She is Inspiring

Happy Monday Fam,

I hope everyone had a great holiday! I have been getting my new years resolutions ready for a few weeks and they keep on changing every other day lol but I will be ready for Thursday. A friend of a friend suggested that I take a look at Indique Hair. I remember one day being at the Hype Hair mag office and seeing a pack for the first time. My co-worker and I were impressed. The hair felt soft and looked like something I would actually where if I wore them . So I got the chance to pick the brain of Erika Dotson to find out how she started this soon to be beauty empire. And I adore her breathing mantra by the way…“in with life, out with love.”

Erika I wish you the best!
xoxo
Ally

She-blogs: Who is Erika Dotson?
Erika: I’m a girl from Texas with big dreams! I’m a loving daughter, sister, girlfriend and mother. I’m someone who is dedicated and determined to help women feel and look their best everyday.

She-blogs: You are one of the co-founders of Indique Hair International. What inspired you to start the company with your partners?
Erika: I was a former stylist who specialized in hair weaving. I ordered hair for all of my clients. My goal was to provide them with quality hair on a consistent basis. However, I always seemed to have trouble acquiring the best hair. I found myself having to re-install weaves due to unruly hair matting and tangling. The hair that was advertised was not the hair I received. The issue was so prevalent that it was wasting an enormous amount of my time, money and energy as well as my client’s. I was fed up and decided to try to retail quality hair myself on a small scale in the local arena. After testing out different brands without positive results, I decided to go directly to the source, India. Being the “middleman” would give me the confidence I needed when dealing with my clients; because I would know exactly what type of hair I was applying on their heads. Indique basically grew from a simple need; the lack of quality hair and the demand for it in the marketplace. My partners and I set out to brand Indian hair on a greater level and educate the consumer while offering a unique purchasing experience.

She-blogs: There are so many brands for women to choose from. What sets apart Indique Hair from other hair lines and what are your price points?
Erika: The price point is much higher for Indique hair. However, it is a completely different product. It is true cuticle, remy hair. Indiqué Hair is unprocessed, clean, fresh and natural. It is100% Indian virgin hair that has never been mixed, chemically processed or altered. It is 100% Remy hair. Remy hair has cuticles that run the same direction from root to end. It is sewn onto the weft the same direction your hair grows naturally so it falls effortlessly. Indiqué Hair has Reinforced Wefts so that the hair does not shed and it wears and washes with ease. You can also wear the hair longer because the weft is very strong and will not break down. Our hair will last over 12 months and still remain manageable, lustrous, and strong.

She-blogs: Were you always interested in beauty and hair from a young age?
Erika: Oh yes! Always… I was the little girl who applied perm to my Barbie dolls hair until it melted away. I burned up my forehead trying to use my mom’s curling irons and so forth… I come from a family of stylist and barbers on my father’s side. My Aunt actually was one of the best barbers on the east side of Austin, Texas.

After high school, I moved to Washington DC to attend Howard. I worked part time for the US Department of the Interior and saved up enough money to purchase my first hair extension application system. I was so excited! I began applying extensions on all of my friends on campus who were willing to be my test models. The results weren’t always the best. But it definitely fostered a spark within me.
After college, I landed some great jobs in the corporate world; but the hair was always calling me. I decided to send myself to cosmetology school after years of being unhappy working somewhere that did not fuel my spirit. I worked hard night and day going to work and school in the evenings. I finally left the corporate world, opened up my own hair studio and the rest is history.

She-blogs: Why do you feel it is important for women to have hair options such as weaves, wigs etc?
Erika: We are active women with jobs, children, and we’re holding down households. We need hair that is convenient and easy to maintain. Weaves and wigs give us that convenience.

She-blogs: Why do you think it is important for women to stick together and genuinely help one another?
Erika: It’s so important that we stick together. Sisterhood is lacking in our communities. We should set examples for the young girls and carry on the dignity that our elders fought so hard to maintain. Women are the backbone of most families. We should support one another to keep the foundations strong.

She-blogs: Where do you see yourself in five years?
Erika: Not working as hard as I do now and living in the tropics 3 months out of the year with an umbrella drink in my hand. Seriously…

She-blogs: Name one place that you have never been that you want to travel to and why?
Erika: I would love to go to France and try to gather up some information about my mother’s side of the family.

She-blogs: What is your mantra on life?
Erika: My “breathing,” mantra is “in with life, out with love.”

She-blogs: When was the last time you laughed so hard you couldn’t breathe?
Erika: I try to surround myself with “amateur comedians”. After a ridiculous comment at a recent photo shoot- I could not contain my laughter. I caused an amazing chain reaction. Laughing is good! However, everyone’s mascara was running.

She-blogs: What do you do to stay balanced?
Erika: I stay balanced by prioritizing what’s most important in my day. A healthy diet is also key to me. Most important for me is having time in my day for family and friends. It makes life more fulfilling and complete.

She-blogs: What do you like the most about the way you look?
Erika: I’ve been able to maintain a pretty slim waist without much effort. I suppose it’s from years of cheerleading!

She-blogs: What do you like to do for fun?
Erika: I love making jewelry with my daughter! We are earring junkies and love designing creative, organic looks.

She-blogs: Is there anything else you want the she-blogs readers to know?
Erika: For those who have an entrepreneurial spirit, try your best to focus on one goal and stick with it. Don’t give up…. If you feel a strong energy within yourself that you’re doing the right thing, this is confirmation that it is probably in your life plan.

indiquehair.com

Tags: Erika Dotson, Hair Salon, Healthy Hair, Indique Hair, Remy Hair, SHE is Beauty, Weaves

This entry was posted on Monday, December 28th, 2009 at 5:27 pm and is filed under Interviews, She is Inspiring. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.