Lady Lockz - Standing On Business

The Spaces convened Lady Locks’ first episode in a women-in-business series, spotlighting women of color entrepreneurs across industries and the realities of building and sustaining ventures. After brief technical setup and introductions, the panel shared origin stories: Jah’s holistic journey after battling ovarian cancer and launching Shay’s Cakes Factory; Lovely Brown’s evolution from styling her stepdaughter to a hairstyling career; Asia (“Dr. Hawk”) shifting into life coaching and party rentals; EMAC’s customization business growing from glittered bottles to memorial keepsakes; Tara’s show “Men Deserve Their Flowers Too” to honor positive male figures; and Julie’s Afro‑Latina dance instruction focused on confidence and representation. Discussion centered on early risks (going all‑in without a job, scaling inventory during COVID, opening a salon while in college, ignoring naysayers), setbacks (costly mistakes, security issues, the need to pivot quickly), and unique challenges (industry stereotypes, market gatekeeping, dismissals of holistic health). The session closed with rapid “this or that” prompts and concise advice: fail forward, speak up, price integrity, protect your peace, and position finances. Next month’s episode will dive into funding.

Lady Locks Series: Business & Entrepreneurship — Episode 1 Recap

Who was in the room (hosts, panelists, contributors)

• Host: Nikki (aka Lady Locks)
• Panelists/entrepreneurs:
  • Tara — Host of “Men Deserve Their Flowers Too” (multi‑platform show highlighting positive male narratives)
  • Lovely (aka Lovely Brown/Lovely Bee) — Hairstylist and musician; long‑time independent stylist
  • Strawberry — Founder of Strawberry Kisses (lingerie and cosmetics; online store: strawberrykisses.com)
  • Immaculate (aka Emac/Imac Lynn) — Custom, emotionally resonant gifts and memorial items
  • Jah/Shay — Founder of Shay’s Cakes Factory (artisan cakes) and creator of holistic health products
  • Dr. Hawk (Asia) — Certified life coach; co‑owner of a party rental business (tables, chairs, moon bounces)
  • Julie (Dance With Julie) — Dance instructor and confidence coach (South Florida–based; teaches in person and online)
• Community contributors/moderators: Kim and Steph (Q&A prompts)
• Community shoutouts: Parley Syndicate (Money Mondays, community shows), Sir Wellington, Dog House, broader syndicate community

Opening context and vibe

• First episode of Lady Locks’ women‑in‑business series (monthly, four‑part run). The night’s focus: real‑world entrepreneurship—mindset, origin stories, risks, setbacks, and resilience—featuring a panel of women actively building and operating ventures across beauty, media, events, wellness, and the arts.
• Light technical hiccups at the start; audience energy remained high. Recurrent “shot‑o’clock” interludes (the night’s word: “boss”) kept the tone celebratory and communal while emphasizing women’s leadership.

What sparked each business (the moment it moved from idea to venture)

• Jah/Shay (Shay’s Cakes Factory and holistic line): A deeply personal health battle (ovarian cancer). After conventional treatments failed, she learned to grow and use herbs—crediting a holistic approach with her recovery. That experience catalyzed her mission to create health‑supportive products alongside her bakery, translating lived credibility into a business.
• Lovely (Hairstylist): Began through styling her stepdaughter’s hair and receiving consistent external validation from her community. A spontaneous visit to a beauty school (initially to model seriousness for her stepdaughter) revealed her own marketable skill. A friend’s coaching on saving and reinvesting helped convert that skill into a sustainable livelihood.
• Dr. Hawk (Life coaching; party rentals): Life coaching emerged from a values‑aligned community on Instagram (inspired by Chell); she pursued certification and began working with clients. The party rental idea crystallized after organizing her husband’s 50th birthday—repeated exposure to event costs and local demand signaled a clear opportunity; positioned as a retirement‑adjacent business.
• Emac (Custom/memorial items): Started with creative decor (e.g., glittered liquor bottles), validated via a small holiday sale that performed unexpectedly well. A pivotal niche shift came when she created memorial pieces for grieving families—recognizing high emotional value and repeat demand. This defined her brand focus.
• Tara (Show host/producer): Motivated by witnessing how a good man in her life was underappreciated, she launched “Men Deserve Their Flowers Too” to foreground positive male stories. Rooted in a long‑standing interest in talk/podcast formats (inspired by figures like Oprah), she committed to making the concept real.
• Julie (Dance With Julie): Lifelong dancer and educator with a purpose: increase representation in Latin and partner‑dance spaces that are male‑dominated and lack visible Afro‑Latina leadership. She deliberately placed herself in underrepresented spaces to normalize presence and excellence.

Biggest early risks—and what they taught

• Julie: Ignored naysayers (including family pressure to pursue law/medicine). Stayed disciplined across jobs, reinvested in her art, and let results speak. Lesson: Do not internalize others’ fears; consistent execution changes perceptions.
• Strawberry: During the 2021 pandemic, over‑invested in inventory by online standards and forced herself to move product through relentless pop‑ups and field sales. Lesson: Inventory risk, when matched with hustle and direct customer contact, can validate demand and recover capital.
• Emac: Went all‑in with no day job, relying solely on the business. Learned the hard cost of insufficient working capital (e.g., buying inventory per order). Lesson: Full‑commitment can accelerate learning, but undercapitalization constrains growth; systems and cash buffer matter.
• Lovely: COVID shutdowns forced shop closures in 24 hours. She improvised a supply partnership with a beauty supply owner—coordinating deliveries and eventually PPE—to service clients from home (in NJ), unexpectedly increasing revenue and client loyalty. Lesson: Embrace discomfort and resourcefulness; test assumptions before you self‑reject.
• Dr. Hawk: Earlier in life, opened a salon while a full‑time college student—time‑management and operational risk was substantial but funded her undergrad. Lesson: Capacity planning is vital; high ambition must be paired with structure.
• Tara: Risked reputation by launching a new talk format with minimal initial audience. Secured notable early guests (e.g., Kris D. Lofton from Hardball/Force; “Woody” from Power Book) and is now fielding a red‑carpet opportunity. Lesson: Cold outreach + persistence can compound fast.

Toughest setbacks—and bounce‑back playbooks

• Emac: Admitted to early operational missteps (quality, process, bandwidth) that cost money and threatened reputation. She restructured her business three times in two years and built a support team to create checks, add capacity, and reduce error rates. Lesson: Iterative re‑engineering and team leverage are non‑negotiable as complexity grows.
• Julie: The performing arts are “what have you done lately” industries; visibility fades quickly. She leverages purpose audits (return to the “why”), rapid pivots (test new offerings/markets), and continuous skill display to regain momentum. Lesson: Antifragility through fast iteration.
• Dr. Hawk: Operating in an insecure location led to break‑ins. She exited the lease and partnered with a cousin’s more secure, established salon. Lesson: Environment selection and strategic partnerships mitigate risk and speed recovery.

Unique challenges as women of color—and how they countered them

• Julie (Afro‑Latina in male‑dominated Latin dance): Encountered prejudgments about her role, capability, and language. She disarms bias with performance excellence and fluent Spanish—turning skeptics into advocates. Lesson: Representation + undeniable delivery changes rooms.
• Lovely (Black stylist in an Asian‑dominated hair supply chain): Faced predatory contracts and appropriation tactics (vendors targeting her clients, using her client’s image to sell products/classes). She focused on integrity, kept creating, and let visibility (e.g., Shade Room features) neutralize attempts to erase her. Lesson: Own your brand voice; consistent output plus visibility beats unfair tactics.
• Jah/Shay (Holistic entrepreneur): Early on, holistic health was dismissed (including within her own community) and often framed against “Big Pharma.” She led with lived proof, facts, and reframed the offer as empowerment, not a sales pitch. Lesson: Credibility through outcomes, education, and rebranding.
• Strawberry (Body/beauty stigma in lingerie/cosmetics): Experienced customers projecting insecurity as criticism. She champions inclusivity (“Unleash your sexy”), reframes makeup as enhancement, and offers options for all sizes, tones, and comfort levels. Lesson: Normalize self‑expression; meet customers where they are.

Practical tactics and operating wisdom

• Capital & cash flow:
  • It takes money to make money (Strawberry). Plan startup capital and inventory buffers to avoid growth stalls (Emac’s early constraints).
• Team and systems:
  • Don’t do it alone—build a solid team to reduce burnout and prevent errors (Emac). Partnership can be a resilience lever (Dr. Hawk’s pivot to a secure, established shop).
• Market entry & growth:
  • Cold outreach can yield high‑profile wins (Tara). Pop‑ups and field sales can validate/increase sell‑through (Strawberry). Visibility in gatekept spaces accelerates inclusion (Julie).
• Mindset:
  • Fail forward; failing helps you flourish (Jah/Shay). Ignore naysayers; your purpose and persistence redefine perceptions (Julie). Embrace discomfort; it’s temporary and productive (Lovely).
• Ethics & boundaries:
  • Your price is your price (Emac). A closed mouth doesn’t get fed (Tara). Protect your peace; don’t retaliate when wronged—trust process and law/karma (Lovely).

Community, marketing, and programming notes

• Parley Syndicate: Audience invited to join the community (Money Mondays: Money Moves & Mindset; other themed shows through the week). Sports content will continue even after NFL season ends (e.g., “what them bets looking like”).
• Tara’s media momentum: Recent guests Kris D. Lofton (Hardball, Force) and Woody (Power Book) appeared; red‑carpet offer noted for next year.
• Valentine’s readiness: Strawberry Kisses promoted timely shipping for holiday demand; positioning for self‑purchase and gifting.

Interactive segment: “This or That” — group pulse

• Mentor vs. trust your gut: Mixed, lean toward mentor value for structured growth; gut for speed in familiar domains.
• Team of ride‑or‑dies vs. one‑woman show: Clear preference for a dependable team.
• Promotion channel: Strong interest in TikTok; Instagram remains relevant (product and personal brands use both).
• Self‑care: Split between spa day and at‑home care.
• Social time: Girls’ night out popular; solo day also valued.
• Hype playlist: Old‑school hip‑hop dominated over trap.
• Planning mode: Mixed—solo planning for focus; group brainstorming for ideation.
• Media diet: Both Netflix binges and podcast marathons, depending on task/context.
• Beauty: Split between bold lip and natural glow (aligned with Strawberry’s inclusive stance).
• Comm style: Some prefer quick texts; others voice notes.
• Lifestyle: Coffee vs. tea split; a mix of early birds and night owls; sneakers favored over heels.

Memorable moments and atmosphere

• Repeated “shot‑o’clock” interludes (keyword: “boss”) underscored celebration of women leading businesses.
• High‑energy cultural callbacks (Lil’ Kim, Mary J. Blige) blended with candid entrepreneurial truths, maintaining a supportive, fun, and affirming space.

Closing advice to aspiring women‑of‑color entrepreneurs

• Jah/Shay: Failing helps you flourish—don’t fear it; leverage it.
• Tara: A closed mouth doesn’t get fed—ask, pitch, apply.
• Strawberry: It takes money to make money—position yourself financially.
• Lovely: Don’t “sleep” your way to the top; protect your peace; if wronged, don’t escalate—trust lawful/ethical remedies and karma.
• Emac: Your price is your price—stand firm on value.

What’s next

• Episode 2 (end of month): Deep dive on funding—capital readiness, access routes, and financing strategies. All panelists are invited back; audience encouraged to return with funding questions and scenarios.

TL;DR — Core takeaways

• Purpose fuels persistence; persistence compounds into opportunity.
• Capital planning, team building, and process discipline turn hustle into a durable business.
• Resilience means iterating fast after setbacks; pivoting is a feature, not a bug.
• Representation matters: show up, deliver excellence, and normalize presence.
• Protect your peace, your price, and your brand—ethics and boundaries are strategic assets.