Mane Hook-Up

We’re going to San Francisco! 🚀 Mane Hook-Up has been selected as a participant in the: 1000 Black Voices Trade Mission 2024! 🎉 This is a huge milestone for us. Joining this amazing accelerator will: 1. Connect us with global investors, mentors, and industry leaders. 2. Help us scale our brand in the US (relaunching soon) 3. Amplify our mission of empowering the #blackhair care community. It’s all about building strategic partnerships and… Gaining the resources we need to take Mane Hook-Up to the next level. Super excited 😊 Stay tuned for all the exciting details later! P.S. If you’re in San Francisco in the last week of October, let me know so we can meet up!

There is nothing better than having new team members join, especially when they’re as passionate as you are 🤗   Meet Cataanda James, celebrity stylist, product developer and educational specialist, licensed trichologist who is joining as our Advisor, Head of Education and Community. Cataanda has 30+ years of experience in the textured hair industry and has styled the likes of Ne-Yo, Terrence Howard, Tatyana Ali, and Tina Lifford as well as working with major beauty brands in product development, marketing, and education, such as L’Oreal, Carol's Daughter, Dark & Lovely, The Mane Choice, OurX Hair, Luster and MAC. Here’s what she had to say about Mane Hook-Up! 💇🏾♀️𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐞 𝐇𝐨𝐨𝐤-𝐔𝐩? I’m not only a curly girl but also a hairstylist who's deeply passionate about textured hair and supporting our community. As an advisor, sharing my expertise enables me to fulfil my mission as a seasoned beauty professional by uplifting/educating both clients and stylists. Mane Hook-Up addresses the critical issue of representation within the beauty industry, particularly as Black women, arguably the largest consumers of beauty services, are often underserved by mainstream platforms that overlook their need for quality education, providers, and services. ✨ 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐰𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐟𝐫𝐨/𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐥𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐫 𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐲? We can change the game for the afro and curly hair industry by fostering stronger connections between quality hair care providers and consumers. The key to closing the gap lies in linking talented, knowledgeable stylists with their niche clientele. Mane Hook-Up offers a solution by bridging these gaps—connecting stylists and clients worldwide while providing essential education for both. By uniting a global community of textured hair enthusiasts, Mane Hook-Up has the potential to revolutionize the afro and curly hair industry for the better. 🎓 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐨 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐱𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐫 𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐲? Education is crucial in the textured hair industry because of the variety of curl patterns and textures. No two curls are the same, and each hair type has unique characteristics and personality. While the Andre Walker system helps categorize curl patterns, people within each category often experience subtle nuances in their hair. That's why hands-on experience with a diverse range of afro + curly textures is essential for stylists. The more exposure a stylist has to various textures, the more well-rounded they become. For people, learning about your own hair is key. Experimenting with a range of styles, techniques, and products will help you become an expert in your hair, boosting your confidence in styling at home + increasing your chances of finding a stylist who truly understands your specific hair type. A huge thank you to Cataanda for joining the team and for all of her commitment so far! 

We have a new team member at Mane Hook-Up 🔥🙌🏾 Introducing Nicola Gunby, our new Strategic Advisor. Nicola is a 2x Founder who built (and sold) her beauty tech platform, MY REV, in 2022. As an ex-make-up artist, Nicola knows the ins and outs of the beauty industry and has seen firsthand how many women of colour struggle to find the right stylist. That said, we're super excited to have her onboard! Here's what Nicola had to say about Mane Hook-Up & and some of her words of wisdom for first-time Founders. 💛 Why are you a champion of Mane Hook-Up? When I met Jade, I knew I had an instant connection to what she was building, not just as it is very similar to what I had built before, but I knew it was a problem that still hadn’t been solved. I’m an exited founder of a marketplace for freelance beauty professionals. We scaled from an idea from my personal problem (being a makeup artist living in Australia and struggling to get any work) to an acquisition in 3 years. I have seen all of the issues that beauty professionals face, from being one myself to being the founder of a platform that changed people's businesses. Whilst I was running this I saw first-hand the struggles that black women faced when it came to getting their hair done, or on the other hand looking for services. No one has tackled this correctly, so I’m so excited to join as an advisor and go on this journey with Jade. 💇🏾♀️ How do you think we can change the game for the afro/curly hair industry? There needs to be a dedicated platform for this, one where women can feel safe and heard. I believe this will be Jades and we can really make a dent in this issue that has been around for a long time. Everybody has everything at their fingertips now, food, dates, services so why can’t it be the same for this industry? The beauty industry is outdated, with a few key players in the space that aren’t doing anything to solve this problem – this is why I’m excited as Jade is a disruptor! ✨ What’s your top tip for first-time founders? Jump and the net will follow! The best things happen when you go for it, regardless if it is a ‘failure’ or not. Every failure is also a lesson and can be turned into a positive, you have to go through these to grow. So go for it – what’s the worst that can happen?! Welcome to the team, Nicola! We're lucky to have you 🙏🏾