Former spa owner now the only Black woman franchisor in the permanent makeup industry

Kechia Taylor is a beauty entrepreneur with over 15 years of experience in the industry and the founder of Brows & Co. Microblading Academy. She started out as an esthetician in Maryland, where she operated two beauty spas. She is now a licensed permanent makeup artist with 15+ certifications in permanent makeup and special techniques, according to BOTWC.

What is more, she has become the go-to franchise for beauty professionals and trains people in micro-blading as well as provide a venue where students can build their beauty businesses in permanent makeup.

Taylor said she was inspired to venture into the permanent makeup industry because of how micro-blading was changing the lives of people who had cancer and alopecia. Also, because she had a background in oncology, it was easy for her to venture into the beauty industry.

Speaking on what inspired her to franchise her business, Taylor told BOTWC that Blacks have historically struggled to start their own business. Having created a proven business with systems, she asked herself, “why not help more people with an easier solution?”

She believes her model will inspire other Black entrepreneurs and give them the confidence to start their own beauty businesses with the support of someone who looks like them.

“Brows & Co. franchise model will help more Black women become franchise owners without a barrier to entry, such as having a million dollars in assets or half a million in cash to start. Also, as a franchisee, you avoid paying for ongoing education because it’s included. It’s a win-win for all of us,” she said.

Asked why it is essential for her to give back, Taylor said she wants to see the Black community win. According to her, she didn’t get the kind of mentorship when she started her beauty business which made her prone to basic mistakes like not having proper systems in place for financials, marketing, and organization. 

“Everything was trial and error, which led to poor business decisions. Luckily, I found help and was able to take my business to levels I didn’t know existed for my brand,” she told BOTWC. “I want to help more Black women dream bigger and become a part of a corporate brand. Being able to create jobs, hire amazing talent, have access to marketing, ad agencies, and CPAs like big companies and leave the hustle and grind lifestyle behind.”

At Brows & Co., three out of every five students open their Microblading PMU business in three months or less, per Taylor’s Linkedin page. Taylor envisions her brand to be all over the world in the next five years.