Meet Eyonna Preston | Braider and salon owner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Eyonna Preston and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Eyonna, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I realized I had a passion for braiding hair at 15 years old I started reinstalling my braids on my edges when they got old I was also working at my father’s carlot and we wasn’t getting along that well and I didn’t make a lot of money working a job part time at fiesta so I thought one day maybe I should start doing hair i practice on my head twice still couldn’t part so my mom parted my head and my cousin’s head and I started after that I decided to start taking clients for $40 which was extremely low and ridiculous but I had start somewhere I thought my mom was going part every head for me but was I wrongly mistaken . So I had had to learn as I go I learned how to part and started doing box braids I went from $40 a head to $80 I would start doing hair at 6am to finish at 1 or 2 pm so I can take another one and finish by dinner as time went by I got faster and started trying other styles such as locs on my stuff or perfecting my craft she took a couple hits but it made me a better stylist I started picking up alot of clientele that my coach made me choose cheer or braiding and I was so inlove with it I choose braiding by the time summer time hit for junior year I had too much foot traffic coming to the house my mom said I have find a shop to do hair out of and I’m 16 17 I don’t know no shop owners and I’m like am I responsible enough for a bill every week I feel so sick thinking of it now I was paying 135 a week for a booth not a suite but a booth but I had to continue if I need discovered my love for hair I probably would’ve finish college and worked a 9-5 but I loved the braids and fast money and I got better and better I worked in a few shops since I had bigger potential and I said by 25 I wanted my own shop i decided to make it happen by 19 … I opened my own salon at 19 and it wasn’t easy I have took loses I have went through obstacles I have learned even if your shop is empty you don’t give up you buckle down and handle business

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
It takes dedication, leadership, responsibility and ownership. I learned I had give up fun or things people thought I was supposed be doing at my age to stay ahead or not depend on my parents . With challenges with the shop or business overall I learned you can’t cry you have to get through it keep working and take accountability if something goes wrong . Handle business don’t let no one underestimate you because you are young . It’s okay to look out for others but don’t stop your growth or play with your potential to help someone else out. Also don’t let no negativity stop your grind and hustle . You speak things into existence it will happen you put in the hours it will happen you sit down and pray it will happen . I don’t matter who doing it first or how long it take you make things happen for you !!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I like to eat so 5bistro pappadeaux Akita vidorra love studio movie grill.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Dedication to my mom for being very supportive of my business even when I’m hard headed and stubborn and want to thank letot for giving me the mindset to change and be better than certain situations

Instagram: Hairbyeyonna

Other: Personal instagram TheLorilondon

Image Credits
Photographer didn’t have my pictures ready so I provided me actually working just gave the real me