In this episode of The Charlotte Business Podcast, recorded at Bella Brand Studios in Greensboro, host Ashley Boti sits down with Khadijah "Kay" Leach, founder of Bella Brand Studios Salons+Suites and Bella Brand by Kay. Kay went independent straight out of cosmetology school because she knew she wanted to build a brand, not just a book of clients, and she shares what that took.
The conversation covers the mindset shift from service provider to CEO, burnout and rebuilding after personal loss, the small details that create an elevated client experience, why positioning beats chasing clients, and why she built daily and weekly booth rentals alongside suites. If you are a stylist thinking about your own space, or any entrepreneur trying to scale without burning out, this one is full of practical lessons learned firsthand.
“You should never have to chase your clients. They should know when they click on your page what you offer, how that's beneficial to them, and how they can get in touch with you.”
Watch the full conversation above, or listen on Buzzsprout.
Kay says she did not know what she wanted to do with her life. While fasting and trying to find her purpose, hair school kept popping up. She had always loved beauty, including makeup, lashes, hair extensions and even the idea of a clothing boutique, and she fell in love with doing hair.
From the start her goal was to build a brand. She went independent right out of school so she would not get stuck in a cycle behind a chair.
Early on, Kay promoted her work but never showed her face, only her hands. She realized she said she wanted a brand but there was no face attached to it. Showing up, networking and sharing her story made everything easier, and it opened the door to multiple businesses in the beauty space.
Kay talks openly about the mindset shift from service provider to CEO. As a single mom she needed to make money, which kept her in a survival cycle. After the loss of her younger brother she dove into work, and the quality of her work and her brand goals began to fade. She went back to the beginning, asked what her goal was, and focused on mental health, self-care and who she needed to be to reach it.
The conversation turns personal when the host shares her own experience with burnout, and the two discuss how women, and mothers in particular, are often made to feel that constant hustle is normal.
Kay wishes she had known more about systems. Her first move was straight into a salon suite while still building a clientele, which meant overhead without security. She took any service for anyone, watched YouTube hours before appointments, and had no set hours or boundaries. A booking site, clear policies, service descriptions, prices and deposits would have helped her grow faster.
Kay says her personal brand keeps evolving, and sharing her story, within limits she controls, is part of the responsibility that comes with being a service provider. For client experience she points to small things: a laptop desk for clients who work while in the chair and a three-minute scalp massage. In an industry that can feel transactional, those details help retention, five-star reviews and word of mouth.
Kay says to spend your energy on curating your brand and the quality of your content so the right people gravitate to you. Chasing is a signal to go back and fix your marketing. She recommends learning the words target market and target audience, building a clear picture of your ideal client, and treating your Instagram as your portfolio. One of the hosts shares how dancing trends in 2020 did not attract accounting clients, and Kay's rule is to keep personal and business pages separate.
On consistency, Kay says clients choose you and trust you, and inconsistency erodes that trust.
Kay wanted a space that was not a traditional salon. She started with daily and weekly booth rentals because she saw a gap: many stylists rush into suites they cannot afford. Her model includes suites too, plus a stage for content and classes, and the flexibility for traveling or part-time stylists. She describes the culture as warm and abundant, with no walk-ins, where stylists work for themselves in a space created with the same energy as Bella Brand by Kay.
Through Bella Brand Pro she offers mentorship because she never had a mentor and had to seek out everything on her own. She describes the soft launch and grand opening as her second baby, and a goal on her five-year plan, now in year six.
The big surprises were starting costs and the need to advocate for herself, plan, budget and find a good team for the build-out. Her advice: it is expensive, but it can be done, so set aside more than you think, always inspect the building, check the HVAC, get a warranty and do not be afraid to speak up.
Kay is still moving from hustle mode to structured systems. She uses a wait list for open spots, but now reminds herself that extra time does not have to be spent on hair. She recommends handing off appointments, finances and marketing, and looking at your money consistently to know what comes in, what goes out and whether you are profiting.
She is critical of mentorship that tells people to copy someone else's lifestyle and content. Her closing message: avoid burnout at all costs, everyone has a gift and a purpose, stay in your own lane and be authentic to yourself.
Khadijah "Kay" Leach is a hairstylist, salon owner and beauty entrepreneur based in Greensboro, North Carolina. She is the founder of Bella Brand by Kay, Bella Brand Studios Salons+Suites and Bella Brand Pro. Specializing in luxury extensions, healthy hair and elevated client experiences, she is passionate about helping women look and feel their best while creating opportunities for beauty professionals to grow and thrive.
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