Today we’d like to introduce you to Emmatine Ukwuoma.
Hi Emmatine, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I migrated from Liberia West Africa at the age if 13 without my parents to live with my uncle and aunt. My mom is a creative. She cooks, cleans, bakes, does hair, sews, arts and crafts and all the things. I definitely get my creativity from her. After about a year, age 14 people from my school started noticing my braided hair styles and started inquiring as to if I can do their hair. At the age of 14 I stared building my clientele for hair braiding and natural hair care. I STILL have some of those people today as my clients, my day 1s.
I never plan to be a hair stylist, ever. It was a hobby that I truly enjoyed. It helped me in making friends, being in community, belonging, and more importantly, I enjoyed helping people feel seen and beautiful. I had dreams of being a pharmacist. I was going to create medicine to heal the sick, or so I thought. A few years later, I became a Pharmaceutical Tech and I didn’t enjoy it as much. So I pivoted to Insurance sales and still was not fulfilled. By this time, I’m a wife, a mom, STILL doing hair braiding as a side hustle and working as an agent and feeling unfulfilled. It was my husband at the time that encouraged me to follow my passion and pursue Hair braiding as my full time career. Up to that point, I had never considered it as my career..He reminded me of how long ive,been invested in it and much joy it brought me, and lets not minimized how lucrative it was and still is!
In 2000 I opened Styles of Afrika Hair braiding. Once SOA was established, i hored licensed stylist, barbers, nail techs as well as braiders and i became full service salon. But i didn’t feel confident in my role fully because i had desired to go to Cosmetology school and get my license.I always valueed the theory behind the practical. I wanted to full understand all phases and fundamentals of hair care. So enrolled in school, and I went during the night as i worked full tume during the day and i accomplished that goal. running a full service salon, managing 13 people as staff, fulfilling my dream of becoming a licensed professional Cosmetologist. SOA stayed in business successful for 10 years. Unfortunately, due to my divorce, I had to shut that business down. It definitely didn’t stop me. I regrouped, and opened my second salon called Beautiful U successfully from 2011 til 2020.
SOA was special in that it was not only my first, but it gaved me chance to push my natural hair and,hair braiding creativity. We were a family and created a community. hair, fashion, style, hip hop culture was all the things! Now we move to Beautiful U hair, divorced, single mom of 3 girls, my pride and joy,,looking up to me, I felt like it had to dig deeper, focus on the fundamentals of hair care. Due to my own emotional trauma, I too needed healing, needed to be reminded of how beautiful I am, that life is STILL beautiful. We are all beautiful in our own way, however, as a black women it most important for our healing, to be reminded of how powerful and beautiful we are at all times. So I approach BU with that same mindset. Intergrating a more holistc approach to hair care. Using more natural products in my regime. Some i concocted some i purchase. Understanding that this time it is so much deeper than hair care and beauriful hair styles, but soul care. Continuing to ask the right questions concerning my clients family, lifestyles, daily habits, health conditions, stress to gain some understanding how to approach their healthy hair care journey.. this allowed me to incorporate more natural products and ingredients in my regime. And peaked my interest in natural product formulations. My clients welcomed this and responded well to this healthy hair care journey.
Covid changed everything for everyone. My father died in 2019 and I felt the need to be closer to My family residing in Minnesota. So I closed down BU with much sorrow, i did what I felt was the right path , family over everything, and relocated to Minneapolis. 25 years later, I find myself in Minneapolis MN embarking on my 3rd act. Not fully understanding the landscape or the environment of Minnesota, I began to implement the same systems and strategies from B U into my new salon called Cynychi. Cynychi is a,combination of my 3 daughters names Cydney, Naya, and, Ogechi. Coincidentally, it means God has or will provide in Igbo, their father’s language. I was completely unaware when I came up with this name. Cynychi represents the legacy. The overall value to all that ive done in this natural hair universe. This is deeper than Hair. I also curated my very own all natural plant-based haircare line for textured hair black women. Using specific hand picked herbs, fixed and organic oils, plant extracts, carefully formulated to create a healthy environment for hair to thrive. This product line encourage maximum hydration using Aloe vera,as the main ingredient. It targets dry, brittle, damaged, lack luster, thinning, slow growing hair. I’ve partenerd with a chemist who specializes in natural formulation and this is one of hopefully many natural lines to come offering a full line of high quality, plant-based personal care products for the entire family. I’ve been disheartened with so many harsh chemicals in product made for us that I realized that this was needed. Black women spend the,most amount of money of natural hair care products yet are catered to the least. I hope to be part of the change that is,needed. Im currently located in Midtown Global Market at 920 Chicago Ave S STE 137 Minneapolis MN
763-762-7162 . You can book an appointment with me at cynychihairsalon.booksy.com or email me at [email protected].
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Finances have been a struggle. I’ve never had the benefits of getting a,loan or grant for my business, its always been self funded and at times, especially now that I’m going to products, very challenging. Also, building a team. Being in a,new environment has had this challenge of getting skilled natural stylist. I need help with building a,team here.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m a licensed cosmetologist, a,natural hair culturist, an entrepreneur, and a salon owner. I specialize in various intricate hair braiding and hair extensions services,braids, twists, crochets, weaves, locs, and natural hair stylist such as twists, twistouts, bantu knots, wash a gos, loc styling, hair cuts, and trims, scalp detox and custom hair treatments.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
Getting in community. It’s very difficulty to do business alone. I personally do not have a,mentor, regrettably. However, I have found great benefits in various networking event , business classes, seminars and workshops which has open my eyes to so much more. Knowing that there are business resources available to help entrepreneurs on their journey has been life changing and ease some challenges.
Contact Info:
- Website: Cynychinatural.com for products. Cynychihairsalon.booksy.com for services
- Instagram: Cynychi _Hair
- Facebook: Cynychi_Hair
