Candice S.I am super excited about today’s Her Business Spotlight. We are shining the light on someone whom I’ve admired for years. I follow her blog and we have a lot in common when it comes to our hair. One thing being, we both LOVE roller sets! Give a warm welcome to today’s Tennessee based, Her Business entrepreneur.
Introduce yourself to our readers. What is your role/title and how long have you been in business?
Hello, my name is Ebony and I am the blogger behind Longing 4 Length, which is a healthy hair website. I continue to identify myself as a blogger because I began at a time when blogs – especially hair blogs – were truly a hobby. When I made my first $100, I was tickled pink but that was not the reason I began the site nor is it the reason I continue to update. I genuinely like having a community of women to talk to and share hair tips, styles and inspiration. I established Longing 4 Length in 2011 and registered it as a business in 2012.
Until 2017, Longing 4 Length operated as a traditional blog/website based business and earned its income as such. However, this January I launched the Longing 4 Length store which offers hourglass rollers. Hourglass rollers are an amazing tool to produce superior roller set results, and I’m super excited about this extension of Longing 4 Length.
What motivated you or inspired you to start your blog and business:
My mother always laughs at the moderate success of Longing 4 Length and says “To think all this started from a bad perm.” Although funny, this is actually true! I had just moved to a new city, didn’t have a reliable stylist and kept experiencing horrific service which led me to online research, hair forums and taking care of my hair at home primarily.
As for launching the store with hourglass rollers; it was an organic fit as I’ve been a fan and user of this product for years. Anything that cuts time sitting under the dryer is a win for me!!! After I transitioned from relaxed to natural hair, the design of hourglass rollers became more important because they provide more tension and grip the hair better to produce smoother results and easier rolling.
What is it about your product that sets you apart from your competition?
I have always been a fan of roller setting – anyone from the NY/NJ area pretty much grew up going to mainly Dominican salons to get a doobie. I didn’t realize (especially at the time that I left NJ) that this style is not as common throughout the rest of the country. I have always preferred to achieve my styles via roller setting versus a blow dry and flat or curling iron.
The main complaint from ladies who do not like to roller set their hair is the time spent under the dryer. Hourglass rollers are made of a durable plastic with a ventilated design that cuts your dry time in half, whether using a hooded dryer or air drying. Seriously!!! If your hair normally takes an hour to dry, you can look forward to spending only 25 – 35 minutes under the dryer. The shape and grooves also gently grip the hair and provide additional tension for superior results and smoother roots. Ladies purchase them to take to the salon, for use at home or both! You can achieve bouncy, straight hair or long lasting curls with hourglass rollers. For those who wish for a straighter look, use the rollers to cut back on the amount of direct heat applied to your hair by setting before flat ironing on low heat.
What beauty problems does your product solve?
Ladies who wish to achieve straight hair without the damaging effects of blow drying, then flat ironing on high heat, hourglass rollers offers a healthier alternative to achieve the same look, in half the time as a traditional roller set.
What do you feel are some of your biggest challenges as an entrepreneur?
Balancing my daytime job with all I need and want to do with my business. Finding reliable assets to add to the team who share the vision and my passion. I have plenty of people in my life who “support” the dream, but they either don’t have the skill set to help or don’t fully understand the business – sometimes both! Lol! Plus, I am a type-A personality so even when I have help, I am reluctant to relinquish control.
Other challenges are things that have nothing to do with the “product.” I can write blog posts and fulfill orders fairly easily but as a soloprenuer, I handle the legal, financial, marketing, sales and all other hidden responsibilities that owning a business incurs. However, as tough as it can be at times, I am thrilled at moving my blog to the next level and the feedback I have been receiving from customers so far!
What piece of advice, that you wish someone had given to you, would you give to anyone looking to start their own business today?
Take yourself seriously. This statement encompasses so much: Take your vision seriously and believe you can and will make it successful. Take your business seriously. Starting a business is so much more than a logo and a domain name. Obtain a Tax ID number, file for a business license, register for any trademarks and patents you may need. Keep great financial records, file your taxes properly. Do you want to be a business owner or simply have a side hustle? Two different things and two totally different mindsets. Even though my shop isn’t exactly where I want it to be, nor is my second forthcoming business, the shift in my mindset to taking myself seriously has changed so much for me!
Check out this fun video tutorial by another Tennessee talent, Maria Antionette, showing you how she uses Hourglass Rollers to wet set her natural hair. Video Link: https://youtu.be/NeQBbX7k9cU
Tutorial: Hourglass Rollers On Type 4 Hair
Exclusive Discount Alert!!
*Update* Longing 4 Length is no longer selling Hourglass rollers and the discount is no longer available.
You can now buy them at Bella Cappelli USA.
Longing 4 Length is offering all of my readers a special discount. Please use coupon code NATURALLYSTELLAR for 10% off your Hourglass Rollers order. Click to shop! http://Longing4Length.com/shop Remember, Shipping is always free for customers within the contiguous US and there is NO SALES TAX.
Check out @Longing4Length on social! Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter & YouTube
Candice S.
2 comments
I love these rollers and have enjoyed seeing the results of all the curly girls using them!
I know right! I gotta get back into roller setting my hair. I need the volume since my hair thinned out a lot from postpartum shedding. I gotta keep my maintenance simple.