We had the good fortune of connecting with Darreca Leftridge and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Darreca, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?

As a consumer, I noticed that a large portion of my yearly hair expenses was spent on hair extensions. I struggled to find quality products for a price that makes sense for my actual budget. I realized that I was spending $500-$1k a month on this habit. Which led me to think that I could just find the quality hair from the source myself, and for a better price, then I could save money as well as solve a problem. Then Virgin Mary Hair Boutique was born. I believe the best businesses are those that include interests that you are already passionate about.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I spent the last 10 years working on Virgin Mary Hair Boutique. I started first with years of testing, product research and customer reviews to ensure I had a great product. Providing the highest quality product is and always has been my 1st priority. So finding quality products without being able to physically travel to the location, has proven to be very hard. But after being persistent in my research and investing $15k, I finally found the special sauce. I learned about Raw hair and was able to find reliable companies to partner with that I could count on. Even though parts of business might take longer than you expected or cost more than you planned, stay motivated. The end goal is so worth it!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
My favorite place to take people when they come to visit me in San Diego is Coronado. It is always gorgeous and clean there, they have amazing restaurants and my favorite beach. I would also find a day to watch a baseball game from a Rooftop bar downtown. A trip to the winery to enjoy some amazing California wine and then hit the casino is also a great day of adventure. I would also take them to Sunset Ciffs to watch the sunset and relax on the last night in town.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My mom definitely gets credit for me being who I am. I am her in personality, spirit and in the physical as well. Anything I do or don’t do is because of her. She shows me the value of working and also is a constant reminder of why I want to be successful. I want nothing more than to be able to finance her first business as a gift to her. My successes is driven by my want to succeed for my family.

Website: Virginmaryhairboutique.com

Instagram: @Virginmaryhairboutique

Image Credits
Ebony Temple Photography

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