and became a licensed stylist there in 2002. There I was able to build a diverse clientele, but I wasn’t maximizing my potential. So we moved back home to Indianapolis in 2008. My clientele grew rapidly from word of mouth. Social media had not quite taken off yet. In the first year, I developed a client listing of a little over 60 clients and was able to host a one year client appreciation event.
However, I bounced from salon to salon, looking for the right environment. It was 2010 and my clientele continued to expand. By that time, I had become an educator and brand ambassador for Design Essentials. I had an innovative website that made it convenient for clients to schedule from their phones when others were still using a write-in appointment book. I just didn’t have environment I was looking for. A wise person once told me, if I can’t find what I am looking for, create it. So that’s what I did. Private suites had just made their debut to Indianapolis. It was small, but it was quaint and private. It what I needed for the type of women I began to draw. I began to brand my business relentlessly. I hosted hair cutting classes, business seminars, trunk shows, and networking events in the city. This further drew women to me for services. In two years I outgrew the private suite and signed a lease for a 1265 sq ft. Location in the heart of Indianapolis. This space was everything I had been envisioning since I left Ft. Wayne. I named the salon Eclectic Peace Beauty Lounge.
For 3 1/2 years the salon became the perfect environment for me to servicewomen in excellence, share all of my passions, educate, began the beginning stages of developing my own product line (Iconic Edge) and bring the community together all in one location. In 2015 I launched a consulting business for women entrepreneurs called ENS and published my first book “Don’t Wish, Work: Pushing Through Self Pity to pursue my purpose” This project allowed me to help other women in business build successful brands, publish their own books, as well as travel the nation on a book tour and public speak. I never saw myself doing any of this, but through it all, I was able to maintain my salon and keep a fully booked clientele. In July of 2016, I began to notice a shift in my life. I felt as if I wasn’t teaching my maximum potential. I began feeling the same way I felt years prior in Ft. Wayne, IN. I decided not to renew my lease on the salon, and I closed Eclectic Peace Beauty Lounge. I didn’t understand it then, and while many of my clients were sad. I knew I did the right thing. I felt liberated and free. I worked in a prestigious salon downtown Indianapolis as a booth renter. A year later, July 2017, my family and I took a huge leap of faith and relocated to Houston, Texas.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It had definitely not been a smooth road to get to where I am. I haven’t had a job for nearly 15 years. It’s been an emotional roller coaster building, creating, and executing. Sometimes just trying to find the financial means to fund one of your own ideas is tough. Many of days, just the marketing that goes into promoting your work after you have executed it can be tough. Especially when people don’t receive it right away, and you just have to keep sharing, posting, handing out cards, until someone believes in you. I’ve experienced days of depression, anxiety, fear, and worry. And then somehow you just develop this mental toughness and affirm yourself to just keep going. In the end, the finances, freedom, and flexibility began to make sense. Another thing is, Often times people are so inspired to pick up and relocate. Everyone always talks about the amazing beginning, and then people see the highlight reels of the end result.
Very few people talk about the middle season of relocation. I had to learn how to navigate in a much larger city. I had to do a lot of networking and having conversations with strangers, just to understand how Houston flows. As a beauty professional, location, and environment is extremely important. I found myself bouncing around from location to location, trying to find the right place for me to attract (and keep) my target client, grow and develop my brand. It took less stops for me this season in my life; but I quickly recognized, I had to go out on my own again. I had that burning desire to offer a quaint, private, upscale and professional environment. The only option was to create it myself. I also had to make some adjustments in the services I offered. I realized women of Houston love the convenience of hair extensions. The great thing in that is, I have always remained flexible in my method. A major key was just being confident in what I do best. I began really working my strengths and being consistent in them, instead of attempting to conform to what is popular.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Iconic Edge Beauty – what should we know?
While I am still well known for hair cuts, short hair styling, silk pressing and coloring of a woman’s real hair; I also make custom wig units on the sewing machine to accommodate my ladies that like to be versatile but lack time to sit in the salon for hair extension services. I have an online system on www.IconicEdgeBeauty.com that conveniently allows customers to submit their head measurements, select the style, hair texture of the Iconic Edge Beauty Virgin Hair, and color for my custom units. It typically takes 7-10 days for an order of one these luxurious, fashion, lifestyle, accessories to be completed.
I discovered am able to provide a quality investment, that will last the client longer than the traditional sew in or extension service, and free up hours a woman spends in the salon. Instead, they can have a custom unit made that looks very natural, and it will give the same effect as a sew in. In between visits, customers can drop their units off to be shampooed and styled by me. This also eliminates waiting hours under the dryer for hair extensions to dry. What sets me apart from others is my timeliness, my love of sharing The knowledge of hair care, my compassion, and my heart to give women an experience at the salon instead of the anxiety of “when am I going to get out of here?.” I am most proud of being able maintain this standard of excellence even after starting all the way over in Houston.
I have had some very influential mentors in my career. I was kinda rough around the edges starting out nearly 17 years ago. So many people that have helped me become the woman I am. Honestly way too many to name, and I don’t want to forget anyone. I’m a community kid that was like a sponge. Those who sowed seed in me to help me grow into this person know who they are, and I hope I am making them so proud.
Pricing:
- Relaxed Shampoo and Styles $60
- Silk Pressing starting at $75
- Custom Wig Units Start At $350 and include the Iconic Edge Beauty Hair
Contact Info:
- Address: 701 Richmond Ave.
Suite 118 Room E
Houston TX 77006 - Website: www.IconicEdgeBeauty.com
- Phone: 281-964-7026
- Email: www.ebonynstroder@gmail.com
- Instagram: @hairbyestyleshouston
- Facebook: Iconic Edge Beauty Lounge
- Twitter: EtotheStyles
Image Credit:
Photographer of my personal Image Jay Goldz, Make Up on my personal image pic- Ronnie of Belaan Beauty, Photographer of Editorial shots- Andrea Smith, Make Up Artist Kori Morgan
Getting in touch: VoyageHouston is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
