How?

Keep reading! We teach you how to build a successful hair-braiding business.

How Much Money Can I Make Braiding Hair?

Hairstylists typically make about $50,000 per year (including tips) working in a salon. But you have the potential to earn six figures a year by starting your own African hair braiding business. 

The path to a 100k year depends on your rates and how many weekly clients you see. Let’s say you charge $200 for a set of box braids. That means you would need to take 11 braiding clients a week (for 49 weeks) to hit six figures a year.

This infographic shows how regular hairstylists can achieve a six-figure year:

As a business owner, you’ll set your rates and control your schedule. Clients are willing to spend hours in a salon chair and pay well for a perfect set of braids. So, know your worth and price yourself fairly!

How To Build A Six-Figure African Hair Braiding Business

African hair braiding is an old form that’s in high demand. Many skilled braiders have turned their passion into a profitable business. And you can too! 

Here’s how to get started.

#1 Complete an African Hair Braiding Course

Before you open up shop, make sure you have the right skills under your belt. 

A lot of iconic hair braiders are self-taught. You’ve probably practiced on yourself, friends or family members. Still, it’s good to have formal training, so you can give your clients the best service possible.

Not to mention, a few states require you to complete hours of training before you can receive your hair braider license.

Whether you’re self-taught or a total newbie, you can learn African hair braiding by taking a specialized course at a cosmetology school. Cosmetology school helps you master your craft and teaches you how to manage a hair business.

Expect to spend many long nights practicing on a mannequin and to pay anywhere from $3000 to $25000 in tuition.

#2 Get a Hair Braider License (if it’s required)

Most states require regular hairstylists to earn their cosmetology license before they can start a business. Thankfully, hair braiders have a bit of breathing room. In the US, 32 states exempt hair braiders from receiving a license.

Still, some states, like Pennsylvania, require you to complete 300 hours of training at a licensed cosmetology school, take an exam and pay a fee to earn your hair braider license.

And you might have to take additional courses every couple of years to renew your license. 

#3 Write a Business Plan

To bring your African hair braiding business into reality, you need to write it down. Consider your vision for the business, competition, and potential setbacks. 

You might start hair braiding as a side hustle, while you work or go to school full-time. This way, you get experience, a portfolio, and a client list before diving all into your business. 

The best thing about hair braiding businesses: low start-up costs. Clients usually buy their own hair for the appointment. So you really only need equipment and a comfortable place to work your magic. You may have to get a loan or look for investors if you want to open a hair studio. 

Commercial space is great for privacy and work/life balance. But don’t feel pressured to invest in a studio right away. It’s okay to start from your home or make house calls. It saves you time and money, and some clients prefer it. 

Or, consider renting a booth from a local salon. You can learn from other hairstylists and get exposure for your business. 

#4 Choose Your Braiding Services

If you’re just starting out, it’s okay to stick to basic braiding services. Hair braiders charge anywhere from $75 to $450 for a standard set of box braids. So, you’re sure to earn a lot. African hair braiding salons typically offer:

• Box braids
• Kinky twists
• Cornrows
• Dreadlocks
• Weaves
• Knotless Braids
• Crochet Styles

Try to stay on top of trending hairstyles, like goddess locs or micro braids, so you don’t lose out on business if a client makes a request. 

Many salons offer more than standard hair braiding services (and it pays off!) You can sell homemade or retail products to your clients. Or you coach aspiring stylists on starting their own businesses.

Also, you can teach African hair braiding courses to earn extra income.

#5 Get Insured

You’re almost ready to start taking clients. But first, you need to protect your African hair braiding business with insurance. You put a lot of time and money into your business. A salon insurance policy can help pay for damages, medical bills, repairs, and replacements if an accident happens to your clients, employees, or property. 

Salon insurance gives you peace of mind. Also, it may be required by your state, so check your local guidelines. If you have a commercial salon space or rent a booth, you’ll likely be required to get General Liability Insurance. And most states require businesses to get workers’ compensation insurance if they hire a certain number of employees.

#6 Market Your African Hair Braiding Business

With all your braids in a row, you can start promoting your African hair braiding business. A clever marketing strategy is key to attracting high-paying clients. 

The first step is to get online. Create a professional website where clients can easily find and book you. Or build dedicated social media pages for your business. (It’s better to have both.) Create a Facebook page, launch an Instagram, and list your business on Google.

Social media marketing gets your name out there, fast! You can post client photos to show off your skills or give hair maintenance tips. And once you have a decent following under your belt, you can earn extra income as a hair influencer. Brands will pay you to promote their products like shampoos, hair clips, or braiding hair. 

But social media marketing is just one piece of the puzzle. To maximize your income, you should use a mix of social, content, and email marketing strategies. 

And don’t forget about referrals! Referrals are the best way to land high-quality clients. You can get referrals from current clients or other pros in your industry, like makeup artists or nail techs. 

#7 Try Business Software 

Once you land clients, the trick is holding on to them. To get repeat bookings, you’ll need business software or a booking app that can handle the nitty-gritty of running your African hair braiding business. 

A good booking app allows you to: 

• Book clients and schedule appointments 
• Accept multiple payment types and receive quick payouts
• Send contracts, forms, and personalized communications to your clients
• Create bundles and subscriptions, or sell products, to earn more money 

Business software makes it easy to manage clients, so you can focus on your craft.

The Final Step

If you’re ready to take your hair braiding skills to the next level, you can start an African hair braiding business. It will take time to build a loyal client list and hit six figures per year, but it’s worth the wait! 

PocketSuite can help you along the way. PocketSuite is an all-in-one to manage your hair business. You get appointment scheduling, contracts, and payments all in one place.

African braids, also called canerows in Jamaica, are styled by braiding the hair close to the scalp, using an underhand, upward motion to make raised rows of hair. The style is also known as cornrow braids. Sometimes beads and other decorative materials are used in the hair braiding.

You’ll need training to offer African hair braiding services at a professional level, although whether you’ll also need a license depends on where you live. Some states specifically address hair braiding (Texas requires a license plus at least 35 hours of education) while others do not, and some include the practice under the umbrella of a cosmetology license.

There are 19 states that do not require any license for hair braiders. Requirements among those that do will vary from state to state. You’ll need to investigate the laws and regulations in your own state to determine the best training options. Check with your state’s board of cosmetology to learn about the laws and requirements where you live.

African hair braiding is an artistic endeavor in which your creativity can really shine while delighting your clients and making them feel great about their new look. The pay is good, too. Skilled African hair braiders with a few years of experience and a steady customer base can easily earn more than $100,000 a year.

In this article you’ll learn:

• How much money you can make as an African hair braider
• The required training and certifications
• Professional groups to join
• Employment opportunities for African hair braiders
• Finding clients
• Plus helpful tips for new African hair braiders

How much money can you make?

African hair braiders make good money. A hair braiding can cost anywhere from $100 to $300. It all depends on the look the client wants to achieve. At current prices, you can see that working with only 2-3 clients per day can result in a nice income.

This is also a growth industry. Employment of African hair braiders, who are grouped with hairdressers, hair stylists, and cosmetologists, is projected to grow 8 percent through 2028, faster than the average for all U.S. occupations. Population growth will lead to greater demand for quality hair care services, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

African hair braiders earn an average annual salary of $27,940. Beauty professionals earn more money in some parts of the country, for example, the average salaries for hairdressers and stylists are highest in Washington D.C., Hawaii, Delaware, Virginia and Washington State.

Training and Certification

Regulations governing African hair braiders vary widely across the country. These states do not require a license to practice African hair braiding: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington and West Virginia.

Among those that do require a license, the particular requirements vary from state to state. Your best bet is to contact your state cosmetology board to determine what requirements apply to you.

While training you’ll study more than African braiding styles and techniques. You’ll also learn the rules and regulations about sanitation and disease transmission, as well as hair types, human biology as it relates to the scalp and hair, and common disorders that can affect the hair. Look for a program that also includes basic business training so you can learn how to open your own beauty shop, market your services, consult with clients and maintain scheduling.

What you’ll learn in a quality training program:

• Individual braiding with and without extensions
• No-knot cornrows
• Faux locs
• Crocheting and yarn braids
• Twist extensions

Pricing for these programs starts at less than $100 for an online course in African hair braiding. You’ll find complete 8-week courses with in-person training for about $3,000. A full cosmetology program will typically cost at least $10,000. Which one is best? Your personal circumstances and career goals will dictate the right training option for you. Some African hair braiders work out of their kitchen as solopreneurs offering this single beauty service. Other hair braiders may eventually want to expand their repertoire by offering more. Certification as an African hair braider can lead to employment in a spa or salon, where you can watch and learn from specialists offering different beauty services. Over time you might decide to pursue a full training program in cosmetology.

Search for hair braiding training programs by state.

Professional Groups to Join

Here are some of the best-known professional groups that will be of interest to African hair braiders.

For Salon Managers: International SalonSpa Business Network (ISBN)

Professionals who own one or more spas or salons and want to network with others in the industry.

For General Networking with Other Professionals: Professional Beauty Association (PBA)

Students receive a discount.

For Insurance-Related Benefits: Associated Hair Professionals

Members can apply for affordable liability insurance coverage.

For Diversity Support: Professional Black Barbers Association

This association offers seminars, workshops, discounts on events, and a monthly newsletter with industry trends.

You can also find informal groups devoted to African hair braiding that you can join on social media sites such as Facebook.

Employment

Stop by local spas and beauty salons with copies of your African hair braiding certification, resume (and license, if applicable in your state). This is a great way to market yourself to potential employers. Even if there is no immediate opening, salon owners will probably appreciate the confidence and can-do attitude it takes just to walk through the door and promote yourself. This instantly sets you apart from the many people who email dozens of resumes and wait by the phone.

Online searches on sites such as Indeed and ZipRecruiter will also turn up job opportunities around the country. Keep in mind that if you move to another state you’ll need to find out the requirements and regulations for African hair braiders where you plan to live. This is why it’s important to complete a good training program in hair braiding – you’ll be prepared to pass a licensing exam if you end up moving some day to a state that requires a license to offer braiding services.

Also leverage your professional memberships to find jobs. Network with other members. Ask them about any employment opportunities they might know about in their area. Other African hair braiders will usually be the first to know about jobs coming open in the shops where they work. You might learn about a position before it’s advertised.

Finding Clients

You’ll need business cards and a basic website to launch your marketing efforts. The website doesn’t need to be elaborate or expensive, just attractively designed, with lots of photos of your work, as well as your business location and contact information. You don’t even need to include your pricing (and probably shouldn’t) unless you decide to promote a special.

In addition to your business website, create an Instagram account that showcases your work. The idea is to post “before” and “after” photos with hashtags so that people looking for African hair braiding services can find you. For example, using #AfricanHairBraiding as a hashtag will cause your Instagram page to pop up when people search for these hair styles using those keywords on the platform. Instagram is the #1 online venue for beauty professionals to display their work. Be sure to get written permission from your clients before you post images of their faces. You can download and print free photo release forms here.

Other strategies for attracting clients:

• Offer an introductory discount to new customers.
• Create a referral program with discounts for returning customers who bring new clients to you.
• Ask clients to review your African hair braiding services online. According to a survey, 90% of people say their purchasing decisions are influenced by positive online reviews.
• Ask all new clients to complete a simple form about their interest in your African hair braiding services. The form can include consultation questions such as the look the client wants to achieve. This saves you time. Also get their contact information on the form. This lets you follow up with clients and increase repeat business.

Good to know:

When you’re just starting out on your new career as an African hair braider, don’t overlook the value of ongoing training and staying current in the field. New techniques and braiding styles are constantly evolving. You can watch African hair braiders in action on YouTube, see what other professionals are up to on Instagram and find all sorts of creative ideas on Pinterest. And it’s all free for the taking. The more you learn and discover, the more you can offer your clients. That translates into more money in your pockets.

If you enjoyed this article, check out some other PocketSuite.io content that can help you grow your career as an African hair braider. Here’s a great place to start. You’ll also love our guide on how to generate leads for service businesses.

PocketSuite has thousands of business owners who all started where you are right now. Our community is always happy to help you ramp up, grow your client base, and achieve your income goals, both within the PocketSuite app and as part of our exclusive Facebook Community Group. PocketSuite’s vision is for any professional to be able to work for themselves and make a great living. It starts here. It starts with you. It starts today. Let’s get started, download PocketSuite now! Feel free to reach out with any questions (we’d love to hear from you)! Text us @ (415) 841-2300.

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This in-demand service is only expected to grow in popularity as the United State population becomes more culturally rich and diverse.

You’ll need training to offer African hair braiding services, although whether you’ll need a license depends on where you live. Some states specifically address hair braiding (Texas requires a license plus at least 35 hours of education) while others do not, and some include the practice under the umbrella of a cosmetology license.

There are 22 states that do not have laws about hair braiding, and 10 that require specialty licenses for hair braiders. You’ll need to investigate the laws and regulations in your own state to determine the best training options. Check with your state’s board of cosmetology to learn about the laws and requirements where you live.

African hair braiders make good money. A hair braiding can cost anywhere from $100 to $300. It all depends on the look the client wants to achieve. At current prices, you can see that working with only 2-3 clients per day can result in a nice income.
This is also a growth industry. Employment of African hair braiders, who are grouped with hairdressers, hairstylists, and cosmetologists, is projected to grow 8 percent through 2028, faster than the average for all U.S. occupations. Population growth will lead to greater demand for quality hair care services, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

African hair braiders earn an average annual salary of $27,940 the BLS reports. Beauty professionals earn more money in some parts of the country, for example, the average salaries for hair dressers and stylists are highest in Washington D.C., Hawaii, Delaware, Virginia and Washington State.

Resources to help in starting or expanding your African Hair Braider career:

• African Hair Braider Associations
• African Hair Braider School and Certification
• African Hair Braider License
• African Hair Braider Social Groups

This academy is approved by the Florida Board of Cosmetology to issue licenses in hair braiding. A 16-hour Hair Braiding Online Course can be completed entirely from a computer, cell phone, or tablet. No classroom training or textbooks required. You can complete the course within up to one year at your own pace. Must be at least 16 years old to get licensed. No other license, diploma, or degree is required. This license is for Florida residents only.

Training Programs at Ross Beauty Academy

• African Hair Braider Training
• Price Range: Starting at $75

Resources for Ross Beauty Academy

• Phone: (904) 803-2951
• Website: https://rossbeautyacademy.com/
• Email: rossbeautyacademy@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/rossbeautyacademy
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rossbeautyacademy

African-style hair braiding uses no dyes or chemicals, and it is safe for braiders to perform and safe for the people getting their hair braided. It is deeply rooted in African cultural heritage and carries with it significant historical importance.

New Jersey has made it illegal for braiders to make money from braiding skills unless individuals first spend potentially thousands of dollars and attend 1,200 hours of government-mandated cosmetology training. This organization seeks to end government regulation of hair braiding.

Resources for NJ Hair Braiding Freedom Coalition

Location: New Jersy, USA

Website: https://njhairbraidingfreedom.wordpress.com/

Email: AsmGiblin@njleg.org

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pg/NJHairBraidingFreedomCoalition/

Hair braiding is a time-tested, safe practice that is deeply rooted in African cultural heritage and carries with it significant historical importance. Across the country, some states make it illegal for braiders to make money from their skills unless they first spend thousands of dollars and attend government-mandated cosmetology training. A project of the Institute for Justice, Braiding Freedom seeks to end the practice of government regulation of hair braiding.

Resources for Braiding Freedom

Location: 901 N. Glebe Rd # 900 Arlington, VA

Website: https://braidingfreedom.com/

Email: jwilson@ij.or

Licensing for aa Hair Braider in Arizona is controlled by the Arizona Board of Cosmetology .

General Guidelines for a Hair Braider in Arizona

Specific requirements to performa Hair Braider services can generally be used as a guideline, but make sure to check with your local governing rules and regulations.

Who’s allowed to perform these services?

Cosmetologist

General requirements for a a Hair Braider license?

As a result, you had to complete 1,600 hours of classroom instruction to work as a hair braider

What’s the state licensing site for aa Hair Braider?

Arizona Board of Cosmetology

What are some training programs available for aa Hair Braider?

See training programs

How long is a license good for and when do I need to renew?

License good for 2 years

What are fees associated with licensing?

$60.00