The days that junior business administration major Shakayla Robinson spends as a student at the FAMU School of Business and Industry are also spent scheduling appointments, gathering materials and marketing her small business. Robinson is an entrepreneur with her own hair styling business, Touched by Shakay.
Robinson provides “different unique hairstyles to all different textures of hair. These hairstyles consist of braids, hair dying, extensions and weaving,” she said.
Robinson has experience with freelance business opportunities, as she did makeup in her hometown of Fort Pierce. The decision to go from makeup to hair, however, came from her clientele.
“Back home, I’m known for doing makeup, so I thought I was coming to Tallahassee [and] only doing makeup. However, [Tallahassee] had other plans. One, single female asked me to do her hair and boom, people started to ask me to do their hair like wildfires. So, my business idea came from the love of my clients,” she explained.
Since then, her business has flourished. She has more than 3,000 followers on the business’ Instagram account @TouchedByShakay, which she uses to showcase her work. Robinson has clients from FAMU, Florida State University, Tallahassee Community College and several local high schools queued for appointments.
Dreanna Neal, one of Robinson’s classmates at SBI, has personally experienced Robinson’s passion for her business and clients.
“She not only has a way with hair, but she also has a way with people. She’s really social and friendly so just sitting in on an appointment means you’re bound to end up in conversation with her even if you’re not the one getting your hair done. Even when she’s posting her work on Instagram, you can hear her in the background hyping up her clients. She just has a really positive energy in the classroom and outside of it,” Neal said.
Despite her activities outside of the classroom, Robinson is a dedicated business student. Regardless of her business’ substantial social media following, Robinson does not allow herself to be on her phone while doing her homework.
“The girl is focused at school,” Neal said. “If I call or text her after she’s done with classes and she doesn’t answer at all, I know she’s doing her homework or an assignment.”
It is this discipline and focus that allows Robinson to be successful as a student and an entrepreneur.
“I’m not perfect … but I love what I do,” Robinson said.