July 21, 2025 • 42 mins
Tookie took the internet by storm when her hair braid videos began to go viral, but it wasn’t as simple as it looks. The Mompreneur digs into her journey, struggles, and ongoing mission to becoming a household name, business owner, and full-time mom and wife.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hey, it's a girl, Nancy read.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
And this is season four of Mompreneurs, where we celebrate
beautiful black entrepreneurs who are also amazing moms. Now, every week,
I'm chatting with my guests about how they're killing it
simultaneously as a business model and as a mom, and
we're listening to their inspiring journeys and incredible advice. Now, y'all,
all mompreneurs would love for their business to go viral,
(00:22):
especially when it's celebrating creativity. And that's exactly what happened
to my next guest, Monteria Chisholm aka Touki from a
TikTok and Ig and her amazing Los Angeles salon Tooky
did it now? We all fell in love with her
when she blew up the Internet with her fantastic braided fantasies.
Speaker 3 (00:40):
You all know about the braided baldy Okay.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
And this La based trendsetter, salon owner, influencer, book writer,
and brand new.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
Mom, she's now a mom of too, is here with
us to share more.
Speaker 3 (00:54):
Welcome Touki, Hi, thanks for having me, Chooky. What's in
your hand right now?
Speaker 4 (01:00):
My little figitor?
Speaker 2 (01:03):
Is that? No?
Speaker 4 (01:06):
Also, my daughter she actually broke my trumpa. So I
have her little personalized little stool holding it up, and
I have this in my head because it's like a
little fidgital. So I'm just like fidgeting but keeping it light.
Right there.
Speaker 3 (01:17):
I thought you.
Speaker 5 (01:17):
Were literally at this point doing hair while talking to me.
I was like, this is a businesswoman, y'all. She's not
even stopping for the interview. But I'm so glad you're here.
I've been following you on social media for so long.
We're so excited about your success. But I know a
lot about you.
Speaker 2 (01:33):
But for people who are just learning all about Twuki
did It, which is the name of her salon and
all of her social.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
Handles, talk to us about your personal life. Who puts
the mom in mompreneur for you? Who else in your household?
Speaker 4 (01:45):
Oh? Right now, I'm married. I've been with my husband
for seventeen years this year May eighteen years. We've been
married for seven going on eight years. Insane, doesn't even
feel like it. And then my daughter Bloom, she's three.
And then I just gave birth to my son. His
name is Rhythm, and he is six weeks and it's
just yeah.
Speaker 3 (02:04):
That's incredible. You have a lot going on in c
Thank you, Thank you.
Speaker 2 (02:10):
Ever since you became a mom, things that just really
really ramped up business wise.
Speaker 3 (02:15):
But before you became a.
Speaker 2 (02:17):
Mom with Bloom, who's now three, were you really into business.
Speaker 1 (02:22):
Was it a dream of yours to open up a
salon to go viral on the internet.
Speaker 4 (02:27):
No, not at all. I've never really even believe it
or not wanted to do hair like I really just
did it as a hobby on the side. And we
lived in Gainesville and then we ended up moving to
Orlando because I wanted to move to California, but not
for hair. I just wanted to deliver here and I
was like, this is where the start said, this is
where I want to be. So I always manifested, manifested
that we was going to be in California, and I
(02:48):
would tell my husband like, Oh, we gotta go there,
we gotta go there. He always said no. So we
went to Orlando. And when I was in Orlando, I
was working for a bank but it wasn't really working
out for me. And my mom was just like my
mom does hair, and she was just like, go to
cosmetology school, and I was like, cosmetology school. I'm a brainer,
like I don't want to do that, and she taught
(03:09):
me into it and I went and that's when it
opened my eyes. So like, oh my god, you can
do so many or the things besides being behind the
chair as a cosmetologist. So yeah, that's how we got here.
Speaker 3 (03:19):
Yeah, and then what year was that?
Speaker 4 (03:21):
That was two thousand. I think I graduated cosmetology school
twenty seventeen. And my first trip ever to California was
like a little mini vacation because I won something called
like Beacon with Paul Mitchell, cause that's where I went
Paul Mitche Orlando. I won like their Beacon thing, and
they sent us to Vegas for like three days, and
I was like, hey, California's like hopping a skip away,
(03:42):
so we might as well just go over there for
like a week for vacation. And came over here.
Speaker 3 (03:45):
It was just like in awe, that's amazing.
Speaker 2 (03:49):
So you came here, but yet you still weren't sure
about a lot of things. You didn't know you were
opened up a slunk, you didn't even know you were
having children yet.
Speaker 4 (03:58):
Yeah, not at all, not at all. It was really
by just coming over here and just just living a
life and living a Californian life. I guess because I'm
a country girl, so I wanted to live like the
city life.
Speaker 2 (04:09):
You know, that's exactly what I did. I wanted so
badly to go to Malibu.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
Beach, you see all the stars. I was being the
little country self from Virginia.
Speaker 2 (04:18):
I was so disappointed. Yes, it was not what I anticipated.
It's not what it's like on TV.
Speaker 4 (04:24):
It's not at all. And I at first I didn't
see that. My husband sitting was like, this is where
you want to be. I was like yes, I was like,
this is amazing, and he's just like okay, and I
see all the potential and everything. And then I once
I graduated cosmetology school, I was like, okay, I think
Kim Kimble was really big. She still is really big,
but she was really like on TV and stuff like that.
So my goal was to get in her salon on
(04:45):
sunset and do all these things or whatever. But I
only had a Florida cosmetology license. I didn't have a
Californian license, so I wasn't able to do that. And
I was like, you know what, I think, I know
what I want to do with my career, and that's
when I started thinking, and I started working at Eating
by Eating sas Zoon in Beverly Hills on Sunset and
was just trying to make connections that way. And then
(05:06):
I just kind of told them what I wanted to
do and they supported me, and then things just kind
of slowly happened. But in the first year was the
hardest year. I was like, Ooh, is this really gonna happen?
Do I need to move back to Florida or But
it still wasn't in my mind to be like a
business owner. I just really wanted to do hair for
production and film and.
Speaker 3 (05:24):
What was the move? So here we go? You did
it work? It kind of kind of did.
Speaker 4 (05:29):
Yeah. So I still want to work for a production
and film that is the ultimate goal, but I'm making
those connections and stuff still. But so we started over
in Beverly Hills and I wanted to break here. I
knew I wanted to bring braiding more to like the
big screen or whatever, because I was just like, it's
an artistic expression and you know, all that good stuff.
(05:51):
So I was like, I really want to bring I
really want to bring that to the screen. So I
was like, what can I do? I was like, let
me just start braiding. But over here nobody was doing
any kind of brains. I didn't say any wearing braids.
Everybody's wearing weeds. So I was just like okay. So
I would travel back and forth to Florida and I
would bring my clients there and I would come here
and I would post the pictures as if I'm doing
it over here. That works, And I ended up getting
(06:13):
someone that got canceled on and she just hit me
and was like, hey, can you do my hair? And
I was like sure. So she liked her hair, and
I started getting referrals off of her. Now I'm in
a full like Beverly Hills salon right upstairs, and my
clients would walk in and they're like, it's twoki here
and I'm like, hey girl, I'm up here at the top.
Put on up here, and they're like, TOOKI up there?
(06:34):
And they came, and I wanna say I was at
that salon for maybe a year, but I wanna say
six months in is when I started doing more braid
styles and stuff, and I made enough to be able
to leave and go to Salon Republic and open up
my first suite, and I was like, and that's when
I really kind of got into like, Okay, this is
kind of happening alright, like I'm able to really do
(06:56):
this or whatever. And that's when I came out as
Natural Hair Flow. So that was my first business name,
was Natural Hair Flows. And I just was doing the
same thing, doing creative styles and just doing people hair,
putting myself out there and people would just hit me
up on Instagram, and I feel like Instagram. I wasn't
doing TikTok at the time, but Instagram was like my biggest,
(07:17):
my biggest platform, trying to get out there or whatever,
and people just see my work and they loved it
and they just came. And I think just because I'm
very like authentic, very just humble cool, took it from
you know, the country or whatever. And I treat everybody
like family, you know what I'm saying. I don't treat
nobody any different than you, a celebrity or whatever. I
don't care you come in, You're gonna get the same
experience and I just want you to love your hair.
(07:38):
Cause I still get very ex very excited and hype
about like the styles and stuff I do, especially when
I see like my clients like reactions to that hair.
They'd be like, oh my god, it looks so good,
you know. And I just carried that with me and
I went from there to another suite because you know,
we went through the whole COVID thing. That was a
whole thing. And I went to Phoenix, and then from Phoenix,
(07:59):
I was just like like, I was like, Okay, I
love California. But then by that time I had already
had my daughter, and I was just like living this
California life. It's super expensive over here. Do we go
back to Florida or do we stay? And we ended
up going to We prayed about it, and we ended
up going to Atlanta. We didn't leave to go to
litting like move, but we just went to go look
(08:19):
at houses and stuff over there because I really wanted
a home. I really wanted to have my daughter and
my kids future kids. It was just hood at that
time to be able to have a home and grow
up in a house, backyard, friends and almost I wanted
her to have the country.
Speaker 3 (08:37):
We grew up that did not cost to walk. I'm
very confused.
Speaker 2 (08:43):
My mom when we were looking for she was like,
I just want your kids to have some grass.
Speaker 3 (08:47):
I was like, I don't know if I can afford.
Speaker 1 (08:51):
I finally got some grass, and I laugh.
Speaker 3 (08:54):
I just like that that is not an accomplishment in
the South. Grass in Los Angeles, it's an accomplishment, like.
Speaker 4 (09:00):
If you have grass, you have made it over here,
you know. So that was my main thing and I
really just wanted that for her. And I was just like,
I don't wanna raise her in like an apartment without
any kind of backyard or grass, you know. So we
went over there and we was looking at houses, and
the houses itself was beautiful, but then we had a
really bad experience. Somebody ended up breaking into like our hotel,
(09:21):
stole like my wedding bands and a whole bunch of stuff,
and I was like, this is horrible spit I see,
I said, think that's God saying take your ass back
to California. And I was just like, okay, so we're
not coming to Atlanta. And we ended up staying and
that's when I really got into Okay, if I really
want to make this work, I need to open up
my own salon. I was like, cause it doesn't make
sense to spend all this money on the suites and
and they's super expensive. When you can have the exact
(09:43):
same thing if you know how to do it correctly,
and you can have a whole salon, that makes more sense.
So that's what I ended up doing. And what was
crazy is I would just do everything out of faith.
At that point, I was just like, well, I want
to do that. Well, I kind of want to get
a house at the same time, but my husband is
a virgo, so he was just like, nah, we can't
get a house in a salon at the same time.
(10:03):
I'm like yeah. I was like why not. Yes again,
he was just like that's a lot. And we got
a daughter. He was like, that's a lot. I was
like yeah. I was like push coma shove it doesn't work,
and we can always get an apartment push comba cheve.
If it doesn't work the salon, we can't always go
back to a suite. And I'm like a live on
faith type of person and I just like to try
stuff because if it doesn't work, then at least I
can say I tried it and we got the I
(10:26):
got approved for the salon in June and we got
the house approved in July. When I was like, that's crazy. Oh,
how the am I gonna make this happen? But God
is really just like ordering myself. So I say, whatever
your will is, Jesus, let's do it. And it's just
been blessing sandwhich is insane.
Speaker 3 (10:44):
And here you are with all of the pieces. How
did motherhood shape this journey for you? Do you think
that having your daughter really because you.
Speaker 2 (10:52):
Said you gotta find her some grass, You gotta make
this where you can't just be lilagagon in a salon Republic,
which for people who don't know, it's overpriced closet. It's
great if you don't want overhead, but it's very expensive.
Speaker 4 (11:05):
Mm hmm. It definitely is she just really, I think,
because you know, when you're in a relationship, you're just
like okay, but when you start to have children, you
start to look at things differently. And I was just like,
how can I make this work for her? And I
was like, I don't want to just go into something blindly,
but I do want to just make sure I have
something set up for myself. So I was just like,
(11:28):
I don't know, I think something just kind of clicked
when I had my daughter. I really do. It's so
hard to explain because once you have kids, it's a
different type of love and you want to be able
to give them everything and not have to struggle. And
I think that just kicked me into overdrive to be like,
you need to do this and stop being lazy because
I'm a procrastinator. So I was just like, Okay, I
need to do this and I need to do that.
I need to get it done. And then when I done,
I felt very accomplished because I was like, damn, I
(11:50):
could have been did this, But I think she just
motivated me to do it because I know I want
it for.
Speaker 3 (11:54):
Her, and you also know you have them bills.
Speaker 4 (11:56):
Yes, because type of lifestyle.
Speaker 2 (12:00):
Yeah, well los Angeles childcare, los Angeles, after school, los Angeles,
doctor visits, los Angeles, everything.
Speaker 4 (12:08):
Everything, everything.
Speaker 2 (12:10):
Yeah, what was the moment You've got all these pieces
that it all really started to gel that, your vision
for yourself, your enthusiasm, your husband's blind.
Speaker 3 (12:20):
Faith in two kids.
Speaker 2 (12:23):
What was the lord where it all started to just say, yes,
it's all coming together now.
Speaker 4 (12:28):
I think it was a day of the grand opening
when because I think I was scared. I think I
was scared. When I opened it. I was like, Okay,
we gotta I gotta make this word regardless. Right. So
I got the place, we put it together. I think
we put it together within three months. So I was like,
I want to go ahead and do it instead of
wasting time. I don't want to procrastinate. If I want
to do, someone to get it done.
Speaker 1 (12:48):
And this was late twenty twenty three, right, this was
a fall twenty twenty three.
Speaker 4 (12:53):
Yes, it was. I want to say, we start doing
it in like June or whatever, and I want to say,
the grand opening was in September, and.
Speaker 3 (12:59):
Your daughter was just like one.
Speaker 4 (13:01):
She was like, yeah she was one. Yeah, her birthdays
in December, so yeah, she was like one and some change.
So it was the day of the grand opening. I
remember we were going through it. I was like, okay, i'm'na
do it, but I'm gonna be kind of small. And
I started inviting people without just sending them like little invice,
and so I was like, ain't nobody a nobody's gonna come.
I was like, nobody's gonna come, maybe like my mom
(13:22):
them outside of that. But when everybody showed up, I
was so like, oh my god, people really like support me,
and I think that's a bad I think that's one
thing that I really have, like I don't give myself
enough credit for the things that I've done because I
feel like I want to reach a certain a certain
height in my career and I don't feel like I've
been there yet. But I also am very thankful for
(13:43):
everything that's happened in my life and within my career
that I just be so blindsided that people are really
like supporting me and doing stuff, you know what I'm saying,
and that they love what I do. So when people
started to show up for the grand opening and people
had like we did like speech shit in this speecies,
so I was like y'all like me, oh my god,
like this this is amazing, like I'm really doing it,
and everybody was like I'm so proud and this and
(14:03):
that whatever. I definitely think that this was like the
day that I was just like damn okay, like I
actually did this, Like this is where I'm going, this
is what is going to be, And that was my
AHA moment of like this is gonna work. I have
the support, yes.
Speaker 2 (14:19):
And I'm so glad that you through that party. So
many of us don't have these opportunities to see it
and I think all of us who are ambitious, especially
those of us who have families, and we're you know,
we're family first, but we're also human, right. But when
you have these events, like I just had a book
party and I was the same way. I was like,
oh my god, and then everyone was really nice.
Speaker 1 (14:38):
I was like, oh, oh right, a friend of mine
sets because when you're constantly raising the bar, you don't
feel like you've accomplished anything. Yes, but like you you
accomplish your dreams. You have the salon, it's gone well,
you have this amazing grand opening, and then you also
start really doubling down on social media.
Speaker 4 (14:59):
Yes, yes, I definitely started doing the social media more.
I was doing it before. But then I was just like, okay,
I need to really make I really need to take
it seriously and treat it almost like a job. Make
sure you record and do this and that. And I
think I had an AHA moment with that too, because
I took off, i want to say, maybe like two
months of not posting, and I could see how that
(15:20):
affected my business. I was like, Okay, I need to
make sure I post every day. I need to make
sure I record, because when you're out of site, you're
out of sight, you're out of mind. And I tell
everybody that they were like, how did you do this?
How did you do that? I say social media. Social
media is your best friend. It's like your modern day newspaper.
You know what I'm saying. If you want to be
out there, if you want people to see your work,
(15:40):
it doesn't matter if you have two hundred views or
a thousand views, it does not matter. Show up for
yourself every day. And social media is the first place
that you can do that because it's worldwide.
Speaker 1 (15:51):
Especially for a business like yours, because even if you
only get fifty views, if two people see that and
want to be a customer, exactly.
Speaker 4 (16:00):
Right there, exactly exactly. You have to take yourself seriously.
You have to put yourself out there. If you don't,
then you know, you just have to set yourself up
for success. Definitely, for sure. And so has been my
best friend since I opened the salon, especially yeah, to see,
especially with my creative mind or whatever, being able to
put it on social media, actually put it into my salon,
(16:23):
like how my salon looks. When we did the whole
rebrand from Natural Hair Flows, so Tuki did it. That
was my main thing. I was like, how am I
gonna stand out for everybody else? I want when my
work comes up or if you see somebody, you could
be like, oh, TOOKI did that. You know what I'm saying,
or that's TOOKI Salon, or you know what I'm saying,
Like they see the tea and they're like, oh I
know that, I know that artist. You know what I'm saying.
So all of that went into into play when we
(16:46):
opened the salon, when we rebrand and we did everything.
Speaker 2 (16:49):
So yeah, that's interesting because sometimes people get really stubborn
and they do not want your rebrand.
Speaker 3 (16:54):
You already have the.
Speaker 2 (16:55):
Sign, you already had the business cards, you already been
told everybody it was natural hair Flow. So when did
you realize that you just had to make that change asap?
Speaker 4 (17:05):
I felt like I wasn't. I feel like the natural
hair Flows was cute, and that's kind of what I
came out here with. But I wanted something I think
I took. I took a business class and they said
that you need to brand yourself to where you can
find it. Overall platforms make it easy for people to
find you, you know what I'm saying, And nothing too hard.
So I was trying to figure out what I wanted.
I was like, I like natural hair flows. I was like,
(17:27):
but that's something that when I first started, but in
the season that I am now, I need to have
something else. But something that's gonna stick is something that's
not hard for everybody, something that's kind of easy. And
I was like, well, what is it. What do people
say or you know what I'm saying, when they get
their hair done. What's like my hashtag TOOKI did my hair.
And I was like, oh, I kind of like TOOKI
did it. So when somebody ask you who did your hair,
(17:47):
you can say TOOOKI did it, and you could just
put it in TUKI and my stuff will pop up.
I said, bam, that's it. So TOOKI did it, TDI
and the t right. And when we did the rebrand,
it just felt so good and I was like, oh right.
I was like, I want the rebrand to feel energetic
and I wanted to feel creative. So we made sure
(18:08):
we put that into like the font, the texts, the
name of all our products and stuff, and just the
flow of the salon if that makes sense. So my tea,
it's a tea but then my daughter because she was
motivate me. It's a tea with a dot because that's
how it's signed, and the dot is a flower because
her name is Bloom. So the people who know me
and they know I have a daughter, they's like, oh
(18:28):
when they see that, they're like, oh, that's TOOKI you
know what I'm saying. So and then how because I
love to do designs and stuff, Like I'm pretty sure
you used to have seen designs, the branded body and stuff.
So the intricacy of like the text of like the
Tuoki did it. When you see it, you see all
the curves and stuff all that's supposed to represent like
creative braiding, curves, designs, and just enthusiasm.
Speaker 2 (18:51):
I love this and I love you so much because
you make this seem so effortless, Like oh.
Speaker 3 (18:56):
It just popped out of nowhere.
Speaker 2 (18:57):
You took a class, you invested in yourself. What made
you take a business class?
Speaker 4 (19:02):
I just wanted to elevate myself and really know, cause
I feel like when you go into certain stuff, it's
easy to just get like a logo. It's easy to
get a logo and just get a name and put
it on social media and be like, this is it,
But I really know I wanted to take myself to
the next level and do things that I hadn't done before.
So I was like, let me just take a business
class and just see, you know what I'm saying on
the business side, what's happening or whatever. And I was like,
(19:24):
I know it's not gonna be something that I stay
in as far as like I'm the creative and I'm
gonna build me a team and they gonna do the business,
you know, but I just really wanted to know. I
was very curious, and I was like, the first thing
that they said was the easiest thing that you can
do is put your name everywhere. So when somebody put
in took it, did it all your socials, pop up,
your email, pops up, your website pops up, make it
(19:45):
easy for people to find you. And that was the
number one thing that he gave us in there. So
I was like that was I think. Me taking that
business class was like okay, bam. And then because I
know so many people, so many people come get their
hair done, I always took the opportunity to build rapport
with them. So the girl who built like my website,
she's a client. The you know, everybody's a client.
Speaker 3 (20:05):
Did you trade? Because that's the best thing.
Speaker 2 (20:07):
I personally think that a mompreneur, the best thing you
can do is create a trade.
Speaker 3 (20:10):
Did you trade hair for website? Yes? I did, exactly
ninety nine. Everybody wins, everybody's happy.
Speaker 4 (20:18):
Yeah. So just having those conversations and then doing trades
and stuff with certain people. And then of course you
have to invest in yourself and do it once you
get into it. So once I talk to her and stuff,
the trade will you know, once you talk to her
and stuff, you got everything going or whatever. But you know,
when we did like our photo shoots and stuff, I
will always offer, hey, do you want to get your
hair done? They'd be like, hell, yeah, I'll pay some
(20:39):
raids and I'll do this for you or whatever. So
that was pretty cool being able to use my gift
for that.
Speaker 3 (20:43):
But so here's the thing.
Speaker 2 (20:46):
So here you are, you're great branding, and then you
start to go with your work ethic. You did the
work ethor to do the business consulting, to get the
right name, you do the work ethorit. To start posting
on social media, and then you just start going viral
all the time. What was the moment that you realized,
oh my god, my creations are your TikTok famous.
Speaker 4 (21:07):
Like tiktoking. Okay, I want to say. The first thing
I did then I was like, okay, I really want
to do this was the braided French roll.
Speaker 3 (21:15):
Yes, I remember that. That was so exciting. Oh my gosh. Yes.
Speaker 4 (21:19):
But I remember having the idea. I was just like,
because we had did my braided summer campaign with it
was a bunch of nineties It was like rebranding or
like just recreating those nineties styles but with braids, because
I hadn't really seen it done before. So I was
just like, oh, let me do that for our campaign
this year. Were just just trying something, just doing something,
and I was like, oh, I want to do a
braided fingerwave. I want to do a braid of French roll,
(21:39):
braided pin up curl, and then I think the baldy too.
So I was just like okay. And I think that
came right before we did that, and I was like,
let's just try. Let me just try something, and I
think I put it out on social media. I did
a video. I was like, hey, y'all, I want to
see somebody do the braid of French roll. I was
trying to give other people the creative opening to try
just putting my idea. They're like, let's see it, let's
(22:01):
see it, but nobody did it. I was like, why
nobody did it? I was like, okay, well, I guess
let me try it. And I did that and that
went viral Instagram and then everybody loved it and I
was just like okay. And it wasn't until the braided
baldi came about, and it wasn't even called the braided
baldy or the braided ball head. People was making for
them a little accent. It was like the braid ball head.
Speaker 3 (22:18):
I feel like Judy is the one that coined that.
Speaker 4 (22:24):
But so a girl ended up. A girl ended up
coming in from I think she came in from Atlanta
or something. I'm not sure if people be flying in.
So she came in to get her hair done and
she came to get design braids right, and I was
I did her first design on the side because she
gave me created freedom to just do whatever. And I
was like okay, and she was like, what are you
(22:46):
gonna do and say, I don't know. I was like,
but I've done this one digzag, but I kind of
want to do something different. And then she was like,
what you wanna do? I was like, I'm not sure.
So we just started scrolling Instagram and we've seen this
one creator she did something kind of similar to it
or whatever, but she it wasn't one. I don't think
it was one consistent braid. I think it was just
a bunch of braids. But it was up kind of
off of the neck. And I had been doing people's
(23:08):
hair very similar but putting it into like a little
ball and like sticking it underneath. And I was like,
let me just try it, and she was like okay,
and I did hers and it turned out beautiful. And
then the next day the girl who I usually do
braik her hair and put it in a little point
till she was like, oh, I see what you did.
I want something similar. I said, Okay, what I'm gonna
do is I'm gonna do one consistent braid all over
your head and then I'm gonna sew it at the end,
(23:28):
so it's just one braid on your head. And she
was like, okay, as long as you put a heart
in there, that's all that matter. I said, okay, and
I did it and I was like, oh, this is cute.
I kind of like this okay, And I was like, oh,
we gotta give it a name, and she was like,
what we gonna call it? I said, I don't know.
It looked like a a brain, a ball something like
your head is bald, but it's like braided, so it's
like like the braided ball head and like you a
(23:50):
braided ball head. That's how I came up with the name.
And I was like, okay, I like the braidy ball
had or like the braided baldy. So that's how it was.
Say it on the what'st name? But at first I
was just hitting like the braided ball head, the braid
of ball or the braided baldy or whatever. And I
posted it and I did not expect it to go
as big because it went worldwide, so I want to
say it was either later that day or the next day.
(24:11):
People started calling me and it was like tukie, do
you know this girl or whatever because they hit Facebook
and stuff too, and I was like, no, cool, and
it was like she's talking about your style and I
was like, what style? And it was like the braid
of ball head, the one that you just did. And
I was like, is she saying something bad about it?
And she was like no, she's just asking everybody's opinion,
like how do y'all feel about this new style and
this and that? Because to me, it wasn't new to me.
(24:34):
It was just like a yea of stuff that we
had did, like back in the day. I used to
do stuff like that all the time, or do it
just across the head. You know, I'm a nineties baby,
so we used to do designs it all the time.
So to me, I was just like, Okay, well it's cute.
You know. I haven't seen anybody recently doing it. But
I didn't think I created anything. So I was just
like okay, so and people liking it, and then it
(24:54):
went viral on TikTok, And once it viral on tik,
I was like okay. And then it started hitting like
different like what did it hit? It hit different socials,
it went worldwide, It was in so many different places
people were talking about it. I was just like, oh, like,
y'all really, y'all really liked this little style. And then
you have people who didn't like it, of course, but
I was like, if you put it on or if
(25:16):
you get it, you'll like it, you know. And I
think that's when I was just like, oh, wow, okay,
I'm I'm thinking I can do stuff because I have
ideas and stuff all the time. But I'll be thinking
nobody's gonna like it, so I'd be like, I'm not
gonna do it. I'm like, oh, I'm not gonna put
it out there. And most of the times it be
the ones that I don't like or the ones that
I'm kind of infy on are the ones that kind
of go viral.
Speaker 2 (25:36):
Must love that, And that's a great sandwage you don't
doubt yourself right and to just do it out there.
Speaker 1 (25:43):
And it's just the creative spirit and it's just how great.
Speaker 2 (25:46):
And we're all nineties babies. That's why we love you
so much. It's just like you are speaking to our soul.
It's wonderful.
Speaker 3 (25:53):
Now here's the thing.
Speaker 1 (25:54):
One thing that people always want to know is did
you profit off of this? Did your books get filled up?
Or was it more just of like good vibes advertising.
Speaker 4 (26:02):
It was just good vibes and advertising, which is fascinating.
Speaker 1 (26:05):
Yeah, because you and viral people, people are coveting the
style they're doing their own branded.
Speaker 3 (26:13):
Phone ahead you.
Speaker 2 (26:14):
You created a movement, which is which is valuable himself.
But I think one thing that you've been really good
at is understanding the game. And maybe I'm not making
money directly off.
Speaker 1 (26:24):
That, but how have you shifted to make sure that
all of your incredible creations you're getting paid at least
indirectly in some kind of way.
Speaker 4 (26:34):
I just made sure to, especially when I put it
on social media and stuff now, is to make sure
I put my wardmark and stuff over it. So even
if I'm not getting paid, y'all know who did it.
Y'all know who not really started it, but y'all know
where the creativity kind of came from. And when you
see it, the first thing you say is, did TOOKI
do it? Did TOOKI did it? You know what I'm saying.
I think the most recent was who is it as
(26:54):
that Rocky? He was just on the met or whatever,
and I see his house, like, oh, he rocket up body.
But his brainer is amazing. She does his braids and
stuff all the time. But it looked like he had
like a fingerway baldy, and I was like, that's amazing.
It was crazy that a lot of people were like, Cookie,
did you do his hair? I say, I didn't do it.
I didn't do it. But I love that they see
me within the style. And I think that was one
of the main things that I wanted when I first
(27:16):
kind of came into it, coming into California. It's like,
I want to be know, I almost want to be
like a household name. I want people to see certain
stuff or sea styles and think of me.
Speaker 3 (27:24):
You know, so we do we do? You are incredible.
Speaker 4 (27:28):
So with my designs and stuff that I kind of
come up with now, I kind of make sure that
when I want to be like super creative, I do
it with a purpose. So, like, we have my new
summer Brady campaign coming up, so a lot of people
are like asking questions like do you have anything else,
or what do you want to do? Or you're setting
the trends and all this kind of stuff. I'm like,
I got some stuff coming, but I can't tell y'all.
Y'all gotta wait. So I make sure that we set
(27:50):
ourselves up for success. Because the Baldi was in Vogue,
British Vogue, it was an American vogue, it was in essence.
We did a bunch of different I did a bunch
of differ interviews for different a bunch of different like
magazine companies and stuff, and I was just like, y'all
really like this up when Volcar I was in the
hairstore crying, Oh my.
Speaker 3 (28:08):
God, absolutely amazing.
Speaker 1 (28:11):
Yes, because if we all want you to continue this trajectory, right,
And that's the reasons why I'm really glad that when
you open it.
Speaker 2 (28:19):
And here's the thing, what I think you've done really
well because you've only been having your own salon fewer
than three years, right, like this is has even three years,
and you've done so well already because one of the
things that individual creators have a problem with is it's
only two hands that you do them right. So what
you're doing is by creating the salon, you're creating a
lot of opportunities you already knew you wanted to have
(28:40):
a product line. Also, one of the things people need
to understand is you have an ebook, which is a
great opportunity to understand your story and also for you
to not have to actively make income.
Speaker 1 (28:52):
It's a passive income well at the same time providing
a service.
Speaker 4 (28:56):
Yes, yes, yes, so we ended up coming. So I've
had an idea of doing it for a while. A
lot of people ask me, do you have classes? Do
you have this? Do you have that? How did you
start this? How did you get to where you are?
And I was just like, you know what, maybe me
just create something so people can't easily assess it, assess
it or whatever, and they can just get the whole
story and they can just follow my blueprint. I think
(29:16):
that was my main thing too, is creating a blueprint
for people to make it easier than what it is.
Shouldn't be hard, you know what I'm saying. And my
goal is for them to get that in to be successful.
Speaker 2 (29:26):
I'm so glad you have told us that your goal
is to get a production speed in film, because we've
had a bunch of morepreneurs.
Speaker 3 (29:31):
In a TV and film.
Speaker 2 (29:33):
We just gonna slade you right on in there, because
I think that's really smart, and I think they're anybody,
and I think.
Speaker 1 (29:41):
It's one of those things you wouldn't know from your socials.
Speaker 4 (29:44):
I think that's why we doing my little branded summer campaigns.
That's almost like my way of being in like production
in film because we can bring whatever we want to
like the screen, so we're doing something completely different this
year than we did last year. Last year we did
like the nineties and stuff, and people were saying like, oh,
it looks like a little mini commercial and this and that.
So that's for a way for me to be creative
(30:05):
with like hair and braids and all the kind of
stuff and bring to the screen so it looks like
either commercial or a little mini movie and stuff like that.
So it's almost like I'm putting myself where I want
to be, but doing it my way and putting it
out on social so people can see it. So hopefully
it'll attract the right people because us doing that last
year was just us just kind of playing around me, like, okay,
(30:25):
let's do something fun. But we got Vogue off that,
we got Essence off that, we got Fitty off, that,
we got Sacred off that, we got so many different
things off of us. Just let's just put something together.
So it's like God is saying, Hey, that's where you're
gonna be. This is the this is what I'm putting
into you. So keep doing that and get that could
claiming it, you know. So this year we're keeping the
momentum going and we're doing something else and hopefully it's source.
Speaker 2 (30:48):
For sure, you gonna be braiding somebody on some screen. Okay,
we got you. Myrepreneur's community is in the house. I'm
so excited for you because, again, because we're so other
and excited about life, we seem like everything is hunky dory.
Speaker 1 (31:03):
It's not always this is hard. I mean, we're doing
to do, but behind the scenes it can be difficult sometimes.
What's been the most challenging aspect of your.
Speaker 4 (31:11):
Growth just making sure, oh man, just making sure you
keep up keeping up the momentum and making sure I'm
paying what I'm supposed to be paying, and just doing
what I'm supposed to be doing behind the scenes, if
that makes sense. Like being in front is all handy
dory like how we said, but behind the scenes, like
business wise, making sure you're paying certain stuff and just
(31:34):
keeping up with pretty much, I think the business aspects,
just making sure everything is lined up how you need
it to be lined up or whatever, paying your taxes,
making sure you got all your business license and all
this kind of stuff. Just making sure all that stuff
is together and set, because you know how you have
to renew and do this and that every one year
or so or whatever. To make sure everything is okay.
But I think that's the hardest thing. But outside of that,
(31:57):
I've made myself. I've given myself a team to be
able to handle a lot of that stuff stuff for me.
I think one main thing that I've realized because I
used to try to do everything myself, and I think
that was my downfall trying to do everything myself because
I was just like, it's hard to trust people with
your business with your baby, like this is like my
little baby before I had my daughter or whatever. So
(32:20):
trusting people to handle those things for me and creating
the team, I think that was probably the hardest. Is
like giving up that power and just being like, Tookie,
this is your business, but this is what you're good at.
You can pay somebody for the convenience of this, if
you know what I'm saying, if you found the right person.
And I think that was probably the hardest thing.
Speaker 1 (32:37):
But yeah, but it's hard or it's not happening because
now you're a mama too, you got a newborn girl.
Speaker 4 (32:43):
Yes it's still hard, but I gotta be a nice
little team. You know. If I feel if I say something,
I'm like, hey, I hit them up real quick. Like, Hey,
can you do this, this, this, and this, and they're
like yeah, sure, blah blah blah, and then I'm able
to you know what I'm saying, I am very blessed
to even be able to do that, to be able
to have a team to call to be like can
you set up this or do that or do this
or do that, and then I can relax and I
(33:04):
can be with my babies, you know. And I think
me having Bloom pushed me to get to that because
I always wanted to be but I didn't know how
to do it. But once I had her, it pushed
me to be like, Okay, you need to create this, this, this,
this and this. You need to set this up for
yourself so you can be able to relax and do
this because I don't always want to be behind the
chair doing hair, Like I love doing hair, but I
don't want to always be doing hair. I want to
(33:25):
be able to still make money passive income and stuff,
and but be able to be with my kids. And
now I think that was my biggest name for sure.
Speaker 3 (33:32):
How does your husband feel about all this? Oh?
Speaker 4 (33:35):
My god? Like he is my biggest supporter, and I'd
be like doubting myself like oh, people not gonna like it,
or or I'm okay, and he'd be like Monteria. He
was like, you need to give yourself more credit. And
he's my biggest He's my biggest fan. He's always he's
always he always right there. He always gives me the
best advice. He he loves me so much, and he
(33:56):
just really hypes me as well, and he tells me
how proud of he is on me all the time.
Because we literally came out of here with nothing. We
came out here with zero dollars, no jobs. I got
the job as a not even as doing hair. I
got a front desk job. I was like, I will
come in and I would do whatever. I just died.
Speaker 2 (34:11):
But that's how it works, and you have to do that.
You gotta do the front that did you become the
shampoo girl?
Speaker 4 (34:16):
Sure did.
Speaker 2 (34:17):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (34:17):
One people don't realize this is two. Two.
Speaker 2 (34:20):
Hey, I think you are a great morepreneur for so
many reason. Number One, you understand the assignment. You don't
get to start at the top.
Speaker 1 (34:27):
Everything I've ever done, I have started, like even when
I started doing filming TV commercials and stuff like that.
Speaker 3 (34:32):
From the actual perspective.
Speaker 2 (34:34):
Start off with one thousand dollars non union questionable video
game commercial, and then you move up something else.
Speaker 3 (34:39):
And move up.
Speaker 1 (34:40):
You went from front desk girl to shampoo girl, and.
Speaker 4 (34:43):
To assistant to finally but then I was I was
an assistant, but they wouldn't let me do hair or
anything in there until I got my California license, so
I had to go back to school over here. So
I was like, I gotta go back to school. I'm
not gonna be able to work. How we're gonna pay
bills because at this time, I was maybe like two
months in and Brandon still didn't have a job, so
we literally only had enough money to pay. So I
(35:05):
was like, what am gonna do? And they really liked
me at the song. They was like, well, Tuky, just
go to the go do your hours and stuff, and
then when you're done, we'll just keep the salon open
longer for you to be able to make money to
pay your bills. I swear to you. And I was
just like what, And it was like, yeah, we want
you to be able. We're not gonna fire you, but
we want you to believe. Cause I when I got there,
(35:25):
I told them I'll do whatever to get in. But
I told them what my dreams, goals and aspirations were,
and they believed in me and it was like, Okay,
we want you to do that or whatever. So when
I told them I had to go back to school,
they was like, go to school. So I went to
school with four or five times a week over in
Crenshaw and then I would go back to Beverly Hills
at five o'clock and I would stay there till maybe
like eight or ten. Then I would finish doing whatever
(35:45):
clean up and they would pay me. And I did
that for maybe like six eight weeks until I got
my California license. Once I got my California costology license,
they allowed me to do hair That's when I started
doing haircuts, hair color, and all that kind of stuff
in there. And that's when I started going back and
forth to floor make doing my braids there, but then
saying that I was doing them over here to get
my clientele working at break I think I was at
(36:07):
the braid bar I was doing. I was doing a
braid bar over at like soul Cycle. I was at
blow dry bar, anything that was happening. I was like,
put me there. When Coachella was coming. We had people
come in. I was doing brains up in the front
like yeah, I literally was hustling every little way. I
don't care what it was. You want me to do this,
I do it. I'm always recording too. That was my
(36:27):
main thing, recording every single thing that I did, so
when I can put it on social Cause I only
had maybe what maybe a thousand followers on like Instagram
when we first got over here, and I didn't care
how many was on there. A thousand people, that's a
thousand people. That's a lot of people. I was always
posting and I would hashtag and this and that, and
I would record and I would have them record. But
I was like, can you record me doing this? Can
(36:48):
you record me doing that? And it was like yeah.
And I was motivating the people that was in there
because they wasn't doing it because they started they started
seeing how many people started coming to me. They was like,
what are you doing? I was like, I'm just showing
up at being present. I was like, I'm taking pictures
and videos, I'm handing out business cards. I'm walking to
the different businesses on Sunset and I'm like, hey, if
you guys ever have any event. If you want like
(37:08):
a little braid bar, or if you want this and that,
I'm happy to do that in exchange for whatever. You
know what I'm saying. I was at Soul Cycle. I
would do their like brave bar and they would give
me like Soul Cycle classes because I need to stay
in shape, you know. So I was just doing everything
that I could and it just worked. In my favorite
It's hard work, for sure. It don't just happen overnight.
Definitely not. And that was twenty and eighteen.
Speaker 2 (37:30):
You need to write a business book because everything you're
doing is what people should do. You use your skill sets, currency, you.
Speaker 3 (37:39):
Market, market, market, You don't take a note.
Speaker 2 (37:41):
You accept the mentorship, you accept the front desk position,
understanding the assignment and who like and in turn they
did it. Probably they probably lost money on you. They
just believe in you that much. For those eight weeks
for you to be able to go to cosmetology school,
they wanted you to stay afloat. Yeah, you are better
(38:02):
in real life than on social media. The depth of
your tenacity, I.
Speaker 3 (38:09):
Mean, it's just it's amazing. You must write.
Speaker 2 (38:12):
I'm telling you because this is very important to hear
it's very inspirational. It is entirely doable, and that's time
to say it was all perfect, right.
Speaker 3 (38:20):
I mean there's been some challenges.
Speaker 4 (38:22):
It's definitely been challenged. Definitely been challenges when things aren't
going your way or you kind of doubt yourself. But
I think my main thing, especially that my husband keeps
me in or whatever, is prayer. And we're Christians, so
we pray all the time. And our main thing is
you can't live in faith and fear. You have to
pick one of the other, you know what I'm saying.
(38:43):
And we're God believers, so I always try to live
in faith. So when I'm doubting myself or if something's
not going the way I wanted to go, I'm like, Okay, God,
what is the lesson in what you're trying to show
me right now? Because if it's not happening, it's not
happening for a reason, right, It's not happening because I'm
a failure, you know what I'm saying. But you're gonna
get a bunch of else before you get an ass whatever.
So I'm just like, tell me the lesson or teach
me the lesson to open my eyes. So I can
(39:03):
see what's happening. Let me not think of it as
a loss but as a lesson, right, And if I'm
down myself, I'm like, don't doubt yourself. Something's gonna happen
out of this. You just don't know if this small
door is closed or if it's something I really want
to I'm pushing for it and it doesn't happen, I'm like,
that's because God got something greater for me. So I'm
gonna be like, it's okay that it didn't happen. It's
okay because we can't change the past. You can't change
that it didn't happen. I can move forward and I
(39:25):
can do better, and I can push harder, and I
can take what I've learned from this and make it better.
And I think that has been a big key in
my success as well. It's just having faith that my
life is gonna go the way God has planned it.
And He doesn't give you those visions and these these
talents or whatever for nothing. He has already written my
story and I just need to follow his path to it.
Speaker 2 (39:47):
That you're incredible and our time is almost up, but
I cannot let you leave without participating in my favorite
segment the Morepreneur's manifestation, and I ask all of our
moms what you're trying to make happen for the future
and how we can help to bring it into the.
Speaker 4 (40:03):
Universe for you. I think my main thing is how
I was saying, I want to get a production of film.
So if you need me in any type of way
in the creative I do creative direction and then the
creative braids any kind of inspiration and stuff. Just spread
my name to say, oh, TOOKI did it, Took he
can do this, or Took he can do that. So
you can always just share my story or just share
(40:26):
the stuff that you've seen that you like on my page,
or that you know that I can do, or you
know what I'm saying something like that, you can share
it and it Just spread it that way and just
let him know that TOOKI can do it, because Tooky
did it.
Speaker 3 (40:36):
I'm on it, genuinely, I'm on it.
Speaker 2 (40:39):
I'm going to connect you to another Morepreneur who is
in the industry as a.
Speaker 1 (40:43):
Makeup person and and all it all works out.
Speaker 2 (40:47):
So I'm very excited for you. You are incredible. Thank you
for bringing joy to our.
Speaker 3 (40:51):
Feeds and bringing joy to our entrepreneurial hearts. You are
a hustler.
Speaker 1 (40:56):
You deserve a gold Star Hustle Award.
Speaker 4 (40:59):
Thank you, Thank you for having me.
Speaker 3 (41:01):
Hey you over here with this energy and you have
a tiny baby. Where is the baby right now?
Speaker 4 (41:05):
He is downstairs with dad. He's so small, but he
chunky too because he only like six weeks so he
like my little chunky baby. I always say I want
me a little fat, chonky baby with like these little
big cheeks and stuff. And God God delivered. I was like,
look at him. He's so cute. He's so adorable. Because
we didn't know what we were having, we was like,
you know, we're just gonna let it be a surprise
like we did with my daughter. And when he popped out,
I was like, oh wow, we have a boy and
(41:26):
a girl. Now. I was like, okay, he's like my
little chunky, little lovable thing. And then Bloom loves him.
She thinks that's her baby.
Speaker 3 (41:33):
So oh, I'm so happy for all of you.
Speaker 2 (41:36):
Make sure to tell everyone Tookey where they can find
you on the internet.
Speaker 4 (41:41):
You can find me at TOOKI did it on across
all socials. T o ok I e did it, TOOKI.
Speaker 1 (41:46):
Did it, and you can also get her ebook and
learn more about her at Tooky did It dot com.
Speaker 4 (41:52):
Right slash ebook. Yep, TOOKI did dot com slash ebook.
You can find me on there, Tookie did it dot
com and then Tookie did It over all socials amazing.
Speaker 1 (42:01):
So thank you so much for being here and being
a phenomenal inspiration.
Speaker 2 (42:04):
I can't wait to see what you're gonna create next
and also how you gonna make money off of it.
Speaker 4 (42:10):
It's coming.
Speaker 2 (42:11):
Stay tuned, keep on watching, and thanks to all of
you for listening to and watching Mompreneurs.
Speaker 1 (42:16):
As a reminder of brand new episode ghost Live every
Monday on Urban one podcast Network, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or
wherever you get your podcasts, visit Urban onepodcast dot com
to learn more. That's Urban the number one podcast dot com.
Hey, it's a girl, Nancy read.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
And this is season four of Mompreneurs, where we celebrate
beautiful black entrepreneurs who are also amazing moms. Now, every week,
I'm chatting with my guests about how they're killing it
simultaneously as a business model and as a mom, and
we're listening to their inspiring journeys and incredible advice. Now, y'all,
all mompreneurs would love for their business to go viral,
(00:22):
especially when it's celebrating creativity. And that's exactly what happened
to my next guest, Monteria Chisholm aka Touki from a
TikTok and Ig and her amazing Los Angeles salon Tooky
did it now? We all fell in love with her
when she blew up the Internet with her fantastic braided fantasies.
Speaker 3 (00:40):
You all know about the braided baldy Okay.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
And this La based trendsetter, salon owner, influencer, book writer,
and brand new.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
Mom, she's now a mom of too, is here with
us to share more.
Speaker 3 (00:54):
Welcome Touki, Hi, thanks for having me, Chooky. What's in
your hand right now?
Speaker 4 (01:00):
My little figitor?
Speaker 2 (01:03):
Is that? No?
Speaker 4 (01:06):
Also, my daughter she actually broke my trumpa. So I
have her little personalized little stool holding it up, and
I have this in my head because it's like a
little fidgital. So I'm just like fidgeting but keeping it light.
Right there.
Speaker 3 (01:17):
I thought you.
Speaker 5 (01:17):
Were literally at this point doing hair while talking to me.
I was like, this is a businesswoman, y'all. She's not
even stopping for the interview. But I'm so glad you're here.
I've been following you on social media for so long.
We're so excited about your success. But I know a
lot about you.
Speaker 2 (01:33):
But for people who are just learning all about Twuki
did It, which is the name of her salon and
all of her social.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
Handles, talk to us about your personal life. Who puts
the mom in mompreneur for you? Who else in your household?
Speaker 4 (01:45):
Oh? Right now, I'm married. I've been with my husband
for seventeen years this year May eighteen years. We've been
married for seven going on eight years. Insane, doesn't even
feel like it. And then my daughter Bloom, she's three.
And then I just gave birth to my son. His
name is Rhythm, and he is six weeks and it's
just yeah.
Speaker 3 (02:04):
That's incredible. You have a lot going on in c
Thank you, Thank you.
Speaker 2 (02:10):
Ever since you became a mom, things that just really
really ramped up business wise.
Speaker 3 (02:15):
But before you became a.
Speaker 2 (02:17):
Mom with Bloom, who's now three, were you really into business.
Speaker 1 (02:22):
Was it a dream of yours to open up a
salon to go viral on the internet.
Speaker 4 (02:27):
No, not at all. I've never really even believe it
or not wanted to do hair like I really just
did it as a hobby on the side. And we
lived in Gainesville and then we ended up moving to
Orlando because I wanted to move to California, but not
for hair. I just wanted to deliver here and I
was like, this is where the start said, this is
where I want to be. So I always manifested, manifested
that we was going to be in California, and I
(02:48):
would tell my husband like, Oh, we gotta go there,
we gotta go there. He always said no. So we
went to Orlando. And when I was in Orlando, I
was working for a bank but it wasn't really working
out for me. And my mom was just like my
mom does hair, and she was just like, go to
cosmetology school, and I was like, cosmetology school. I'm a brainer,
like I don't want to do that, and she taught
(03:09):
me into it and I went and that's when it
opened my eyes. So like, oh my god, you can
do so many or the things besides being behind the
chair as a cosmetologist. So yeah, that's how we got here.
Speaker 3 (03:19):
Yeah, and then what year was that?
Speaker 4 (03:21):
That was two thousand. I think I graduated cosmetology school
twenty seventeen. And my first trip ever to California was
like a little mini vacation because I won something called
like Beacon with Paul Mitchell, cause that's where I went
Paul Mitche Orlando. I won like their Beacon thing, and
they sent us to Vegas for like three days, and
I was like, hey, California's like hopping a skip away,
(03:42):
so we might as well just go over there for
like a week for vacation. And came over here.
Speaker 3 (03:45):
It was just like in awe, that's amazing.
Speaker 2 (03:49):
So you came here, but yet you still weren't sure
about a lot of things. You didn't know you were
opened up a slunk, you didn't even know you were
having children yet.
Speaker 4 (03:58):
Yeah, not at all, not at all. It was really
by just coming over here and just just living a
life and living a Californian life. I guess because I'm
a country girl, so I wanted to live like the
city life.
Speaker 2 (04:09):
You know, that's exactly what I did. I wanted so
badly to go to Malibu.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
Beach, you see all the stars. I was being the
little country self from Virginia.
Speaker 2 (04:18):
I was so disappointed. Yes, it was not what I anticipated.
It's not what it's like on TV.
Speaker 4 (04:24):
It's not at all. And I at first I didn't
see that. My husband sitting was like, this is where
you want to be. I was like yes, I was like,
this is amazing, and he's just like okay, and I
see all the potential and everything. And then I once
I graduated cosmetology school, I was like, okay, I think
Kim Kimble was really big. She still is really big,
but she was really like on TV and stuff like that.
So my goal was to get in her salon on
(04:45):
sunset and do all these things or whatever. But I
only had a Florida cosmetology license. I didn't have a
Californian license, so I wasn't able to do that. And
I was like, you know what, I think, I know
what I want to do with my career, and that's
when I started thinking, and I started working at Eating
by Eating sas Zoon in Beverly Hills on Sunset and
was just trying to make connections that way. And then
(05:06):
I just kind of told them what I wanted to
do and they supported me, and then things just kind
of slowly happened. But in the first year was the
hardest year. I was like, Ooh, is this really gonna happen?
Do I need to move back to Florida or But
it still wasn't in my mind to be like a
business owner. I just really wanted to do hair for
production and film and.
Speaker 3 (05:24):
What was the move? So here we go? You did
it work? It kind of kind of did.
Speaker 4 (05:29):
Yeah. So I still want to work for a production
and film that is the ultimate goal, but I'm making
those connections and stuff still. But so we started over
in Beverly Hills and I wanted to break here. I
knew I wanted to bring braiding more to like the
big screen or whatever, because I was just like, it's
an artistic expression and you know, all that good stuff.
(05:51):
So I was like, I really want to bring I
really want to bring that to the screen. So I
was like, what can I do? I was like, let
me just start braiding. But over here nobody was doing
any kind of brains. I didn't say any wearing braids.
Everybody's wearing weeds. So I was just like okay. So
I would travel back and forth to Florida and I
would bring my clients there and I would come here
and I would post the pictures as if I'm doing
it over here. That works, And I ended up getting
(06:13):
someone that got canceled on and she just hit me
and was like, hey, can you do my hair? And
I was like sure. So she liked her hair, and
I started getting referrals off of her. Now I'm in
a full like Beverly Hills salon right upstairs, and my
clients would walk in and they're like, it's twoki here
and I'm like, hey girl, I'm up here at the top.
Put on up here, and they're like, TOOKI up there?
(06:34):
And they came, and I wanna say I was at
that salon for maybe a year, but I wanna say
six months in is when I started doing more braid
styles and stuff, and I made enough to be able
to leave and go to Salon Republic and open up
my first suite, and I was like, and that's when
I really kind of got into like, Okay, this is
kind of happening alright, like I'm able to really do
(06:56):
this or whatever. And that's when I came out as
Natural Hair Flow. So that was my first business name,
was Natural Hair Flows. And I just was doing the
same thing, doing creative styles and just doing people hair,
putting myself out there and people would just hit me
up on Instagram, and I feel like Instagram. I wasn't
doing TikTok at the time, but Instagram was like my biggest,
(07:17):
my biggest platform, trying to get out there or whatever,
and people just see my work and they loved it
and they just came. And I think just because I'm
very like authentic, very just humble cool, took it from
you know, the country or whatever. And I treat everybody
like family, you know what I'm saying. I don't treat
nobody any different than you, a celebrity or whatever. I
don't care you come in, You're gonna get the same
experience and I just want you to love your hair.
(07:38):
Cause I still get very ex very excited and hype
about like the styles and stuff I do, especially when
I see like my clients like reactions to that hair.
They'd be like, oh my god, it looks so good,
you know. And I just carried that with me and
I went from there to another suite because you know,
we went through the whole COVID thing. That was a
whole thing. And I went to Phoenix, and then from Phoenix,
(07:59):
I was just like like, I was like, Okay, I
love California. But then by that time I had already
had my daughter, and I was just like living this
California life. It's super expensive over here. Do we go
back to Florida or do we stay? And we ended
up going to We prayed about it, and we ended
up going to Atlanta. We didn't leave to go to
litting like move, but we just went to go look
(08:19):
at houses and stuff over there because I really wanted
a home. I really wanted to have my daughter and
my kids future kids. It was just hood at that
time to be able to have a home and grow
up in a house, backyard, friends and almost I wanted
her to have the country.
Speaker 3 (08:37):
We grew up that did not cost to walk. I'm
very confused.
Speaker 2 (08:43):
My mom when we were looking for she was like,
I just want your kids to have some grass.
Speaker 3 (08:47):
I was like, I don't know if I can afford.
Speaker 1 (08:51):
I finally got some grass, and I laugh.
Speaker 3 (08:54):
I just like that that is not an accomplishment in
the South. Grass in Los Angeles, it's an accomplishment, like.
Speaker 4 (09:00):
If you have grass, you have made it over here,
you know. So that was my main thing and I
really just wanted that for her. And I was just like,
I don't wanna raise her in like an apartment without
any kind of backyard or grass, you know. So we
went over there and we was looking at houses, and
the houses itself was beautiful, but then we had a
really bad experience. Somebody ended up breaking into like our hotel,
(09:21):
stole like my wedding bands and a whole bunch of stuff,
and I was like, this is horrible spit I see,
I said, think that's God saying take your ass back
to California. And I was just like, okay, so we're
not coming to Atlanta. And we ended up staying and
that's when I really got into Okay, if I really
want to make this work, I need to open up
my own salon. I was like, cause it doesn't make
sense to spend all this money on the suites and
and they's super expensive. When you can have the exact
(09:43):
same thing if you know how to do it correctly,
and you can have a whole salon, that makes more sense.
So that's what I ended up doing. And what was
crazy is I would just do everything out of faith.
At that point, I was just like, well, I want
to do that. Well, I kind of want to get
a house at the same time, but my husband is
a virgo, so he was just like, nah, we can't
get a house in a salon at the same time.
(10:03):
I'm like yeah. I was like why not. Yes again,
he was just like that's a lot. And we got
a daughter. He was like, that's a lot. I was
like yeah. I was like push coma shove it doesn't work,
and we can always get an apartment push comba cheve.
If it doesn't work the salon, we can't always go
back to a suite. And I'm like a live on
faith type of person and I just like to try
stuff because if it doesn't work, then at least I
can say I tried it and we got the I
(10:26):
got approved for the salon in June and we got
the house approved in July. When I was like, that's crazy. Oh,
how the am I gonna make this happen? But God
is really just like ordering myself. So I say, whatever
your will is, Jesus, let's do it. And it's just
been blessing sandwhich is insane.
Speaker 3 (10:44):
And here you are with all of the pieces. How
did motherhood shape this journey for you? Do you think
that having your daughter really because you.
Speaker 2 (10:52):
Said you gotta find her some grass, You gotta make
this where you can't just be lilagagon in a salon Republic,
which for people who don't know, it's overpriced closet. It's
great if you don't want overhead, but it's very expensive.
Speaker 4 (11:05):
Mm hmm. It definitely is she just really, I think,
because you know, when you're in a relationship, you're just
like okay, but when you start to have children, you
start to look at things differently. And I was just like,
how can I make this work for her? And I
was like, I don't want to just go into something blindly,
but I do want to just make sure I have
something set up for myself. So I was just like,
(11:28):
I don't know, I think something just kind of clicked
when I had my daughter. I really do. It's so
hard to explain because once you have kids, it's a
different type of love and you want to be able
to give them everything and not have to struggle. And
I think that just kicked me into overdrive to be like,
you need to do this and stop being lazy because
I'm a procrastinator. So I was just like, Okay, I
need to do this and I need to do that.
I need to get it done. And then when I done,
I felt very accomplished because I was like, damn, I
(11:50):
could have been did this, But I think she just
motivated me to do it because I know I want
it for.
Speaker 3 (11:54):
Her, and you also know you have them bills.
Speaker 4 (11:56):
Yes, because type of lifestyle.
Speaker 2 (12:00):
Yeah, well los Angeles childcare, los Angeles, after school, los Angeles,
doctor visits, los Angeles, everything.
Speaker 4 (12:08):
Everything, everything.
Speaker 2 (12:10):
Yeah, what was the moment You've got all these pieces
that it all really started to gel that, your vision
for yourself, your enthusiasm, your husband's blind.
Speaker 3 (12:20):
Faith in two kids.
Speaker 2 (12:23):
What was the lord where it all started to just say, yes,
it's all coming together now.
Speaker 4 (12:28):
I think it was a day of the grand opening
when because I think I was scared. I think I
was scared. When I opened it. I was like, Okay,
we gotta I gotta make this word regardless. Right. So
I got the place, we put it together. I think
we put it together within three months. So I was like,
I want to go ahead and do it instead of
wasting time. I don't want to procrastinate. If I want
to do, someone to get it done.
Speaker 1 (12:48):
And this was late twenty twenty three, right, this was
a fall twenty twenty three.
Speaker 4 (12:53):
Yes, it was. I want to say, we start doing
it in like June or whatever, and I want to say,
the grand opening was in September, and.
Speaker 3 (12:59):
Your daughter was just like one.
Speaker 4 (13:01):
She was like, yeah she was one. Yeah, her birthdays
in December, so yeah, she was like one and some change.
So it was the day of the grand opening. I
remember we were going through it. I was like, okay, i'm'na
do it, but I'm gonna be kind of small. And
I started inviting people without just sending them like little invice,
and so I was like, ain't nobody a nobody's gonna come.
I was like, nobody's gonna come, maybe like my mom
(13:22):
them outside of that. But when everybody showed up, I
was so like, oh my god, people really like support me,
and I think that's a bad I think that's one
thing that I really have, like I don't give myself
enough credit for the things that I've done because I
feel like I want to reach a certain a certain
height in my career and I don't feel like I've
been there yet. But I also am very thankful for
(13:43):
everything that's happened in my life and within my career
that I just be so blindsided that people are really
like supporting me and doing stuff, you know what I'm saying,
and that they love what I do. So when people
started to show up for the grand opening and people
had like we did like speech shit in this speecies,
so I was like y'all like me, oh my god,
like this this is amazing, like I'm really doing it,
and everybody was like I'm so proud and this and
(14:03):
that whatever. I definitely think that this was like the
day that I was just like damn okay, like I
actually did this, Like this is where I'm going, this
is what is going to be, And that was my
AHA moment of like this is gonna work. I have
the support, yes.
Speaker 2 (14:19):
And I'm so glad that you through that party. So
many of us don't have these opportunities to see it
and I think all of us who are ambitious, especially
those of us who have families, and we're you know,
we're family first, but we're also human, right. But when
you have these events, like I just had a book
party and I was the same way. I was like,
oh my god, and then everyone was really nice.
Speaker 1 (14:38):
I was like, oh, oh right, a friend of mine
sets because when you're constantly raising the bar, you don't
feel like you've accomplished anything. Yes, but like you you
accomplish your dreams. You have the salon, it's gone well,
you have this amazing grand opening, and then you also
start really doubling down on social media.
Speaker 4 (14:59):
Yes, yes, I definitely started doing the social media more.
I was doing it before. But then I was just like, okay,
I need to really make I really need to take
it seriously and treat it almost like a job. Make
sure you record and do this and that. And I
think I had an AHA moment with that too, because
I took off, i want to say, maybe like two
months of not posting, and I could see how that
(15:20):
affected my business. I was like, Okay, I need to
make sure I post every day. I need to make
sure I record, because when you're out of site, you're
out of sight, you're out of mind. And I tell
everybody that they were like, how did you do this?
How did you do that? I say social media. Social
media is your best friend. It's like your modern day newspaper.
You know what I'm saying. If you want to be
out there, if you want people to see your work,
(15:40):
it doesn't matter if you have two hundred views or
a thousand views, it does not matter. Show up for
yourself every day. And social media is the first place
that you can do that because it's worldwide.
Speaker 1 (15:51):
Especially for a business like yours, because even if you
only get fifty views, if two people see that and
want to be a customer, exactly.
Speaker 4 (16:00):
Right there, exactly exactly. You have to take yourself seriously.
You have to put yourself out there. If you don't,
then you know, you just have to set yourself up
for success. Definitely, for sure. And so has been my
best friend since I opened the salon, especially yeah, to see,
especially with my creative mind or whatever, being able to
put it on social media, actually put it into my salon,
(16:23):
like how my salon looks. When we did the whole
rebrand from Natural Hair Flows, so Tuki did it. That
was my main thing. I was like, how am I
gonna stand out for everybody else? I want when my
work comes up or if you see somebody, you could
be like, oh, TOOKI did that. You know what I'm saying,
or that's TOOKI Salon, or you know what I'm saying,
Like they see the tea and they're like, oh I
know that, I know that artist. You know what I'm saying.
So all of that went into into play when we
(16:46):
opened the salon, when we rebrand and we did everything.
Speaker 2 (16:49):
So yeah, that's interesting because sometimes people get really stubborn
and they do not want your rebrand.
Speaker 3 (16:54):
You already have the.
Speaker 2 (16:55):
Sign, you already had the business cards, you already been
told everybody it was natural hair Flow. So when did
you realize that you just had to make that change asap?
Speaker 4 (17:05):
I felt like I wasn't. I feel like the natural
hair Flows was cute, and that's kind of what I
came out here with. But I wanted something I think
I took. I took a business class and they said
that you need to brand yourself to where you can
find it. Overall platforms make it easy for people to
find you, you know what I'm saying, And nothing too hard.
So I was trying to figure out what I wanted.
I was like, I like natural hair flows. I was like,
(17:27):
but that's something that when I first started, but in
the season that I am now, I need to have
something else. But something that's gonna stick is something that's
not hard for everybody, something that's kind of easy. And
I was like, well, what is it. What do people
say or you know what I'm saying, when they get
their hair done. What's like my hashtag TOOKI did my hair.
And I was like, oh, I kind of like TOOKI
did it. So when somebody ask you who did your hair,
(17:47):
you can say TOOOKI did it, and you could just
put it in TUKI and my stuff will pop up.
I said, bam, that's it. So TOOKI did it, TDI
and the t right. And when we did the rebrand,
it just felt so good and I was like, oh right.
I was like, I want the rebrand to feel energetic
and I wanted to feel creative. So we made sure
(18:08):
we put that into like the font, the texts, the
name of all our products and stuff, and just the
flow of the salon if that makes sense. So my tea,
it's a tea but then my daughter because she was
motivate me. It's a tea with a dot because that's
how it's signed, and the dot is a flower because
her name is Bloom. So the people who know me
and they know I have a daughter, they's like, oh
(18:28):
when they see that, they're like, oh, that's TOOKI you
know what I'm saying. So and then how because I
love to do designs and stuff, Like I'm pretty sure
you used to have seen designs, the branded body and stuff.
So the intricacy of like the text of like the
Tuoki did it. When you see it, you see all
the curves and stuff all that's supposed to represent like
creative braiding, curves, designs, and just enthusiasm.
Speaker 2 (18:51):
I love this and I love you so much because
you make this seem so effortless, Like oh.
Speaker 3 (18:56):
It just popped out of nowhere.
Speaker 2 (18:57):
You took a class, you invested in yourself. What made
you take a business class?
Speaker 4 (19:02):
I just wanted to elevate myself and really know, cause
I feel like when you go into certain stuff, it's
easy to just get like a logo. It's easy to
get a logo and just get a name and put
it on social media and be like, this is it,
But I really know I wanted to take myself to
the next level and do things that I hadn't done before.
So I was like, let me just take a business
class and just see, you know what I'm saying on
the business side, what's happening or whatever. And I was like,
(19:24):
I know it's not gonna be something that I stay
in as far as like I'm the creative and I'm
gonna build me a team and they gonna do the business,
you know, but I just really wanted to know. I
was very curious, and I was like, the first thing
that they said was the easiest thing that you can
do is put your name everywhere. So when somebody put
in took it, did it all your socials, pop up,
your email, pops up, your website pops up, make it
(19:45):
easy for people to find you. And that was the
number one thing that he gave us in there. So
I was like that was I think. Me taking that
business class was like okay, bam. And then because I
know so many people, so many people come get their
hair done, I always took the opportunity to build rapport
with them. So the girl who built like my website,
she's a client. The you know, everybody's a client.
Speaker 3 (20:05):
Did you trade? Because that's the best thing.
Speaker 2 (20:07):
I personally think that a mompreneur, the best thing you
can do is create a trade.
Speaker 3 (20:10):
Did you trade hair for website? Yes? I did, exactly
ninety nine. Everybody wins, everybody's happy.
Speaker 4 (20:18):
Yeah. So just having those conversations and then doing trades
and stuff with certain people. And then of course you
have to invest in yourself and do it once you
get into it. So once I talk to her and stuff,
the trade will you know, once you talk to her
and stuff, you got everything going or whatever. But you know,
when we did like our photo shoots and stuff, I
will always offer, hey, do you want to get your
hair done? They'd be like, hell, yeah, I'll pay some
(20:39):
raids and I'll do this for you or whatever. So
that was pretty cool being able to use my gift
for that.
Speaker 3 (20:43):
But so here's the thing.
Speaker 2 (20:46):
So here you are, you're great branding, and then you
start to go with your work ethic. You did the
work ethor to do the business consulting, to get the
right name, you do the work ethorit. To start posting
on social media, and then you just start going viral
all the time. What was the moment that you realized,
oh my god, my creations are your TikTok famous.
Speaker 4 (21:07):
Like tiktoking. Okay, I want to say. The first thing
I did then I was like, okay, I really want
to do this was the braided French roll.
Speaker 3 (21:15):
Yes, I remember that. That was so exciting. Oh my gosh. Yes.
Speaker 4 (21:19):
But I remember having the idea. I was just like,
because we had did my braided summer campaign with it
was a bunch of nineties It was like rebranding or
like just recreating those nineties styles but with braids, because
I hadn't really seen it done before. So I was
just like, oh, let me do that for our campaign
this year. Were just just trying something, just doing something,
and I was like, oh, I want to do a
braided fingerwave. I want to do a braid of French roll,
(21:39):
braided pin up curl, and then I think the baldy too.
So I was just like okay. And I think that
came right before we did that, and I was like,
let's just try. Let me just try something, and I
think I put it out on social media. I did
a video. I was like, hey, y'all, I want to
see somebody do the braid of French roll. I was
trying to give other people the creative opening to try
just putting my idea. They're like, let's see it, let's
(22:01):
see it, but nobody did it. I was like, why
nobody did it? I was like, okay, well, I guess
let me try it. And I did that and that
went viral Instagram and then everybody loved it and I
was just like okay. And it wasn't until the braided
baldi came about, and it wasn't even called the braided
baldy or the braided ball head. People was making for
them a little accent. It was like the braid ball head.
Speaker 3 (22:18):
I feel like Judy is the one that coined that.
Speaker 4 (22:24):
But so a girl ended up. A girl ended up
coming in from I think she came in from Atlanta
or something. I'm not sure if people be flying in.
So she came in to get her hair done and
she came to get design braids right, and I was
I did her first design on the side because she
gave me created freedom to just do whatever. And I
was like okay, and she was like, what are you
(22:46):
gonna do and say, I don't know. I was like,
but I've done this one digzag, but I kind of
want to do something different. And then she was like,
what you wanna do? I was like, I'm not sure.
So we just started scrolling Instagram and we've seen this
one creator she did something kind of similar to it
or whatever, but she it wasn't one. I don't think
it was one consistent braid. I think it was just
a bunch of braids. But it was up kind of
off of the neck. And I had been doing people's
(23:08):
hair very similar but putting it into like a little
ball and like sticking it underneath. And I was like,
let me just try it, and she was like okay,
and I did hers and it turned out beautiful. And
then the next day the girl who I usually do
braik her hair and put it in a little point
till she was like, oh, I see what you did.
I want something similar. I said, Okay, what I'm gonna
do is I'm gonna do one consistent braid all over
your head and then I'm gonna sew it at the end,
(23:28):
so it's just one braid on your head. And she
was like, okay, as long as you put a heart
in there, that's all that matter. I said, okay, and
I did it and I was like, oh, this is cute.
I kind of like this okay, And I was like, oh,
we gotta give it a name, and she was like,
what we gonna call it? I said, I don't know.
It looked like a a brain, a ball something like
your head is bald, but it's like braided, so it's
like like the braided ball head and like you a
(23:50):
braided ball head. That's how I came up with the name.
And I was like, okay, I like the braidy ball
had or like the braided baldy. So that's how it was.
Say it on the what'st name? But at first I
was just hitting like the braided ball head, the braid
of ball or the braided baldy or whatever. And I
posted it and I did not expect it to go
as big because it went worldwide, so I want to
say it was either later that day or the next day.
(24:11):
People started calling me and it was like tukie, do
you know this girl or whatever because they hit Facebook
and stuff too, and I was like, no, cool, and
it was like she's talking about your style and I
was like, what style? And it was like the braid
of ball head, the one that you just did. And
I was like, is she saying something bad about it?
And she was like no, she's just asking everybody's opinion,
like how do y'all feel about this new style and
this and that? Because to me, it wasn't new to me.
(24:34):
It was just like a yea of stuff that we
had did, like back in the day. I used to
do stuff like that all the time, or do it
just across the head. You know, I'm a nineties baby,
so we used to do designs it all the time.
So to me, I was just like, Okay, well it's cute.
You know. I haven't seen anybody recently doing it. But
I didn't think I created anything. So I was just
like okay, so and people liking it, and then it
(24:54):
went viral on TikTok, And once it viral on tik,
I was like okay. And then it started hitting like
different like what did it hit? It hit different socials,
it went worldwide, It was in so many different places
people were talking about it. I was just like, oh, like,
y'all really, y'all really liked this little style. And then
you have people who didn't like it, of course, but
I was like, if you put it on or if
(25:16):
you get it, you'll like it, you know. And I
think that's when I was just like, oh, wow, okay,
I'm I'm thinking I can do stuff because I have
ideas and stuff all the time. But I'll be thinking
nobody's gonna like it, so I'd be like, I'm not
gonna do it. I'm like, oh, I'm not gonna put
it out there. And most of the times it be
the ones that I don't like or the ones that
I'm kind of infy on are the ones that kind
of go viral.
Speaker 2 (25:36):
Must love that, And that's a great sandwage you don't
doubt yourself right and to just do it out there.
Speaker 1 (25:43):
And it's just the creative spirit and it's just how great.
Speaker 2 (25:46):
And we're all nineties babies. That's why we love you
so much. It's just like you are speaking to our soul.
It's wonderful.
Speaker 3 (25:53):
Now here's the thing.
Speaker 1 (25:54):
One thing that people always want to know is did
you profit off of this? Did your books get filled up?
Or was it more just of like good vibes advertising.
Speaker 4 (26:02):
It was just good vibes and advertising, which is fascinating.
Speaker 1 (26:05):
Yeah, because you and viral people, people are coveting the
style they're doing their own branded.
Speaker 3 (26:13):
Phone ahead you.
Speaker 2 (26:14):
You created a movement, which is which is valuable himself.
But I think one thing that you've been really good
at is understanding the game. And maybe I'm not making
money directly off.
Speaker 1 (26:24):
That, but how have you shifted to make sure that
all of your incredible creations you're getting paid at least
indirectly in some kind of way.
Speaker 4 (26:34):
I just made sure to, especially when I put it
on social media and stuff now, is to make sure
I put my wardmark and stuff over it. So even
if I'm not getting paid, y'all know who did it.
Y'all know who not really started it, but y'all know
where the creativity kind of came from. And when you
see it, the first thing you say is, did TOOKI
do it? Did TOOKI did it? You know what I'm saying.
I think the most recent was who is it as
(26:54):
that Rocky? He was just on the met or whatever,
and I see his house, like, oh, he rocket up body.
But his brainer is amazing. She does his braids and
stuff all the time. But it looked like he had
like a fingerway baldy, and I was like, that's amazing.
It was crazy that a lot of people were like, Cookie,
did you do his hair? I say, I didn't do it.
I didn't do it. But I love that they see
me within the style. And I think that was one
of the main things that I wanted when I first
(27:16):
kind of came into it, coming into California. It's like,
I want to be know, I almost want to be
like a household name. I want people to see certain
stuff or sea styles and think of me.
Speaker 3 (27:24):
You know, so we do we do? You are incredible.
Speaker 4 (27:28):
So with my designs and stuff that I kind of
come up with now, I kind of make sure that
when I want to be like super creative, I do
it with a purpose. So, like, we have my new
summer Brady campaign coming up, so a lot of people
are like asking questions like do you have anything else,
or what do you want to do? Or you're setting
the trends and all this kind of stuff. I'm like,
I got some stuff coming, but I can't tell y'all.
Y'all gotta wait. So I make sure that we set
(27:50):
ourselves up for success. Because the Baldi was in Vogue,
British Vogue, it was an American vogue, it was in essence.
We did a bunch of different I did a bunch
of differ interviews for different a bunch of different like
magazine companies and stuff, and I was just like, y'all
really like this up when Volcar I was in the
hairstore crying, Oh my.
Speaker 3 (28:08):
God, absolutely amazing.
Speaker 1 (28:11):
Yes, because if we all want you to continue this trajectory, right,
And that's the reasons why I'm really glad that when
you open it.
Speaker 2 (28:19):
And here's the thing, what I think you've done really
well because you've only been having your own salon fewer
than three years, right, like this is has even three years,
and you've done so well already because one of the
things that individual creators have a problem with is it's
only two hands that you do them right. So what
you're doing is by creating the salon, you're creating a
lot of opportunities you already knew you wanted to have
(28:40):
a product line. Also, one of the things people need
to understand is you have an ebook, which is a
great opportunity to understand your story and also for you
to not have to actively make income.
Speaker 1 (28:52):
It's a passive income well at the same time providing
a service.
Speaker 4 (28:56):
Yes, yes, yes, so we ended up coming. So I've
had an idea of doing it for a while. A
lot of people ask me, do you have classes? Do
you have this? Do you have that? How did you
start this? How did you get to where you are?
And I was just like, you know what, maybe me
just create something so people can't easily assess it, assess
it or whatever, and they can just get the whole
story and they can just follow my blueprint. I think
(29:16):
that was my main thing too, is creating a blueprint
for people to make it easier than what it is.
Shouldn't be hard, you know what I'm saying. And my
goal is for them to get that in to be successful.
Speaker 2 (29:26):
I'm so glad you have told us that your goal
is to get a production speed in film, because we've
had a bunch of morepreneurs.
Speaker 3 (29:31):
In a TV and film.
Speaker 2 (29:33):
We just gonna slade you right on in there, because
I think that's really smart, and I think they're anybody,
and I think.
Speaker 1 (29:41):
It's one of those things you wouldn't know from your socials.
Speaker 4 (29:44):
I think that's why we doing my little branded summer campaigns.
That's almost like my way of being in like production
in film because we can bring whatever we want to
like the screen, so we're doing something completely different this
year than we did last year. Last year we did
like the nineties and stuff, and people were saying like, oh,
it looks like a little mini commercial and this and that.
So that's for a way for me to be creative
(30:05):
with like hair and braids and all the kind of
stuff and bring to the screen so it looks like
either commercial or a little mini movie and stuff like that.
So it's almost like I'm putting myself where I want
to be, but doing it my way and putting it
out on social so people can see it. So hopefully
it'll attract the right people because us doing that last
year was just us just kind of playing around me, like, okay,
(30:25):
let's do something fun. But we got Vogue off that,
we got Essence off that, we got Fitty off, that,
we got Sacred off that, we got so many different
things off of us. Just let's just put something together.
So it's like God is saying, Hey, that's where you're
gonna be. This is the this is what I'm putting
into you. So keep doing that and get that could
claiming it, you know. So this year we're keeping the
momentum going and we're doing something else and hopefully it's source.
Speaker 2 (30:48):
For sure, you gonna be braiding somebody on some screen. Okay,
we got you. Myrepreneur's community is in the house. I'm
so excited for you because, again, because we're so other
and excited about life, we seem like everything is hunky dory.
Speaker 1 (31:03):
It's not always this is hard. I mean, we're doing
to do, but behind the scenes it can be difficult sometimes.
What's been the most challenging aspect of your.
Speaker 4 (31:11):
Growth just making sure, oh man, just making sure you
keep up keeping up the momentum and making sure I'm
paying what I'm supposed to be paying, and just doing
what I'm supposed to be doing behind the scenes, if
that makes sense. Like being in front is all handy
dory like how we said, but behind the scenes, like
business wise, making sure you're paying certain stuff and just
(31:34):
keeping up with pretty much, I think the business aspects,
just making sure everything is lined up how you need
it to be lined up or whatever, paying your taxes,
making sure you got all your business license and all
this kind of stuff. Just making sure all that stuff
is together and set, because you know how you have
to renew and do this and that every one year
or so or whatever. To make sure everything is okay.
But I think that's the hardest thing. But outside of that,
(31:57):
I've made myself. I've given myself a team to be
able to handle a lot of that stuff stuff for me.
I think one main thing that I've realized because I
used to try to do everything myself, and I think
that was my downfall trying to do everything myself because
I was just like, it's hard to trust people with
your business with your baby, like this is like my
little baby before I had my daughter or whatever. So
(32:20):
trusting people to handle those things for me and creating
the team, I think that was probably the hardest. Is
like giving up that power and just being like, Tookie,
this is your business, but this is what you're good at.
You can pay somebody for the convenience of this, if
you know what I'm saying, if you found the right person.
And I think that was probably the hardest thing.
Speaker 1 (32:37):
But yeah, but it's hard or it's not happening because
now you're a mama too, you got a newborn girl.
Speaker 4 (32:43):
Yes it's still hard, but I gotta be a nice
little team. You know. If I feel if I say something,
I'm like, hey, I hit them up real quick. Like, Hey,
can you do this, this, this, and this, and they're
like yeah, sure, blah blah blah, and then I'm able
to you know what I'm saying, I am very blessed
to even be able to do that, to be able
to have a team to call to be like can
you set up this or do that or do this
or do that, and then I can relax and I
(33:04):
can be with my babies, you know. And I think
me having Bloom pushed me to get to that because
I always wanted to be but I didn't know how
to do it. But once I had her, it pushed
me to be like, Okay, you need to create this, this, this,
this and this. You need to set this up for
yourself so you can be able to relax and do
this because I don't always want to be behind the
chair doing hair, Like I love doing hair, but I
don't want to always be doing hair. I want to
(33:25):
be able to still make money passive income and stuff,
and but be able to be with my kids. And
now I think that was my biggest name for sure.
Speaker 3 (33:32):
How does your husband feel about all this? Oh?
Speaker 4 (33:35):
My god? Like he is my biggest supporter, and I'd
be like doubting myself like oh, people not gonna like it,
or or I'm okay, and he'd be like Monteria. He
was like, you need to give yourself more credit. And
he's my biggest He's my biggest fan. He's always he's
always he always right there. He always gives me the
best advice. He he loves me so much, and he
(33:56):
just really hypes me as well, and he tells me
how proud of he is on me all the time.
Because we literally came out of here with nothing. We
came out here with zero dollars, no jobs. I got
the job as a not even as doing hair. I
got a front desk job. I was like, I will
come in and I would do whatever. I just died.
Speaker 2 (34:11):
But that's how it works, and you have to do that.
You gotta do the front that did you become the
shampoo girl?
Speaker 4 (34:16):
Sure did.
Speaker 2 (34:17):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (34:17):
One people don't realize this is two. Two.
Speaker 2 (34:20):
Hey, I think you are a great morepreneur for so
many reason. Number One, you understand the assignment. You don't
get to start at the top.
Speaker 1 (34:27):
Everything I've ever done, I have started, like even when
I started doing filming TV commercials and stuff like that.
Speaker 3 (34:32):
From the actual perspective.
Speaker 2 (34:34):
Start off with one thousand dollars non union questionable video
game commercial, and then you move up something else.
Speaker 3 (34:39):
And move up.
Speaker 1 (34:40):
You went from front desk girl to shampoo girl, and.
Speaker 4 (34:43):
To assistant to finally but then I was I was
an assistant, but they wouldn't let me do hair or
anything in there until I got my California license, so
I had to go back to school over here. So
I was like, I gotta go back to school. I'm
not gonna be able to work. How we're gonna pay
bills because at this time, I was maybe like two
months in and Brandon still didn't have a job, so
we literally only had enough money to pay. So I
(35:05):
was like, what am gonna do? And they really liked
me at the song. They was like, well, Tuky, just
go to the go do your hours and stuff, and
then when you're done, we'll just keep the salon open
longer for you to be able to make money to
pay your bills. I swear to you. And I was
just like what, And it was like, yeah, we want
you to be able. We're not gonna fire you, but
we want you to believe. Cause I when I got there,
(35:25):
I told them I'll do whatever to get in. But
I told them what my dreams, goals and aspirations were,
and they believed in me and it was like, Okay,
we want you to do that or whatever. So when
I told them I had to go back to school,
they was like, go to school. So I went to
school with four or five times a week over in
Crenshaw and then I would go back to Beverly Hills
at five o'clock and I would stay there till maybe
like eight or ten. Then I would finish doing whatever
(35:45):
clean up and they would pay me. And I did
that for maybe like six eight weeks until I got
my California license. Once I got my California costology license,
they allowed me to do hair That's when I started
doing haircuts, hair color, and all that kind of stuff
in there. And that's when I started going back and
forth to floor make doing my braids there, but then
saying that I was doing them over here to get
my clientele working at break I think I was at
(36:07):
the braid bar I was doing. I was doing a
braid bar over at like soul Cycle. I was at
blow dry bar, anything that was happening. I was like,
put me there. When Coachella was coming. We had people
come in. I was doing brains up in the front
like yeah, I literally was hustling every little way. I
don't care what it was. You want me to do this,
I do it. I'm always recording too. That was my
(36:27):
main thing, recording every single thing that I did, so
when I can put it on social Cause I only
had maybe what maybe a thousand followers on like Instagram
when we first got over here, and I didn't care
how many was on there. A thousand people, that's a
thousand people. That's a lot of people. I was always
posting and I would hashtag and this and that, and
I would record and I would have them record. But
I was like, can you record me doing this? Can
(36:48):
you record me doing that? And it was like yeah.
And I was motivating the people that was in there
because they wasn't doing it because they started they started
seeing how many people started coming to me. They was like,
what are you doing? I was like, I'm just showing
up at being present. I was like, I'm taking pictures
and videos, I'm handing out business cards. I'm walking to
the different businesses on Sunset and I'm like, hey, if
you guys ever have any event. If you want like
(37:08):
a little braid bar, or if you want this and that,
I'm happy to do that in exchange for whatever. You
know what I'm saying. I was at Soul Cycle. I
would do their like brave bar and they would give
me like Soul Cycle classes because I need to stay
in shape, you know. So I was just doing everything
that I could and it just worked. In my favorite
It's hard work, for sure. It don't just happen overnight.
Definitely not. And that was twenty and eighteen.
Speaker 2 (37:30):
You need to write a business book because everything you're
doing is what people should do. You use your skill sets, currency, you.
Speaker 3 (37:39):
Market, market, market, You don't take a note.
Speaker 2 (37:41):
You accept the mentorship, you accept the front desk position,
understanding the assignment and who like and in turn they
did it. Probably they probably lost money on you. They
just believe in you that much. For those eight weeks
for you to be able to go to cosmetology school,
they wanted you to stay afloat. Yeah, you are better
(38:02):
in real life than on social media. The depth of
your tenacity, I.
Speaker 3 (38:09):
Mean, it's just it's amazing. You must write.
Speaker 2 (38:12):
I'm telling you because this is very important to hear
it's very inspirational. It is entirely doable, and that's time
to say it was all perfect, right.
Speaker 3 (38:20):
I mean there's been some challenges.
Speaker 4 (38:22):
It's definitely been challenged. Definitely been challenges when things aren't
going your way or you kind of doubt yourself. But
I think my main thing, especially that my husband keeps
me in or whatever, is prayer. And we're Christians, so
we pray all the time. And our main thing is
you can't live in faith and fear. You have to
pick one of the other, you know what I'm saying.
(38:43):
And we're God believers, so I always try to live
in faith. So when I'm doubting myself or if something's
not going the way I wanted to go, I'm like, Okay, God,
what is the lesson in what you're trying to show
me right now? Because if it's not happening, it's not
happening for a reason, right, It's not happening because I'm
a failure, you know what I'm saying. But you're gonna
get a bunch of else before you get an ass whatever.
So I'm just like, tell me the lesson or teach
me the lesson to open my eyes. So I can
(39:03):
see what's happening. Let me not think of it as
a loss but as a lesson, right, And if I'm
down myself, I'm like, don't doubt yourself. Something's gonna happen
out of this. You just don't know if this small
door is closed or if it's something I really want
to I'm pushing for it and it doesn't happen, I'm like,
that's because God got something greater for me. So I'm
gonna be like, it's okay that it didn't happen. It's
okay because we can't change the past. You can't change
that it didn't happen. I can move forward and I
(39:25):
can do better, and I can push harder, and I
can take what I've learned from this and make it better.
And I think that has been a big key in
my success as well. It's just having faith that my
life is gonna go the way God has planned it.
And He doesn't give you those visions and these these
talents or whatever for nothing. He has already written my
story and I just need to follow his path to it.
Speaker 2 (39:47):
That you're incredible and our time is almost up, but
I cannot let you leave without participating in my favorite
segment the Morepreneur's manifestation, and I ask all of our
moms what you're trying to make happen for the future
and how we can help to bring it into the.
Speaker 4 (40:03):
Universe for you. I think my main thing is how
I was saying, I want to get a production of film.
So if you need me in any type of way
in the creative I do creative direction and then the
creative braids any kind of inspiration and stuff. Just spread
my name to say, oh, TOOKI did it, Took he
can do this, or Took he can do that. So
you can always just share my story or just share
(40:26):
the stuff that you've seen that you like on my page,
or that you know that I can do, or you
know what I'm saying something like that, you can share
it and it Just spread it that way and just
let him know that TOOKI can do it, because Tooky
did it.
Speaker 3 (40:36):
I'm on it, genuinely, I'm on it.
Speaker 2 (40:39):
I'm going to connect you to another Morepreneur who is
in the industry as a.
Speaker 1 (40:43):
Makeup person and and all it all works out.
Speaker 2 (40:47):
So I'm very excited for you. You are incredible. Thank you
for bringing joy to our.
Speaker 3 (40:51):
Feeds and bringing joy to our entrepreneurial hearts. You are
a hustler.
Speaker 1 (40:56):
You deserve a gold Star Hustle Award.
Speaker 4 (40:59):
Thank you, Thank you for having me.
Speaker 3 (41:01):
Hey you over here with this energy and you have
a tiny baby. Where is the baby right now?
Speaker 4 (41:05):
He is downstairs with dad. He's so small, but he
chunky too because he only like six weeks so he
like my little chunky baby. I always say I want
me a little fat, chonky baby with like these little
big cheeks and stuff. And God God delivered. I was like,
look at him. He's so cute. He's so adorable. Because
we didn't know what we were having, we was like,
you know, we're just gonna let it be a surprise
like we did with my daughter. And when he popped out,
I was like, oh wow, we have a boy and
(41:26):
a girl. Now. I was like, okay, he's like my
little chunky, little lovable thing. And then Bloom loves him.
She thinks that's her baby.
Speaker 3 (41:33):
So oh, I'm so happy for all of you.
Speaker 2 (41:36):
Make sure to tell everyone Tookey where they can find
you on the internet.
Speaker 4 (41:41):
You can find me at TOOKI did it on across
all socials. T o ok I e did it, TOOKI.
Speaker 1 (41:46):
Did it, and you can also get her ebook and
learn more about her at Tooky did It dot com.
Speaker 4 (41:52):
Right slash ebook. Yep, TOOKI did dot com slash ebook.
You can find me on there, Tookie did it dot
com and then Tookie did It over all socials amazing.
Speaker 1 (42:01):
So thank you so much for being here and being
a phenomenal inspiration.
Speaker 2 (42:04):
I can't wait to see what you're gonna create next
and also how you gonna make money off of it.
Speaker 4 (42:10):
It's coming.
Speaker 2 (42:11):
Stay tuned, keep on watching, and thanks to all of
you for listening to and watching Mompreneurs.
Speaker 1 (42:16):
As a reminder of brand new episode ghost Live every
Monday on Urban one podcast Network, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or
wherever you get your podcasts, visit Urban onepodcast dot com
to learn more. That's Urban the number one podcast dot com.
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