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In January of 2020, Nia Pettitt officially opened the doors to The Curl Bar, an establishment that caters to curly hair, located in London. Nia's vision for the salon did not only revolve around making clients feel beautiful, but offering an environment for each client to be embraced and admired.

The brick-and-mortar company's journey to existence

Establishing a hair salon with curly locks was a longtime dream of Nia's. "I frequently traveled across America to get my hair done as it was difficult to find a salon even in London, let alone that in the UK," she says. "I set out to design something that was safe, calming, and also represented visually what I wanted as a young girl." Customers responded to this vision: when they opened the doors at The Curl Bar, appointments quickly filled up.

"Your life is changed once you make the decision to start an enterprise. Ask yourself if you are willing to make the necessary changes," Nia advises aspiring business owners. No one could have predicted what kind of change was about to come to Nia and The Curl Bar: Only two months after opening, the salon was shut down temporarily because of COVID-19 closures within the UK. However, even a temporary halt in operation didn't stop Nia from moving down.

"I did not have a plan for growing the business, and certainly not in the event of a outbreak," she says. "I am just taking each day as a lesson to be learned from." While The Curl Bar was closed, Nia shifted her focus onlineand connected with her stylists and her customers digitally until The salon was allowed to safely open again.