The Famuan

Issue date: 2/27/08 Section: Lifestyles

Media Credit: Chris Cotton Celebrities Hair Design is one black-owned business to be featured in The Famuan's series of profiles.

Florida A&M University alumna and former shampoo girl-turned-entrepreneur Trenice Seniors has come a long way to become the owner of Celebrities hair salon.

Seniors started doing hair in her hometown before coming to Tallahassee to attend FAMU. She credits Martin "Chip" Crew, former stylist in Miami, for shaping and molding her career in cosmetology.

"He took me under his wings and guided me," she said.

Seniors started to take in the skills she learned from her mentor when she arrived in Tallahassee and majored in business.

"I started to do hair non-professionally in Miami, and then when I came to FAMU I decided to take up the trade to earn extra money," she said.

Seniors worked in the building Celebrities now occupies as a stylist. When the building went under new management she along with her husband saw the opportunity to form their own business.

"FAMU's business program equipped me for the corporate world. The success of Celebrities was founded on trail and error," Seniors said. "As the years passed, new technology evolved. I had to understand what would work for my business such as renting booths or paying salary plus commission."

Seniors said she is aware of the hardships most business owners face and continues to stay humble with her success. Skills she did not learn in the classroom were gained over time.

"One of the biggest challenges that I had to endure was not understanding the business very well," Seniors said. "I had to identify how to decrease employee turnover, maintain a committed staff and make a worthy profit in each chair."

Some customers have been coming to Celebrities for years.

"I have been coming here for over 15 years now, and I love it here because of the professionalism that I receive from the ladies," said Sharon Berrian, director of public affairs for Florida League of Cities. "Celebrities is like a family, and that's why I choose to bring my daughters Jennifer and Jordyn here to get their hair done as well."

Seniors is optimistic of what the future may bring for her company.

"I would like to see Celebrities be self-sufficient," she said. "If I am not here, I would want the business to continue to run. I want to put out a plan so there can be Celebrities franchises."

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