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In the month of January, Nia Pettitt opened the doors of The Curl Bar, the salon for curly hair located in London. Nia's idea for the salon wasn't only about making people feel attractive, but providing an environment for each client to feel loved and appreciated.

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

The idea of opening a salon for curly hair was a longtime dream of Nia's. "I often traveled to America for my hair to be done because it was always a challenge to find a salon in London, let alone the UK," she says. "I wanted to create something that felt safe, calming, and also represented visually what I wanted as a young girl." People responded to her vision. When the books opened at The Curl Bar, appointments quickly filled up.

"Your life changes as you begin to establish an enterprise. Check if you're prepared for the change." Nia advises aspiring business owners. No one could have predicted how much change would soon arrive for Nia and the Curl Bar: Only three months following its launch, the restaurant had to shut down for a time due to the COVID-19 shut downs in the UK. But even an indefinite pause in operation didn't stop Nia from moving down.

"I had no formula to expand the business and certainly not in the event of a outbreak," she says. "I just take each moment as a lesson to be learned from." As The Curl Bar was closed, Nia shifted her focus online, connecting with her stylists as well as her followers online until the salon was able to safely reopen.