Although we celebrate our minority entrepreneurs all year long, Queen Anne’s County celebrated National Black Business month in August with weekly spotlights of local African American entrepreneurs. Our last spotlight in August features Onyx Beauty Supply, Salon & Barbershop. Onyx is located in the Queenstown Outlets and is owned and operated by Deayna Ewell and her daughter, Kay Bowser. The company retails professional quality beauty and haircare products and also offers salon and barber services for all hair. Deayna shared “At Onyx we care about all hair because there is unity in beauty.”
Both Deayna and Kay have been driven by the entrepreneurial spirit and want to share what they have learned in the process with other aspiring entrepreneurs. Deayna outlined critical entrepreneurial advice that she has learned or has received through their entrepreneurial journey:
1-Know the industry you are about to enter thoroughly and do the research for your area. Your business should add human value and should also have a purpose to enrich and unify communities.
2- Secure enough capital to start up and fund your business for at least a year to free yourself to build your customer base to support your business and not use personal finances.
2a-Also, work harder for your business than you have ever done for someone else’s because it will absolutely require 2000% more effort.
3- Don’t Give Up, pray a lot.
4-Get a mentor that has already done what you are doing because they are the only ones who truly understands and can give advice that really helps.
5- Don’t expect people/friends you know to support your business, it will hurt you to expect that but do expect people who have vision or who think your business has purpose in the community to support.
6- “Let the Purpose of your business keep you focused during the process of your business”. The process is painful, it will test everything in you but it is necessary to transform you into a true entrepreneur.
Onyx Beauty Supply, Salon & Barbershop is located at 439 Outlet Center Drive, Queenstown, MD to find out more check out their Facebook page Onyx Facebook Page
Categories: Economic Development