Today we’d like to introduce you to Nygeria Grimes.
Hi Nygeria, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was always passionate about Biology and how life in general is programmed. Mother Nature is such a beautiful thing! So naturally, I received a BS in Biology with a minor in Business and interest in Pre-Pharmacy from Georgia Southern University. When I graduated in 2015, I had no direct path on where I wanted to end up in my career. I eventually found an interest in the Pharmaceutical industry. In 2015, I landed a pharmacy technician position with a major insurance company and was also a professional student. While working full-time, I went to school full-time to obtain pre-requisites for Pharmacy school. My next step was to become a pharmacy student and I started applying to Savannah Ga local Grad School South University. At this point, I was three years into my current job when I realized, ” I don’t want to be a pharmacist!”. I worked with pharmacists every day, and I observed how miserable and stressed out they were. I didn’t want that for myself. Since I was so close to being accepted into South University, I felt like a failure quitting now. My mom instructed me to weigh my pros and cons! Why spend so much money and time on a career I’ll resent later down the line? So, I started organizing my backup plan, and I felt this urge to become an Entrepreneur! I asked myself, ” What do consumers NEED in the Savannah (Berwick) area? What would I enjoy for years to come? Beauty Supply! On October 2019, Gypsy Beauty Supply was officially established.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Entrepreneurship is never smooth! This journey has been an emotional rollercoaster since 2019. Beauty supply is a very lucrative business. However, I have noticed many major obstacles being a young African American woman in this industry. African Americans are not really welcomed by wholesale suppliers in the beauty world. We are given unfair requirements that make it nearly impossible to get our foot in the door. To get around this issue, I’ve found support groups on Facebook of other African American beauty supply store owners! This was the best move being that I’ve gained so much support and advice from many mentors that are veterans in the industry. After doing my due diligence on market research, I’ve directed my focus to funding. My brother and I are literally investing every dime we have into this project. Now, we are seeking more funding so that we can have a cushion for marketing, creating jobs and inventory. We obtained a very detailed business plan along with financial projects up to five years. Beauty supply stores require a lot of working capital. And we wanted to make sure we have everything in order before approaching business lenders. We also had a very hard time securing a Brick & Mortar storefront. Gypsy Beauty Supply started online just so we can gain a presence among local consumers. We were rejected by eight landlords before we came across our current location. My brother and I can’t express enough how much gratitude we have for our landlord for giving us a chance when no one else would! All of these obstacles happened with COVID and this delayed the stores opening by two years. We’re so happy to be back on track!
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Gypsy Beauty Supply?
Gypsy Beauty Supply is a local veteran, woman and black-owned business that specialize in everything beauty. What sets us apart from competitors is that we offer same-day and next-day delivery services. Most consumers are unable to just walk into a store and shop due to a variety of reasons. So we will provide the option of bringing their orders directly to them. Gypsy will also offer curbside, product consignment, wig consultations and AMAZING customer service.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
My success is driven by family. Growing up, my single mom worked hard to provide for my brother and I. Watching my mom struggle financially and still being present in our lives was a major blessing to my work ethic. Although she worked four jobs, she was still present to every football game and cheerleading competition my brother and I had. She taught us to appreciate the small things and to love one another unconditionally. Those values alone contributed to my strengths as an entrepreneur. In adulthood, I’ve developed communication skills, time management, money management and empathy for others. Now, we are able to use those values in our adult lives effortlessly!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.gypsybeautysupply.com
- Instagram: @gypsybeautysupply
- Facebook: @gypsybeautysupply
