Black Blogger Month: Curly Nikki, The Hair Apparent

• Blog: CurlyNikki.com
• Niche: Natural Hair Care
• Founder: Nikki Walton
• Twitter: @CurlyNikki

While European standards of beauty tend to dominate the scalps of many women of color, there are just as many who embrace their natural tresses. That’s where St. Louis native Nikki Walton comes in. Three years ago the licensed psychotherapist launched CurlyNikki.com, one of the Web’s most comprehensive resources for all things related to natural hair care and maintenance. Over the years, the site has built a loyal and massive fan base that includes millions of women who rely on Walton’s personal journey, advice and perspective.

It’s not just everyday women who have taken note of Curly Nikki as Walton has been featured on The Tyra Banks Show and its website, as well as national media outlets ranging from The New York Times, USA Today and Huffington Post to Ebony, Essence, and Black Hair Magazine. Expanding her brand even further, the 28-year-old hair guru signed a deal with Harper Collins to co-author a definitive natural hair care guide with Ernessa Carter that’s due out in early 2013. As part of Black Blogger Month, BlackEnterprise.com catches up with Curly Nikki to untangle the secrets of her digital success.

I started blogging because…

Natural hair became a passion. I was spending more time researching hair than I was studying for grad school. I also became intrigued by the reaction I received from family and friends when I first stopped straightening. It was hard enough mentally transitioning on my own, let alone dealing with the hang ups of those around me.

I realized that for most newly natural women, the only safe haven and source of support was online. I frequented forums such as NaturallyCurly.  I loved the friendly atmosphere and thorough info. The women there quickly embraced me, taught me lots, and soon came to anticipate and respect my advice and reviews. I was asked by many to start a blog, and after initial reservations, I took the plunge.  As they say, “If you build it, they will come.” Three years later, what started off as a $10 investment in a hobby, has blossomed into a profitable career.

CurlyNikki.com is unique because…

It’s an online hair therapy session. It goes beyond natural hair care information and takes the next step to help women examine the psychology behind what most assume is just a physical transition.  It acts as a platform for community members and my fellow bloggers to share their thoughts and opinions. We discuss everything from Kanye West to baby poop. My daughter, Gia, aka Boogie, has become a mainstay on the site as well. No other natural hair blog has Boogie! [Laughs].

Some of the more popular features have been the frequent giveaways, the free mobile app, the Curly Caregivers Book Scholarship and my musings. My voice is unique and I share a lot about my life–and not just the good. Also, I’ve conducted approximately 80 interviews with what I call natural hair celebrities. The reality is that nowhere else on the internet, in a magazine, or on TV, can you get that many real sisters sharing their real hair stories. With that said, it also happens to be the most comprehensive source for natural hair care information on the Web.

People trust my brand because…

Although there is ad space for sale, my endorsement is not.  I give real, unbiased reviews of products and hair practices. I’ve been doing this for three years and my readers have come to expect a certain quality of content and service and I make it my top priority to provide just that.  Also, the brand is not some anonymous drone. It’s me–my face, my experiences, my voice.

The biggest misconception about Black hair is it’s…

“…tougher than Nigerian hair.” [That’s] a line made famous by Young Money philosopher [Lil Wayne]. I love Wayne as much as the next person but in this case, nothing could be further from the truth. People believe that due to its appearance, our hair is rough, hard and invincible. Sadly, this belief leads some to handle their hair in a less than gentle manner, which leads to yet another common misconception… that our hair doesn’t grow. Yes, our natural hair can be stingy when it comes to showing length, but it does grow .5 inches a month just like everybody else. All it takes is TLC and a little patience.

The one hairstyle I regretted was…

Wash and gos. For me, they caused excessive tangling and single strand knots. Today, I opt for stretched styles like twist-n-curls and twist-outs.

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I love my hair natural because…

It’s seriously just a manifestation of what’s inside of me. My inner diva came out with an attitude and landed on top of my head. She’s almost like that crazy best friend that’s good to have around. I love that she is unlike anyone else. I like that on her best days she will block views and draw stares. She’s sexy and chic and quite honestly, she sometimes says things for me which leave me not having to say it myself. She’s my best accessory! 

Many women of color believe straight hair is better because…

We live in a world where straight hair is Queen. It’s the standard. It’s all we saw growing up, on TV, in magazines [was]

straight, long, flowing, silky, shiny, “desirable” hair.  Meanwhile, many of us have hair that is naturally the opposite–coily and curly; shrinks up to mask length; and is more cottony than silky. Even a blind man could see what a lifetime of these images could do to a person.  And while there are some that would argue that they just prefer straight hair–for manageability or “it just looks better”–I can say that I’ve yet to see a naturally curly woman look better with straight hair. Now make sure you let the record reflect that I’m all for diversity and switching it up; I think straight hair is lovely but I just hope that [women of color] can feel as sexy, if not more, with our fros as we do with our hair straight.

None of my success would be possible if not for…

My work ethic. Because of the sheer volume of content on the blog, people think that I have a 30-person staff. When in actuality, I’m on my computer 24/7–writing, editing, watching the forum, working with other bloggers, responding to emails, moderating comments, talking with brands, social networking… it’s a lot to juggle. Without my passion, meticulously structured days and incredibly supportive husband, I would be unable to take on this huge responsibility.

In business you should never be afraid to…

Take risks. Enter into mutually beneficial partnerships. There is always someone that does some aspect of your business better than you can. Whenever you’re scared to take risks, remember your first obligation is to do whatever is necessary to provide the best experience for your readers.

Anyone who wants to follow in my footsteps should…

Always be mindful of why you started the blog in the first place, and who your reader is.  I try to remember back to

my early natural days and pose and respond to the questions that would’ve helped me then. Also, focus on providing a quality service. Your consumers are just as smart as you are. They’ll pick the best product–the one that provides the most value for the least cost. It’s no different than any other business.

What’s become clear to me over the years is that most people discount the value of service and won’t focus on it no matter what you say to them.  This is probably because their heart is in the wrong place to begin with. Certainly this is a mistake because you can’t build a magnificent structure on a poor foundation.

If I weren’t blogging I would be…

Practicing therapy with more regular hours and of course spending tons of time with the fam. Most people don’t understand that a lifestyle blog is a personal sacrifice. For example, most bloggers take off in late December for the holidays. Of course this is expected, but that’s also when the readers are on vacation, wine in hand and most attentive. I don’t take off, in fact, last year, I blogged more during that time.  I hope people appreciate that. Every day you spend thinking about the next article, the next picture, the next story. It’s difficult to live in the moment. So if anything, if I wasn’t in the digital space, I hope I’d be engaging in something that allowed me to really enjoy the present.

Be sure to check out the rest of the digital thought leaders as they’re revealed each day by logging on to BlackEnterprise.com/BlackBloggerMonth.