Tobago beautician plans to build beauty factory

AT AGE SEVEN, Sulan Alexander-Felix was already combing her own hair to go to school.

She later took on the responsibility of combing her sisters’ hair when their mother migrated to the US soon afterwards to make a better life for them.

The 34-year-old Tobago beautician said she was always meticulous about her appearance and that of others.

“I was the only one of my sisters who took a liking to hair or anything beauty related. So I combed their hair and I also had to learn how to braid, relax and care for my own hair,” she told WMN.

Before long, Alexander-Felix was braiding her cousins’ hair and that of the boys in her Boston Street, Roxborough, neighbourhood.

“People always complimented me and said it is something I should pursue.”

The encouragement continued throughout her teens and as Alexander-Felix grew older so too did her passion for the beauty industry.

“I love all things beauty and fashion. I didn’t grow up with material wealth but I was always creative and good with my hands. I remember cutting my bell bottom jeans to make skirts.

“Not having much finances and having four other siblings meant that I either had to do it myself or do without because we could not pay to get it done and our stepdad was clueless.”

Alexander-Felix said as a girl, she watched BET, MTV, fashion shows and videos on television, internalising the styles and trends.

“Seeing so many beautiful women and becoming fascinated with the world of beauty, fashion and business was all so exciting to me.

“I saw how women felt after getting their hair done and how it lifted their moods and I loved seeing them feel beautiful and confident.”

Today, she has turned her childhood passion into a thriving business.

Alexander-Felix is the owner of Boujet Beauty, a hair, make-up and skincare business, located at LAM Beauty Studio, Buccoo Integrated Facility, Buccoo.

There, she does brow waxing and tinting, hair extensions and treatments as well as organic skin care applications for mothers and babies. She offers make-up consulting services and business coaching and digital marketing services for beauty creatives, who either have or are trying to build a beauty brand.

So whether it’s a hairstylist, nail technician, clothing boutique owner or someone wanting to start a hair extensions company, Alexander-Felix also offers vendor sourcing services, spreadsheets for business management, eBooks and workbooks on starting a business, pricing to profit and strategies on how to make one’s business grow.

Her beauty and consultancy business started in 2009 with clothes and shoes but she quickly diversified into make-up and hair services.

“I’ve always said when you look good and you smell good, you feel great. So the business was a way to help women look and feel their best, no matter what is going on in their lives. It was and is my way of expressing my love for the industry, especially for moms and mature women.”

Her colleagues and family, she said, supported her dream and helped with the marketing.

“Initially, I started with word of mouth, with my co-workers and then I started posting on Facebook and sharing it as much as I could, getting friends and family to share my posts.”

Alexander-Felix quickly amassed an impressive clientele, which included vocalist Adana Roberts, several government ministers and other well-known names in local radio and television.

Between 2010 and 2017, the mother of four said her business grew.

“I had quite a successful makeup and hair extensions business while working a 9-5. There were days I would sell over $6,000-$8,000 in hair extensions. I would order shoes and clothing that sold out.”

As word of her expertise and professionalism spread, Alexander-Felix got booked as a make-up artist to do work on local films, TV news stations, destination weddings and other events.

She has hosted many make-up training sessions for individuals as well as businesses and collaborated with beauty stores to share techniques of make-up application and self-care for teens and mature women.

She also offers private make-up consultancy services for customers, helping creatives in Trinidad and Tobago, the UK, US and Grand Cayman to launch their hair extensions, wig, cosmetic and fashion businesses.

But Alexander-Felix said she encountered many obstacles as a female entrepreneur, particularly during her embryonic years.

She didn’t have her own transport and a friend would often pick her up from work on her lunch hour.

“I put all my shoes and clothes in his truck so I can deliver orders and showcase my products to others, this was in about 2010.”

Her financial losses ranged from the meagre to the pricey.

In one instance, she said, the courier service lost a hair package “which you don’t get back and of course, cost me money.”

Alexander-Felix recalled, “One year, I was also scammed over US$2,000 (roughly $12,000) for a hair order because, against my better judgement, I sent money for a hair supplier without completely vetting and then using Western Union which I had always advised against, but I was in haste.

“I didn’t do my due diligence and I had to replace that with my profit. I literally cried, but I sucked it up because it was my error. That hair order cost me about $35,000 total, which was a lot in 2017.”

At that time, she was proud of achievements. She had gone from “selling hair, clothes and doing make-up and hair in my living room to having my first beauty suite for hair, make-up and fashion.”

But by 2019, a few months after opening her dream salon with a partner, Alexander-Felix said a bailiff came to collect payment. She had just endured a premature birth, which made her resign from her then job to work in the salon full time.

“I had the faith to do it, but I didn’t use wisdom in that move as I had also taken a business loan just before knowing I was pregnant in 2017 and one to help with the salon opening in 2018. My baby was with me while I worked in the salon, by now the first loan I took, the institution sent a bailiff.”

She was taken off the payroll while pregnant after being transferred to Port of Spain General Hospital from Tobago during a premature birth scare. Deductions also were taken from her monthly salary deductions due to overpayment from her being so sick.

“This caused a total back up on payment from my loans, which prior I always paid off before time. When I had the salon, some days I made $250, and the bailiff would just pop up, I paid what I had. Some days I didn’t even have money to travel but made it home. It became a bad situation.”

Alexander-Felix said a business partner subsequently left the salon but she kept it and she took on the responsibilities.

“I got my salon lights cut, was behind in my rent, still trying to pay these debts. I had to do clients’ hair with no electricity and even hosted make-up classes with no lights, just open doors.”

After a year of experiencing numerous stumbling blocks, Alexander-Felix said she made the hard decision to step back and close the salon.

“I was now over $30,000 owing in salon rent and did not want to accumulate more.”

Although she was distraught, she said she never lost hope.

Alexander-Felix began servicing her clients at her home but encountered another major obstacle.

“The covid (pandemic) shut down only made things worse. Just as I was about to do a consolidated loan to pay off my debt and start fresh in my business, the pandemic hit hard, which made it impossible for me to get a loan as I was working in the food industry.

“This further compounded the pressure. Then I got served in the High Court during covid and was unemployed.”

She said thankfully and with God’s grace, those days are behind her.

The former Signal Hill Secondary student said while the past three to six years has been rough but business has been growing steadily.

“I keep going because I love the beauty industry and know I am meant to work and succeed in it. I know it’s going to get better. I will be restored and succeed.”

Asked to reveal the one thing she has learnt while trying to establish her business, she said, “You must be resilient as you build. Things don’t always happen overnight and they don’t always happen the way you plan. But what you do when things fall apart or seem like your plans are falling apart, is imperative to your growth as a business owner. Falling isn’t failing, learn from your mistakes and try again, you only fail if you stop trying.”

She advises young women seeking to enter the industry to put God first.

“Seek Him in your decisions, then learn, learn, learn. Choose one thing to start with, learn all the techniques you can, practice and build your business model from the start.”

Alexander-Felix said they also must get their business registered, have a plan and learn about managing their business.

“That way, as your business is building, you build your brand and your reputation.”

Short-cuts and taking loans before the business is properly established are a no-no, she said.

“Try to start your business with as little debt and liability as you can. As you earn, save, invest and keep reinvesting. Pay yourself and have discipline in your spending.”

She advised people to save in a credit union and invest in continuous knowledge and training. They can then diversify their services and add on products that complement their business.

Alexander-Felix, who has a bachelor's degree in human resource management with a minor in entrepreneurship, also suggested that people create multiple ways to earn income from their first business.

“If you must work a 9-5 to help build your dream, do it. Be financially wise, budget well, dress well, manage your time well and give great customer service. Build a business with integrity and good values, your name is a commodity you don’t want to play with.”

Acknowledging that beauty businesses are not new, Alexander-Felix said she does not compare herself to others but learns from them.

“Whether you were in business before or after me, I always say I can learn something.”

She is selfless in her approach to the industry “So rather than compete, I collaborate and even send clients to other artists.

“I see others as my comrades instead of my competitors. I just stay focused on continuously educating myself and enhancing my craft, while elevating what I offer and how it is offered.”

Her emphasis on digital marketing and consulting services for beauty creatives, she believes, is a move in this regard.

“It will help with the resources needed to build better beauty businesses.”

Apart from completing her beauty business planner to budget her finances, Alexander-Felix also intends to upgrade her beauty skills to be more efficient in her services.

She is hoping to reopen a beauty suite and boutique within the next three to five years. The boutique, she said, will have a wing for childcare “as serving moms is near and dear to my heart.”

In the long term, Alexander-Felix said, her goal is to establish a warehouse in Tobago will house her business office/headquarters, Beauty Studio and Fashion boutique, production and content creation studio for skincare and beauty products as well as a production house for beauty creatives who also need those services.

“I plan to have a beauty factory here, where I can wholesale and retail organic skincare, beauty products and packaging, and go into exporting outside of Trinidad and Tobago. I also plan to create a beauty grant to aid in funding for start-up businesses, as beauty businesses, from what I have realised, get the least amount of funding.

“I want Tobago to have a stronger presence in the beauty, fashion and skincare industry and believe that I can greatly contribute to all we have to offer here.”