We had the good fortune of connecting with Kathryn “Kat” Blair and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kathryn “Kat”, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
When I first began as a hairstylist, all I wanted to do was tend to my clients needs. That included coming in super early, staying in late, squeezing clients in, and even coming in on off day. I was making them happy, but making myself miserable. As I begin to gain more professional experience, I began to develop policies, procedures, and boundaries to help separate my personal life from my business. I stopped responding to inquiries at all hours of the night and stopped working outside of my set business hours. I was able to do so much more! I was able to pick up hobbies, spend time with family, and brainstorm new ideas for my business. I am elated with the balance!

What should our readers know about your business?
My business is K. Blair Hair, where we focus on inspiring the nurturing of natural hair through protective styling, education, and proper maintenance for women in all walks of life. My job is to provide styles that gives women their time back! That hour or 2 that you would have spent doing your hair, now they can use that time for hobbies, family, friends, or just some extra sleep lol. I pride myself on being a full-service stylist. When my clients come to my studio, they are going to get their hair shampooed, conditioned, blowdried, trimmed, and styled. Getting to this point was nothing short of DIFFICULT. There were days, months, years, that I have been BROKE BROKE. When I was first building my clientele, I was doing hair for free and staying up all hours of the night, just to get my name out there! This was before social media time, so i really had to work hard to market myself, especially as a young girl with little to no credibility. That work I was putting in, started to pay off because I started being “booked” in high school. I was getting a lot of business but I still didn’t have professional business practices. I was doing hair in my living room, on the floor, eating, taking breaks, etc. But as time went on, I slowly upgraded throughout the years with little to no financial investment. I got professional tools, accurate scheduling, policies, and now my own studio! My most important lesson learned, was that its okay to start right where you are, and grow! Now, my work has been seen on places like BET, The Today Show, The Shade Room, News Channels, etc. I am humbled and extremely grateful for my growth! That’s what I’m all about.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Food/Drinks!!!-Lotus, Pappadeaux, Chipotle (lol its my favorite), Turkey Leg Hut, Taste Bar, Breakfast Klub, Seaside Lounge Hang out!!-Memorial City Mall (smaller version of galleria), Any park in Houston, they are all beautiful with nice trails.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would love to dedicate this shout-out to my mom, sisters, brothers, and my very closest friends who have continuously encouraged and supported me throughout my 18 years of braiding hair. Always pushing me to be great, even when I didn’t believe in myself.

Website: kblairhair.com
Instagram: @kblairhair
Facebook: K.BlairHair
Youtube: kblairhair

Image Credits
Darnell Porter