Teen starts own hair salon

At nine years old, Brianna Levein’s interest in doing hairstyles kept her glued to her mother as she braided clients’ hair.

Now, just weeks after graduating from St Catherine High School, the 17-year-old has opened her own salon, determined to create a different future for herself while learning from the sacrifices and struggles her mother endured.

“When I was in primary school I used to watch my mother do hair. I was just curious about doing it and I loved how it looked neat when she finished,” said Brianna.

“When I got a little bigger, at about 11 years old, my aunty started making me comb her hair. I started out learning to do different styles and getting the parts equal.”

Her skills developed even more when the pandemic brought an increase in clients for her mother.

“My mom started to ask me to help her plait out braids whenever she got clients, so I got more practice in braiding,” she explained.

“Doing it every day, mi just start to love it. It was never something I saw myself doing professionally, but when I started getting clients and see how people love their hair when I finished, it felt good.”

Encouraged by the response from customers, Brianna started posting her work on TikTok.

“Each time I posted, the videos went viral. That’s when I decided to take it serious. I got better and better, not at only braiding, but also installing wigs.”

She credits much of her confidence to her mother who always motivates and encourages whatever she does.

“She support me and guide me all the time in making the right decisions.”

While building her clientele, Brianna was also focused on completing high school.

“I sat eight CSEC, mi just nuh sure bout two,” she said with a laugh.

“I felt really good that I completed high school because it was a journey, but I was really focused on opening my salon. During graduation time, all inna mi mind is getting everything ready to open the salon because graduation is peak time for business.”

Instead of heading straight into sixth form, she decided to invest in the opportunity she had already begun creating for herself.

For Brianna’s mother, Savena Thompson, watching her daughter build a business has healed wounds from her own past.

“She’s my first child and I got her at a young age. When I got pregnant with her mi did shame because the people in my community bring mi down. Now looking at the young woman she has turned out to be, tears run out a mi eye,” said Thompson.

Thompson admitted that she initially wanted Brianna to pursue studies overseas, but she eventually embraced her daughter’s decision. The family helped her establish her business, Pink Palace Beauty Salon.

“She saved her money and I told her to find the place and I will help her. She didn’t waste any time. She found a location in Old Harbour and I rented it in my name because she not yet of age. Equipment and everything else, her aunties (doing the paperwork) and uncle (adding the manpower) come through.”

Brianna said that there are still plans of going back to school, but the plan for now is to pursue cosmetology.

Business has been better than she imagined, and though it means late nights and early mornings, she doesn’t mind.

“I have got used to the long standing and the hours, so I’m not really bothered. If you love what you do, it’s never hard. You just have to have patience and be polite with the clients,” she said.

For her aunt, Davena Perry, Brianna’s success has been years in the making, as when she was just nine years old, she wanted to do her hair.

“I always let her do it because I could see how much she loved it. She would spend hours watching YouTube tutorials and then come practise the styles on me. Even when they weren’t perfect, I would still wear them and encourage her,” he said.