Today we’d like to introduce you to Tamunoimiebam/Tammy Bell-Gam.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
After graduating from high school, I decided to take a gap year, and during that time I had the idea to start my own hair business. As a self-taught stylist, I dedicated countless hours to learning and improving my skills by practicing on myself , as I was my own first client, my sisters, cousins, and anyone willing to let me braid or style their hair. I specialize in locs and braids, and I’m constantly working to expand my techniques and grow as a stylist.I officially launched my business in January 2024 with the goal of helping people feel confident and beautiful. Like many small business owners, I balance running my business with work, school, and family responsibilities, which has taught me discipline, resilience, and the importance of continuous learning. The most rewarding part of what I do is seeing the smile on a client’s face when they look in the mirror and tell me they love their hair. Knowing that I can help someone feel more confident makes all the hard work worthwhile. I really love what I do, I loveee the art behind hairstyling and I love to make other people feel confident about themselves . The motto for my business is “ Your Hair , Your Crown”. As a black and African women it can be a bit challenging to lovee curly and kinky hair and I have always wanted to be someone who make everyone value and love their hair because every hair , every curl is beautifully and wonderfully made.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Starting was hard , sometimes I wondered if o would fail or if I would give up and overthink but I had to push through and just start with what I had. I had to start from somewhere
I wish it would have been a smooth road but of course you know how life can get. Around my senior year I had also lost my home but thankfully my uncle Darlington and his Family opened their up to my family and they were okay with letting me start my business there. I am home based stylist, I either go to your home to make your hair or you come to mine, so it was a huge favor to be able to have a place to start the business. As a young upcoming stylist, another obstacle was clients undermining my price and my work. I am a stylist that makes sure her prices are affordable and clients don’t need to pay an arm and a leg plus I was just starting but there were some people who still thought I should be cheaper. Trying to sell your business when people undervalue your worth was something I had to overcome . Another obstacles that I face and I think a lot of hairstylist suffer is the physical toll that braiding and standing to do hair for so long brings uphold the body. I know sometimes I may suffer back pains and swollen feet and knots in my muscles like my back , and shoulder . I find that as a hairstylist, it is also important to prioritize my health first so that I am capable of giving my all in my business
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am most proud of the fact that I started my business from an idea and built it through dedication and self-teaching. I taught myself how to braid and create different styles through constant practice on my sisters and cousins. Seeing my skills improve and watching something I created grow from a small passion into a business has been one of my biggest accomplishments. I am also very grateful for my support system, my family , my sisters and little brothers and ,my close friends. Thank you for cheering me on and supporting my journey.
Yes I am a self taught stylist and I have been doimg that for the past 2 and half years now , my business has grown tremendously and my skills have also improved as the years went by . Aside of being a hairstylist I will describe my self as someone who loves giving back to my community. I am a dedicated volunteer whether at church or with non profit organizations. I specifically want to talk about my role in Global Women Voices , a non profit organization , founded by one of my closest friends , Temitope Samuel. I am the outreach and partnership coordinator for this non profit that is dedic
ated to advocating and empowering young women across the U.S and in Africa. We have organized and collaborate with people and organizations around the Houston community to raise fund which we use to give back to the community, whether it be hosting events that highlights notable and influential women in Texas or workshops for young girls where they can feel heard and empowered and even down to giving home cooked meals to the less fortunate in the Houston area during holidays like Christmas and thanksgiving because our mission is to spread love and awareness. I really enjoy my role in this organization also because I love to collaborate with other great women and minds to create change in society.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
One of the qualities and characteristics that I feel was very important in my success discipline and being authentically myself. Though out my journey, I have always pursued being myself and creating a safe spaces for other people to be themselves too. With being self taught , I also had to discipline myself so I could be better and not be stagnant. To grow in your business you have to grown as an individual. I make sure to always make those around me feel comfortable and I create a safe space for them to express themselves . My clients have told me that when they come to do their hair they love my welcoming personality and they love my little words of advice as I do their hair , because at times my clients and o get into enlightening conversations and they feel heard about what they want out of my service . The success of myself and my business stems from how I prioritize my self and my craft , how I prioritize my clients and the people around me and the loving and supportive community that I create around me
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.tiktok.com/@tammybellgam?_r=1&_t=ZT-97VZX1DWWXV
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tammybellgam?utm_source=qr
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@tammybellgam?_r=1&_t=ZT-97VZX1DWWXV
