Today we’d like to introduce you to Maya Foster.
Hi Maya, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I was a teacher for 15 years. Most of that was orchestra, the last two was Culinary Arts. I absolutely loved my job, but an incident surrounding a particular student’s egregious behavior and admin’s non-response brought to light the need for me to leave, two weeks into the 2022 Spring semester. Either that, or I would’ve lost my life, my freedom, my teaching credentials, my mind, or maybe even all four! I love to work with my hands and create, so just prior I had taken the Sisterlock training course.
Sisterlocks are essentially a tiny dreadlock that allows for greater movement & volume. With an end date to teaching set, I decided I better get my business together and get it together quickly. I am now The Locsmith, specializing in Sisterlocks, Microlocks, and Traditional Locs!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Not at all. Sisterlocks are expensive, labor intensive, and considered permanent. Much like getting people to trust you with their stomachs, getting them to hand their hair over to me is a major ask. Getting my first clients was hard! I didn’t have a salon location, so I bought the lightest salon chair I could find, packed my equipment into two bags, and lugged it all over Houston offering my services. Then one day my husband tagged me in a post with a salon owner looking for renters. I toured the space and loved it. Now I offer both!
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m a loctician, specializing in Sisterlocks. I’m fairly new to this field; I’ve been a teacher most of my life. But I’ve found that my background as a teacher is what has drawn most of my clients to me and what sets me apart from many others in my field. I’m always available to answer questions, free of charge. I invest a lot of time with each new client, explaining things in detail and showing them all their options. My policies reflect the fact that I do this primarily to help people, not just take their money.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
Be willing and eager to learn. It’s OKAY not to be perfect. Be patient with yourself. Find your strengths, capitalize on that, and in the meantime work hard at perfecting your skills. Be humble, be honest, be professional! I wish I knew more about social media marketing, it’s so important these days!
Pricing:
- Consultations are $40 and required for most establishments
- Sisterlocks start at $400
- Microlocks start at $275
- Reties & Retwists are $25/hour
Contact Info:
- Email: mymothershands83@gmail.com
- Website: www.thelocsmith.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the__locsmith/
- Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/mayathelocsmith/?ref=bookmarks
