Empowering Beauty: Inside Kaijah Wilson’s Entrepreneurial Journey from Chicago to Houston and Atlanta

In the bustling world of beauty retail, Kaijah Wilson stands out as a beacon of empowerment and innovation. As the owner of Beauty Vault, a renowned beauty business in Chicago, Kaijah has established herself as a visionary entrepreneur dedicated to not only providing luxurious products but also uplifting the communities she serves. With a commitment to employing local women and offering personalized shopping experiences, Kaijah has garnered attention for her unique approach to beauty supply.

Now, she is embarking on an exciting new chapter, expanding her entrepreneurial footprint to Houston and Atlanta. In this exclusive interview, we get an inside look into Kaijah’s journey, her upcoming ventures, and her unwavering dedication to making a positive impact on both the business and educational fronts.

Tell us about your journey from owning Beauty Vault in Chicago to opening the largest black-owned beauty supply store in Houston, Texas.

Honestly, the journey was a hard and challenging experience. I would say it took a lot of dedication, hard work, and just not giving up because I knew after a lot of no’s, there would eventually come to a lot of yes.

What inspired you to expand your business to Houston and Atlanta, and what do you hope to achieve with these new locations?

I felt like the people and cultures of both states were different. I believe you get more appreciation for black businesses when you are down south honestly. I have yet to see what I’ve been doing anywhere. Although I do see a lot of black-owned beauty supply businesses, I don’t see my concept being done.

In what ways does your approach to running a beauty supply store differ from traditional models, and how do you prioritize providing a luxury experience for your customers?

I provide a luxury experience and it’s easy to do, just because it’s necessary in the beauty industry. It’s what comes with beauty luxury experiences, and no matter how big or how small, how high or how low it is, you need that luxury of assistance. When shopping for your beauty products, the approach should come naturally, and it’s different because most people who own beauty supplies don’t know the product, so we made it very simple for our customers.

How do you ensure that your stores remain connected to and supportive of the local communities they serve?

To stay connected to the community, we’re always doing something for holidays and we host back-to-school drives. It’s important that we let the community know that the money they spend with us doesn’t just go into our store, it also goes back into the community. We also do giveaways, and we are always offering something complimentary in our store for our customers, just to show our appreciation because without them, we would be nothing.

Your commitment to employing women from the local community is commendable. Can you elaborate on the importance of creating job opportunities within the communities your stores operate in?

I feel very strongly about employing and creating jobs within the community, because who better to know the community that they’re serving than someone who lives in it? Who better to connect with those individuals than someone who experienced the same day-to-day things they do, and who can bond with them during the shopping experience?

What’s up next for you?

Continuing my journey and beauty businesses, making my daycare business a franchise, releasing my first E-book, traveling off my books, serving each community that we enter, and making this a franchise enterprise.