Celebrity hairstylist and beauty entrepreneur Amanda Williamson didn’t plan on becominga stylist. “I actually wanted to design clothes,” Williamson confesses. “But as much as I tried to get away from hair, it kept coming towards me.”
Williamson started doing hair at 16, taking after her mother, who was also a hairstylist. Growing up in the salon, Williamson spent most of her days listening to blaring hair dryers and hanging out under strong fluorescent lights.
Perhaps it was the constant sensory overload or an acceptance of the inevitable, that eventually motivated Williamson to hone her skills and build her beauty business.
Yet her journey to success would be filled with negativity, disappointments, and risks that ultimately led her to become the top stylist in her city and a contestant on the OWN reality TV series Belle Collective.
Here’s how Williamson created her beauty empire with boundaries and customer loyalty.
Turning a passion into a profitable business
The more time she spent behind the chair, the more her passion grew. Unfortunately, like a rose growing against cement, Williamson’s flourishing passion was met with constant negativity.
She was always told that doing hair meant working hard for little money. “A lot of times in the beauty industry, you will find yourself overworked and underpaid; that’s how it was presented to me,” Williamson admits.
These messages were often reinforced when she observed her mother at work. “Watching my mom, I always felt like you work yourself to death and then you have nothing to show for it,” Williamson shares.
Yet Williamson didn’t want to follow that narrative. She was focused on turning her passion for hair care into a profitable career. This took three pivotal business lessons: education, setting boundaries, and creating a client experience.
“I tell the girls [I work with] all the time, talent will open the door,” Williamson advises. “You have to be willing to educate yourself, because in this industry, everything is constantly changing.”
One way Williamson has been able to move the needle and adapt to an ever-changing industry is by taking business classes. She realized being knowledgeable about hair helped start her career. However, her business knowledge helped her build a successful career.
By educating herself on how to properly run a business, she set boundaries that benefited both her and her clients.
With boundaries, such as no gossiping and no kids in the salon, she has been able to create a client experience that has brought her numerous repeat and loyal clients.
“I wanted to create a space where clients feel safe,” Williamson says.
And while no children in the salon might sound like a harsh rule, it has allowed Williamson to create a spa-like experience at her salon.
“It’s how I make [my clients] feel when they leave—that’s what I’ve built my brand on,” Williamson explains. “I treated my passion like a business from day one.”
And this year, her business grew beyond expectations when she became a contestant on Belle Collective.
From Behind the Chair to In Front of the Camera
Belle Collective follows successful Black female entrepreneurs in Mississippi as they navigate business, relationships, and redefine what it means to be a Southern belle.
This career move took Williamson further out of her comfort zone than ever before.
“It’s been a tremendous change because I’m super shy,” Williamson admits. “I don’t like the camera, and when you’re behind the camera, you have no control.”
Letting go of control was a challenge, but Williamson knew that being uncomfortable could lead to greater growth.
Unfortunately, overcoming her shyness wasn’t the only challenge to this new reality star.
“Being someone new to the show is like being the underdog,” Williamson explains. “The pressure is on you to be great.”
To survive the pressure of the show, Williamson stayed true to herself. “I didn’t change who I was as a person to fit into who they wanted me to be.”
Instead of caving under pressure, Williamson remained honest with herself while focusing on her goals.
What Williamson Recommends for Future Beauty Entrepreneurs
Taking on the world of reality TV is just one step on the ladder to Williamson’s overall vision and dream for her business.
“I want to grow my business worldwide,” Williamson shares. “I want to get from behind the chair and educate and inspire.”
Williamson hopes to take her knowledge and experience to educate her generation and the next—to motivate more women to take risks, set boundaries, and step outside their comfort zone, just as she has.
Her advice for aspiring beauty entrepreneurs? Don’t solely rely on talent. Take business classes. Set boundaries from day one, and be intentional with your pricing. You might feel uncomfortable, but that just means you’re growing. And most importantly, treat your passion like a business. It’s the only way to combine what you love with making money.
“Stay firm on your policies and your time,” Williamson reminds us. “Everything will line up.”
