Meet Sydni Raymond | Founder and CEO of Bomb Ass Fro

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

Hi Sydni, what role has risk played in your life or career?
Risks come with everything. It’s the way of the world. If you’re afraid to take risks you’ll find yourself living an unfulfilled life. I will say privilege allows some to take bigger risks than others so that’s definitely a factor, but at some point in life you have to bet on yourself and truly believe in your dreams.

Starting my business was the biggest risk I’ve ever taken. I quit my corporate job as a Communications Director 3 months before I launched and never looked back. I put my all into Bomb Ass Fro and I really didn’t have time to think about it it wouldn’t work because that wasn’t an option for me. It had to work. Thank God it did.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I am the founder and CEO of Bomb Ass Fro. Bomb Ass Fro is a natural hair care company based in New Orleans who provides quality products for women and men with curly hair. Our first and only product to date is our famous Curl Defining Hair Jelly. Everyone is raving about it (we launched on January 11,2021 and sold out every month). Although my business grew a lot faster than I planned for, I’m truly grateful that it happened this way. I’ve learned so much in such a short amount of time and I’m just so humbled by all of the support.

As I previously mentioned I had a lot of pressure to make my business work. I quit my job and bet on myself so I didn’t have a plan b. It was either this would work or I would be SOL. The challenges seemed endless. Since I didn’t think I would grow so quickly, I wasn’t prepared for the day to day operations and logistics of things. Now that I have most of it figured out, I just want the world to know that this is only the beginning of Bomb Ass Fro. I can’t wait to release new products and give back to the very people who helped me get here.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Ok so if you’re coming to NOLA, you must be prepared to eat. I have a ton of favorite restaurants but if I had to name 3 I’d say you must go to Luke (every single thing on their menu is delicious), Acme Oyster House (their chargrilled oysters are the best in the city) and Nice Guys (they’re blacked owned and have the best gumbo in the city) and an honorable mention is Gris Gris. I have a ton, but those are my favs as of late.

Drinking- Bayou Beer Garden is one of my favs and if you’re going during crawfish season, don’t pass them up! Victory is also a cool spot to hang and have drinks and hang.

Cool things to do- There are so many things to do in the city. Your best best is the venture out of the French Quarters and explore the different neighborhoods and culture. No matter where you end up, I’m sure you’ll have a good time.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My shoutout is dedicated to my mentor Sheryl Kennedy Haydel, Ph.D. Outside of my immediate family, I owe everything to her. This woman has molded me not only into the professional I am today, but she has invested in me personally and advocated for me since the beginning. When I told her I was leaving my job to pursue my dreams she was nothing but supportive. But I couldn’t just quit, I had to have a solid game plan. She wouldn’t allow me to do anything mediocre. If I was going to do it, I had to put my all into it. She was my college professor and our relationship started off rocky, but I thank God I stood along for the ride because without her, I wouldn’t have most of the opportunities I’ve had.

Website: www.bombassfro.com

Instagram: Instagram.com/bombassfro

Facebook: Facebook.com/bombassfro

Other: If you’d like to follow me on my personal page, my handle is @supersydnayyy on all platforms.