Meet Tatiana Nchotu | Salon Owner

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

Hi Tatiana, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
The biggest thing that initially drew me to starting Braids That Speak was the creative aspect of it. I like being able to take a fiber (the hair) and attach it to someones loose natural hair and create a beautiful braid out of it. Like that’s amazing and was so fascinating to me. It was being able to transform a person from looking one way to looking another way in a couple of hours.

The next big thing that brought me joy and satisfaction was the connection aspect. I literally fell in love with conversing about life and any and everything with my clients. I felt like if not for hair, I would have never had this much interaction and access to so many amazing humans who with conversations spanning 3-14 hrs long depending on the hairstyle, their words would grow me, inspire me, bring me joy and we should share all sorts of stories and life lessons.

Those are the aspects I loved the most and I know that because no matter how tired I am, if a client seats on my chair, I get massive energy and great excitement. My level of tiredness does not affect my speed either. Just merely talking, sharing in conversations, would give me so much good energy.

I truly believe that I wanted to create a business that is about serving people. I want to leave this earth haven served and put major smiles on as many women as I could. Of course, I want to do that while making a profit (no limited to what someone else thinks is my worth).

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
As the owner of “Braids That Speak,” what truly sets us apart from other salons is our dedication to innovation and empowering our clients. Our signature service, Belle Microlocs™, is a game-changer in the industry. It’s a fusion of braiding and microlocs that provides our clients with a unique and transformative hairstyle option that can’t be found anywhere else.

Our journey started with my passion for braiding at a young age, which has grown into an unwavering commitment to serving black women with beautiful and empowering hairstyles. We have curated our specialization, focusing exclusively on Bomb Twists and Belle Microlocs™, to perfect these styles and ensure that every client receives the highest level of expertise and care.

Beyond just hairstyles, our salon is a haven of self-expression and self-discovery. We understand that hair is not just hair; it’s an essential part of one’s identity. When clients step into our salon, they can feel the passion and artistry we put into every twist and braid, tailoring each style to reflect their personality and unique beauty.

What truly sets us apart is not just what we do, but how we do it. Our salon experience is centered around our clients. From the moment they walk through our doors, we listen attentively to their desires and needs, ensuring that every visit is a personalized and transformative journey.

Moreover, we don’t just keep our expertise to ourselves. We are committed to making a global impact by training individuals worldwide to become Belle Microlocs Consultants. Empowering others with the skills to create beauty and confidence in their communities is a core part of our mission.

Braids That Speak is where we are today because of God’s grace. I have a strong faith in God as the main director of my business. Now, don’t get me wrong, I did a lot of work too in addition to my faith. Just like any other business, I’ve had many challenges along the way but my faith in God helps me to deal with those challenges with a champion mentality. I learned that my identity is not in my business but in God so I take challenges not as a way to attack my character or abilities. Nonetheless, the major challenges I’ve faced included, not having the knowledge to deal with massive growth. When I discovered Belle Microlocs in 2021, I went viral and since then Microlocs with Extensions has been trending massively. There was so much demand for it and at the time I was a solo stylist so I had to quickly hire a team of stylists to support that demand.

I had no idea who to grow a team, nurture a team and push them but my experience in corporate America working with teams really helped me. I quickly realized that with hiring a team, I had to learn about Human Resources, to grow my page I had to learn about Social media, to put my message in front of the right people I had to learn about marketing, to grow my clientele, I had to learn about customer service…basically, I realized I knew a little bit about everything and a knew nothing about everything. I needed help with getting my business together. I had the technical skills but not the business skills. That’s when my business coach found me and it was the perfect fit because she used to be my client so she knew exactly what I needed from a client perspective too and she had a lot of knowledge ands kills with processes and operations and coaching to help transform my min and my business to operate like a business and not a hobby.

The biggest lessons I’ve learned along the way is to not try to figure it out on my own. It’s easier to hire someone with more knowledge than me to help me transform my business. I appreciate Subject Matter Experts because they get me to where I want to be faster than I could. I learned that by doing that, I can buy time because time is something I can never get back. It’s too expensive. I would recommend to any small business owner to find someone in their industry who is where they want to go and pay them to help you get there instead of trying to figure it out on your own so they can save time and money and really start making more money sooner.

I want the world to know that Braids That Speak is not just about hairstyling; it’s about empowerment and self-expression. Our innovative Belle Microlocs service reflects our dedication to transformative journeys and hair freedom for black women. We specialize in Bomb Twists and Belle Microlocs, delivering personalized styles that speak to each client’s unique beauty. Our mission goes beyond the salon – we aim to empower individuals worldwide through training and uplift communities with confidence and beauty. At our salon, every client is valued, heard, and leaves feeling empowered to embrace their authentic selves.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Oh, I’d be thrilled to show my best friend an unforgettable week in the area! Here’s a little itinerary that includes some of the most fun, interesting, and exciting places to check out: *PS. a week I was off and didn’t have my son with me haha (gotta factor that in there because I’m still an entrepreneur and a mommy).

Day 1:

Morning: Start with workout of her choice (probably at home on YouTube). Then I would make her a hearty breakfast.
Daytime: Head to the city’s famous botanical gardens in DC for a leisurely stroll among beautiful flowers and lush greenery and also capture some lovely photos and videos of nature and ourselves.
Afternoon: Explore the vibrant arts district in DC, with its galleries, street art, and unique boutiques.
Evening: Enjoy dinner at a trendy fusion restaurant with an eclectic menu and cool ambiance. Probably “La Vie”
in DC.

Day 2:

Morning: Homemade breakfast and then we’ll rake a scenic hike in one of the nearby national parks or nature reserves.
Daytime: We could cook a meal together (learn a new recipe). If that fails, we’ll order take out from door-dash.
Afternoon: Visit a local winery in Virginia.
Evening: Savor a delicious meal at the winery restaurant (or a nearby restaurant)

Day 3:

Morning: Start with a leisurely breakfast at a cozy café known for its homemade goodies (Probably Honey and Milk near my home)
Daytime: Spend the day at home, watching our fav shows on Netflix.
Afternoon: Have lunch with 2 of my girlfriends so we can all connect and have a good time
Evening: Enjoy a lively night out at am Afrobeats rooftop bar and lounge with great views and a dope DJ.

Day 4:

Morning: Head to a scenic overlook or hike to catch the sunrise. Then come home for a healthy breakfast.
Daytime: Visit a farmers market in Gaithersburg and buy organic produce and meat and to sample fresh produce, artisanal cheeses, and gourmet treats.
Afternoon: Indulge in a relaxing spa day, getting pampered with massages and treatments.
Evening: Cook a healthy meal then relax at home watching Netflix.

Day 5:

Morning: Homemade breakfast.
Daytime: Spend the day in Virginia at a fun adventure park, trying zip-lining, ropes courses, and other thrilling activities.
Afternoon: We’ll be tired from the fund adventures so we would want to take a nap and relax at home.
Evening: Have a chill night at a cozy rooftop bar in Silver Spring with great friends, cocktails and a laid-back atmosphere.

Day 6:

Morning: Go running around a nearby stadium (formally known as the Red Skins Stadium in Maryland). Then enjoy a home made healthy breakfast.
Daytime: Visit another local farmers’ market to sample fresh produce, artisanal cheeses, and gourmet treats.
Afternoon: Attend a cooking class to learn how to prepare international dishes.
Evening: Dinner at a nice restaurant with live entertainment or Karaoke.
Day 7:

Morning: Enjoy a lazy brunch with bottomless mimosas at a trendy spot with a unique twist on classic dishes.
Afternoon: Take a boat tour at the Baltimore Harbor.
Evening: End the week with a farewell dinner at my home with a few friends with food catered by a Ghanaian chef.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
The person I would love to dedicate my shoutout to is my business coach (and low key therapist lol). She deserves a lot of credit and recognition in my story because she’s been there from the beginning. Her name is Sandra Kemayou and she has a specialty in helping people like me who are clueless about business, need some direction and takes them on this amazing journey to create something beautiful like profitable business.

When I sought out Sandra’s coaching services, my business had already blown up and I had a huge demand but I was not equipped for that type of growth just two years in. I was overwhelmed, doing everything under the sun when it comes to my business and making profit but not working on my business. Sandra came in with her team and helped me straighten up my process, helped me hire a team, trained them, expanded my team and business and I was able to open up a second salon in Lawrenceville, GA while living in a totally different state. It’s been an amazing journey and the only thing I would have done differently would have been to hire her sooner and read the E Myth book and The One Page Marketing Plan. If I had done those three things, my business would have dominated my industry. We’re getting there though.

Website: www.braidsthatspeak.com

Instagram: @braidsthatspeak

Facebook: Braids That Speak

Yelp: Braids That Speak

Youtube: www.youtube.come/braidsthatspeak