Meet Erica Grier | Curator of Beauty

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

Hi Erica, what is the most important factor behind your success?
The most important factor behind the success of my brand is authenticity, staying true to myself and my vision. The beauty industry isn’t one size fits all. With social media, we get to see how our peers operate and build their brand, which can sometimes bring doubt or question of whether or not you’re “doing it right”. Knowing who I am, as well as who my ideal client is, keeps me aligned with my vision for my brand. Staying authentic helps in attracting who’s for me and repels who isn’t. It also keeps me fresh. As the world changes and new trends are created in what feels like every minute, I know there’s only one Me and one thing’s for sure authenticity never goes out of style.

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.
“Keep in mind that I’m an artist and I’m sensitive about my ish.” Erykah Badu. She said it best, I’m an artist and I’m very sensitive about my craft. I believe that my sensitivity to the needs and hair concerns of women is what sets me apart. It’s more than rendering a hair service in exchange for monetary compensation. It’s ministry for me. My vision for E Luxe The Salon has always been to create a safe intimate space for women to breathe and let their hair down. No pun intended. For my clients, it’s an experience of release, relaxation, restoration, and beautification; of the external as well as the internal. They always leave better than they came! I’m most proud of my transition as a new salon suite owner in Atlanta. I’m a mother and wife who started over in a new city after the age of 40. I’m originally from Baltimore and have had most of my clients since I started professionally in 2001. It hasn’t been an easy journey, I’ve stopped and started over many times as motherly duties and health challenges came. I never quit though, I just took a break to prevent burnout. One of the most challenging things to overcome while starting over and rebuilding was believing that my time hadn’t passed due to my age and my many restarts. Seeing the success of those who started at the same time as I did tried to make me feel discouraged. I knew I had to develop tunnel vision and put a strategy in place, not looking left or right but inward to trust what I know is inside of me and to get others in this new place to see and trust it as well! In less than 1 year I’ve attracted and maintained a healthy book of clients. I’ve learned that as long as I believe in me, I am unstoppable! You can’t rush God or you’ll end up with a counterfeit manifestation of your dream and vision. Even though I’m no rookie, I feel like I’m just getting started and there’s much more to come from me. There are women waiting on me to serve their soul through hair artistry. I started this journey as a little girl wanting to help my mother cover her alopecia. 30 years later, I’m a woman with a true passion to serve women through my experiences, wisdom, gifts, and talents. I am a curator of beauty, aiding in women discovering, honoring, and celebrating the beautiful things, parts, and moments in their lives!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
For starters, I’d take them to Nana’s Chicken and Waffles in Conyers! Their food is delicious and it never hurts to support another hometown (Baltimore) entrepreneur! We would visit the High Museum of Art as well as The Trap Music Museum; gotta have balance! The Garden Room is an experience to take in from the ambiance to the music to the cuisine! I’d make sure to book reservations well in advance. We’re also going to dine at STK. I have to take them on the MLK Jr history walking tour and we’d end their visit with a wine tasting and overnight stay at Chateau Elan.

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?
Nicola Seymour deserves credit and recognition for recommending me for an interview. Empowered women empower women! Also I’d like to shoutout and recognize my husband and children. It’s cliché, but they truly are my biggest supporters and loudest cheerleaders!

Website: ericagrier.com

Instagram: EricaGrier & ELuxeTheSalon

Twitter: EricaGrier

Facebook: Erica Grier