Renowned hair stylist and author, Kiyah Wright, ventures beyond the realm of beauty in her latest book. From Beauty to Business is a valuable guide for individuals across all industries.
Empowered by textured hair since age 14, Wright’s journey as a hair stylist and beauty authority has been remarkable. Rising to the top in an industry she wasn’t born into, her inspiring “from hood to Hollywood” tale began on the East coast when she relocated to New York to pursue hairstyling in the music industry. Drawing from her experiences from the outset to the present, she presents a 7-step guide to business success.
Wright’s clientele developed alongside P. Diddy, and landed her on tour with Faith Evans for 15 years. With hands in the hair of the rich and famous—Mary J. Blidge, Maya, Lil’ Kim—she gained traction in New York before relocating to Los Angeles in 2001. On set with television personality Tyra Banks, she discovered the other side of her career as a hairstylist, hired to work on America’s Next Top Model and the Tyra Banks Show. Wright quickly booked her schedule, leaving no time other than to work with celebrities.
She became popular for her quick and effective beauty solutions through wigs, and her high-profile clients have held her work in high regard. Her expertise extends to editorial shoots, in-salon services, and on-set assignments. “I can do editorial hair, high-fashion hair, sleek hair, wigs, and cutting,” Wright said. “I’m a pro at hair cutting, pixie styles, weaves, I’m a very well-versed hairstylist.”
Amid her busy schedule with celebrities, Kiyah allocated time to focus on expanding her product line and shifted her attention exclusively to serving celebrity clients, including appointments with stars like Ciara. However, she eventually returned to the salon to cater to everyday businesswomen, from doctors and lawyers to executives, building a clientele that exemplifies nothing short of success. “I’m not cheap,” she said. Wright’s salon, MuzeHair, located in Beverly Hills, provides her with a career environment steeped in prominence. “From beauty pro to beauty authority, I provide services for everyday women who don’t mind investing in themselves.”
Wright is a beauty maven primed to educate hair stylists and other professionals about the business of beauty. “We, as beauty pros, make a lot of money,” she said. “But, we’re just [now] learning how to invest in ourselves.” According to Wright, products account for 40 percent of hair stylists income. She says clients should be able to leave the salon with a product—hairspray, leave-in conditioner, wig glue—before leaving the salon. This is what drove Wright to expand her product line, MuzeHair. By offering products for sale, stylists can diversify their portfolios.
The impetus behind Wright’s new book, From Beauty to Business, stemmed from selling her own products and employing other similar business-minded strategies. In the hair industry now, she sees that hair stylists often maintain a niche focus with unprofessional expectations. Her aim is to educate not only students but also new and seasoned hairstylists, on how to enhance their businesses through a comprehensive 300-page guide. The contents aren’t limited to just beauty professionals either—it offers valuable information on financial literacy that might be unfamiliar to many.
Throughout the process of writing From Beauty to Business, she was allowed the time to look back on her career, accomplishments, and to redistribute the resources she has collected along the way. “You have to pay for access,” she says of businesses on social media. “You have to boost, you have to sell and market yourself and you always need one more trick in your hat.” Her book is the extra trick you need to run, build, and grow your business. Getting started can be challenging, and even if you’ve already begun, the book serves as a valuable reminder of how to efficiently manage your business, no matter where you are in your journey.
Among the best advice she’s ever received on how to interact with success—“Observe the room so you can understand your place”—is just a sneak peek to the key information she offers in remaining on track to success.
Wright uses QR codes in the book for an easy solution to beauty pros with the most booked schedules. Listen to the From Beauty to Business guide on Audible for business advice on the go.