Amanda Ambroise is a hairstylist and Entrepreneur that I recently had the pleasure of meeting at The Make up Show in New York City.  We started to talk and I wanted to know more about her brand AMBROISE NOURISHING HAIR FRAGRANCE and how it all started. I reached out to her a month later to interview her for our up an coming Summer issue and here is what she had to say ….

Kia Danielle : What inspired you to start your own hair care brand? 

Amanda Ambroise :  As a hairstylist, I think it’s inevitable to eventually want to launch some type of self branded product, whether it be hair extension, or a hair care product. For me, I’ve always been great with my hands and enjoyed hands-on projects. I would create avant garde hair pieces for the IBS (international Beauty Show) at the Jacob Javits Center. At the time I was working in a salon in Manhattan. Wigs and closures were becoming very popular, so I learned how to make wigs and decided to offer custom units outside of servicing clients.This pretty much birthed my business. After a few years, I started to get really fatigued from servicing all day, and working on units all weekend. Then I had a son and knew I had to retire at some point because it was too much. But I wasn’t ready to completely let go. That’s when I started thinking about launching a haircare product. I began to fall in love with the process and all the ways I can still be creative without physically being hands on.

KD : Take me through the process from conception to birth of what’s it’s like building a brand from the ground up? 

AA : I didn’t start taking this seriously until I was ready to begin my product development project for the Nourishing Hair Fragrance. Up until then I focused on custom wig making and my Instagram page and website was all over the place. I often felt lost because I had to do it all myself and couldn’t afford the resources that would help. I never paid myself because I constantly reinvested the money back into my business to improve it somehow. Whether it be updating business cards and packaging, a photoshoot for my website, things like that. Once I decided I was ready to launch a product and knew what I wanted it to be, I began to research labs and manufacturers to find one that would meet my needs. This process was a bit discouraging because most of them had large MOQ that I was not ready for. But I didn’t give up. Luckily, At an event I met a representative from a manufacturing company, and pitched my idea to her. After our discussion I realized I finally found my manufacturer.  Around this time I had also quit the salon and landed a great job that allowed me to start really investing in my brand. And from there I was able to begin the process for developing my product. I worked on my brand identity, including my logo, color scheme, and typography. This is important because it will be used on your website, products and marketing, so it has to be consistent. I also needed to identify my target audience and customer persona etc.This took some time to get right but once I did, it helped push my branding to the next level. While my product was in development, I worked on brand awareness. I needed to create a marketing strategy to promote my brand and attract customers and so I hired a specialist to help me with this and it was a game changer. There were many mistakes along the way.

KD :What does sustainability mean to you, and how important should it be in hare care ? 

AA : Sustainability means utilizing natural resources while also continuing to do my part to preserve our environment. I took this into consideration when developing my Nourishing Hair Fragrance, from the ingredients to packaging. I wanted  non-toxic naturally derived ingredients that can work together in formulation. In terms of packaging we went with glass even though plastic would have been cheaper. I even considered offering refills and bottles recycling incentives, but haven’t quite figured out the logistics to make it work. 

KD : What advice would you give other young girls who may want to start their own business in the hair care industry one day? 

AA : My advice is to have enough capital to get started and have a hefty savings to fall back on. Especially if you have expensive taste in quality and how you want your products to look. There are costs you probably don’t even think of and so it’s best to be prepared. It’s less stressful that way. Aside from that, I’d also recommend hiring experts and being open to suggestions. It will help avoid expensive mistakes.

KD : What motivates you to keep going and pursuing your dreams? 

AA : To be honest, I often asked myself “why am I doing this?”. Especially while realizing how much money I’ve invested and watching my bank account decrease during this project. But then I remember that God put  this on my heart for a reason so I need to push through to find out why.

KD : If you had to describe your brand in three words what would they be? 

AA : I like to think of Ambroise as Elegant, High quality, and Authentic. Elegance can be seen in my presentations and marketing. High quality because we invest in top quality ingredients and supplies. Authentic because this brand is me. I always try to be transparent and true to my values and so my brand reflects that. 

KD : What’s next for Ambroise? Where do you see your brand in 5 years? 

AA : In 5 years I see Ambroise on the shelves of major retailers. As for future products, you’ll have to wait and see. I just hope everyone is ready to come along this journey with me. 

KD : Where can women purchase your products?

AA :Everyone can purchase my products at http://shopambroise.com. I also have the nourishing hair fragrance available to purchase through instagram shop.

KD : Any last remarks or anything you would like to add? 

AA :Just for anyone about to start a business, know that there will be mistakes,  but there will be lessons that come with it. Try to enjoy the process.