We had the good fortune of connecting with Marilyn Cobb and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Marilyn, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
The thought process behind starting my own business was to highlight my late mothers Legacy and share and teach everything she taught me about the hair industry while being a young African American natural women. I want to help women of all ethnicities with natural hair care. I truly believe that every woman should take care of their hair as if it is their crowning glory. A lot of times beyond every braid,curl, lock, and strand is a scary story for women of different Ethnicities. My goal with my business is to teach women through my learning and experience to embrace their crowns no matter the texture.
Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am a hairstylist I love natural healthy hair no matter the ethnicity. my goal is to teach women about natural hair and how to care for their texture no matter the hair type. My business is to create a safe place for women of all Backgrounds. It was not easy for me to get where I am today. at early age I knew I had a passion for natural hair . I would stand in the kitchen and watch my mom as she made women look beautiful and something on the inside of me felt that ,that was what I wanted to do, make women feel beautiful I didn’t Feel as if I was talented enough to be a hairstylist. I just knew I love to see women feel beautiful about themselves.So I would do hair outside of my home At a young age during this time my friends and family would always tell me I needed to get license. And I would tell them all the time,I will one day, So one day became 20 years of doing hair sporadically for friends and family. Some would asked why didn’t I just go to school and get my cosmetology license. But for me it wasn’t that easy. I didn’t feel as if I was good enough, my mom was in and out the hospital and my dad was working hard to sustain our household. so it wasn’t easy for me to start a career in the field that would ultimately bring me joy. Unfortunately it wasn’t until my mother passed away that I realize I needed to live life as if every day was my last. I promised her that I would go to school when I moved to Texas so I kept my promise and began my journey in cosmetology school. It wasn’t easy but it was worth it. Once I had started cosmetology school I begin a successful career at Pressed Roots. I started there as a shampoo tech and now I have become a master stylist. I look back on these things and realize that if only I had started earlier where could I be now. Through all of this I’ve learned that a lot of times we Allow fear to stop our blessings. I say this because before starting my salon suite I hindering myself thinking that Pressed Roots was it for me. But then I had to do some self evaluation and learned that I have more to offer so I stepped out on faith and decided to rent my own salon suite. I was scared out of my mind not knowing that this small step I just took will become The joy I have been seeking for a long time. Because through all my fear and stumbling blocks I have now made it to the point of teaching in caring for women natural hair. And now I have the same joy my mother had when women left her salon chair with smiles on their faces.
If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
So for me must go places for me and my friends who are visiting would be Legacy Hall
Grandscape
Chicken and pickles
ArtPark at Trinity Groves
Downtown Art District
And no matter who you are you must visit the cake bar!
Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My late Mother is the foundation to my success in the hair industry. As a young woman I watched her in the kitchen of our small home bring in clients of all ethnicities. I watch each and every woman leave her chair with a smile on their faces. So In those very moments I knew that she had changed someone’s perspective on how they felt about themselves through their crown (hair). She was my queen and I was her princess. Anytime I fell upon hard situations in life she would always tell me to straighten my crown and hold my head up high,And with the memory of that I birthed CrownedByRie hair Studio. Because I will always be CROWNED by My Mother Ma(rie).
Website: https://crownedbyrie.glossgenius.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crownedbyrie/?hl=en
Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/Crowned-By-Rie-102605302028948/posts