Today we’d like to introduce you to Uche.
Hi Uche, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I moved to the United States from Nigeria in 2019 to pursue my education, and CrownedByUche was born during that transition. I started braiding hair while I was still in college. At the time, it was really about creating a source of income and independence for myself while balancing school and adjusting to life in a new country. I don’t think I fully realized then that I was building something that would eventually become a brand.
I started small and built my clientele primarily through word of mouth and social media. Every client became an opportunity to improve my craft, build relationships, and create an experience that would make someone want to come back or recommend me to someone else. Over time, CrownedByUche grew from something I was doing alongside school into a business with its own identity and a loyal clientele.
One of the biggest parts of my journey has been learning how to balance multiple sides of myself. I earned my bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences and later my master’s degree in Health Information Technology, while continuing to grow CrownedByUche and build my professional career. I also went back and expanded my beauty education by becoming certified in wig installation. For me, entrepreneurship has never meant that I had to choose one path. I’ve been able to pursue my education and career while still nurturing something creative that belongs to me.
Today, I look at CrownedByUche as much more than a hair braiding business. I want to continue growing the brand beyond the chair, including eventually selling human braiding hair and developing my own hair care products such as braiding gel, mousse, and hairspray that help clients maintain their styles after their appointments. I want the brand to represent quality, confidence, creativity, and the idea that something you start simply because you need an opportunity can grow into an opportunity of its own.
When I think about where I started versus where I am today, I’m proud that I took a skill I had and turned it into something sustainable while continuing to grow in other areas of my life. And I still feel like CrownedByUche is only at the beginning of what it can become.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It definitely hasn’t been a completely smooth road. One of the biggest challenges I faced was navigating my business during and after COVID. Because hair braiding is such a hands on service, the pandemic made it extremely difficult to continue operating the way I had before. By the time I was ready to rebuild, I had lost much of the clientele I had worked hard to establish.
Rebuilding CrownedByUche after COVID meant essentially starting over. It wasn’t just about getting clients back in the chair. I also had to rebuild their confidence in receiving services and make sure they felt comfortable and safe. I became very intentional about incorporating health and safety practices into my services while working to regain the momentum my business had before the pandemic.
Another challenge was expanding beyond a primarily student clientele. I started CrownedByUche while I was a college student, so naturally, many of my first clients were other students. That community gave me an amazing foundation, but I knew that if I wanted the business to continue growing, I needed to reach people outside of the college environment.
Social media became a major part of that transition. I used it to showcase my work, increase my visibility, and reach a much broader audience. Over time, I was able to successfully grow beyond my original student clientele and establish CrownedByUche within a larger community.
Those challenges taught me a lot about adaptability and resilience. I’ve had moments where I essentially had to rebuild, reposition, and figure out how to reach an entirely new audience, but each stage has ultimately helped me become a stronger business owner and shaped CrownedByUche into the brand it is today.
We’ve been impressed with CrownedByUche , but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
What do you do, and what do you specialize in/what are you known for?
CrownedByUche is a full service hair styling brand catering to both women and men. I offer a variety of protective and styling services, including braids, locs, twists, cornrows, wig installations, sew ins, and more. While I work across a variety of styles, braiding is my specialty. I am especially known for my knotless braids and feed in braids, with an emphasis on clean, long lasting results while protecting the client’s natural hair.
What sets you apart from others?
What sets CrownedByUche apart is that we care just as much about the health of our clients’ natural hair and their overall experience as we do about the finished style. We want our clients to understand their hair, their scalp, and the style they are choosing rather than simply sitting in our chair and leaving with a new look.
I take time to educate my clients on what works best for their hair and scalp, what to expect throughout the braiding process, and how to properly maintain their style afterward. I also offer free consultations before appointments so clients can ask questions, discuss their hair concerns, and feel confident and comfortable about the service they are receiving. For me, it is not just about creating a beautiful hairstyle. It is about creating an experience where clients feel heard, informed, and cared for.
What are you most proud of brand wise?
One of the things I am most proud of is the longevity of my work without compromising the health of my clients’ natural hair. I have developed techniques that allow my clients to enjoy their protective styles for an extended period of time while minimizing unnecessary tension, breakage, and damage to their natural hair.
That balance is extremely important to me because one of the biggest concerns people have with braids is whether wearing them for an extended period will negatively affect their natural hair. I want my clients to be able to enjoy the convenience and beauty of their style while still knowing that the hair underneath is being protected.
What do you want readers to know about your brand, offerings, and services?
I want readers to know that CrownedByUche is continuing to grow beyond traditional braiding services. In addition to styling, I also sell human braiding hair specifically for Boho and other curly braided styles. I offer a variety of textures and curl patterns, including Burmese curls, deep wave, water wave, and other options that allow clients to customize the look and feel of their style.
Clients can purchase the human braiding hair directly from CrownedByUche, and I also offer styles that incorporate the hair into the service. My goal is to make the experience as convenient as possible so clients do not have to search for the right hair on their own. They can choose their desired look and texture and receive both the hair and the service through CrownedByUche.
Ultimately, I want CrownedByUche to be known as a brand where beautiful styling, healthy hair, quality products, and client education all come together.
Before we go, is there anything else you can share with us?
One thing I would love for readers to know is that CrownedByUche is still growing, and I truly believe there is so much more ahead for the brand. What started as a way for me to support myself while in college has become something I genuinely see expanding far beyond the chair.
My long term vision is to continue building CrownedByUche into a brand where clients can receive quality hair services while also having access to the products and hair they need to maintain and recreate those looks. I’ve already begun expanding by offering human braiding hair, and eventually I would love to develop my own hair care product line, including products specifically designed for braiding, styling, and maintaining protective styles.
More than anything, I hope my story reminds someone that you do not have to limit yourself to one path. I’ve pursued my education, built a professional career, and continued developing my passion for beauty and entrepreneurship at the same time. CrownedByUche started with a skill, a need for independence, and a willingness to put myself out there. I’m proud of how far it has come, but I’m even more excited about where I’m taking it next.
Pricing:
- Human Braiding Hair $70
- Human Blend Hair $30
Contact Info:
