October 13, 2021

Voyage Atlanta Present: Meet Shena Zellars of Douglasville Ga

Today we’d like to introduce you to Shena Zellars.

Shena, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
My love of hair started when I was about nine years old. I always had the talent to look at things and find beauty in anything!

Growing up and watching my mother do hair for so many years my passion for hair grew deeper and deeper. After she retired, I stepped up and took over the family business, knowing that I no longer wanted it to be known as a mom and pop shop, I begin to rebrand the salon and use resources like social media and the old fashion word-of-mouth advertising.

I knew I wanted to create a place that not only catered to making people feel the absolute best but also making it a lifestyle brand. I now have a hair extension company outside of the hair salon where we will be adding our first set of products by fall 2019. I have also just launched a mentoring group called Crown Tribe Foundation where I will be mentoring young women from the ages of 10 to 21. The mentoring group covers a range of topics from beauty to entrepreneurship, finances, self-confident, leadership and plenty more! I felt the need to start this foundation because you hear so many mentor groups cater to young man especially black young man but you never hear a mentoring group that caters to young women. I’m finally in a position where I can now plant seeds into the next generation of entrepreneurs!

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I would say some of my challenges in building my brand has been finding People who can see somewhat of my vision. People who are loyal and willing to work just as hard as I do. And to find mentors who are willing to help you on your journey. This was a big one for me, I have been blessed to have ladies who I not only work with but who I look up to. Business is hard enough and not having someone to say if you’re doing something right or wrong can be very challenging. Every trial that I have endured along the way, I have tried to find the lesson out of there and I continue to build from there. But not everyone can do that, this was one of my number one reasonings for starting Crown Tribe foundation. I just want to use my knowledge and experience to help other girls like myself. I guess become what I needed someone to become for me, I will become for someone else. I just planted the seed in my mind that there was no giving up, I had no Plan B it was either all or end up with nothing! I’m not only building a brand but I’m a wife and a mother of five and I wanted to show my children that no matter what life throws at you, and no matter how many times you fall, the only thing that matters is that you continue to get back up and keep trying. Life is a marathon building a brand is a marathon and if there is one thing I’m willing to bet on it would definitely be myself, because I know I’m not gonna give up on me!

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Crown Livin’ – what should we know?
Crown & Glory studios is a full-service hair salon located in Douglasville Georgia. We are the first black hair salon in Douglasville opening in 1998! It has grown from a shop to a salon where we offer hair extensions make up, lashes, Natural hair, to color and plenty more! I personally specialize in extensions as it has always been a love of mine since at a very young age. We are definitely known for a family salon, when you visit the salon you noticed how different the atmosphere is with your traditional hair salons. You are greeted with a “Hello Gorgeous” on the door and entering to smiling faces and a warm welcome! I’m very proud at where I’m at today with the salon, being able to change so many lives just by making people feel their absolute best, it’s such a rewarding job, to the point it doesn’t even feel like work!!

Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
I have been blessed to have an amazing support system. My family, of course, has always supported me and prayed for me every step of the way. My husband, Thomas for sure, I come up with these amazing yet crazy ideas and he’s always there to say you can do it and gives me wonderful business and financial advice.
The women I work with, to the clients that have supported the business since 1998!! Their loyalty means the world to me.

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Written by Shena Zellars