off the matte
with niki montgomery
Every now and then I meet people one day and then instantly become friends. No warmup period, legit friends-Niki is in that group. I met Niki in the summer of 2021 for an event that I crashed with mutual gal pal, Dr. Shara Posner. Shara said, “here, you need to know her” (or something like that) and the rest is history. Since meeting, I have been blown away with her generosity, business acumen, her ability to “make it work” and of course, her coolness. #mattemuse
-TB
TB: You own a multicultural salon in a predominantly white neighborhood. What is the history behind your business and future plans to influence your community?
NM: My grandparents came to Alexandria in the 60s. Our family spent weekends in Old Town, I attended St. Mary's, and my mom worked in the office building right across from City Hall. I remember walking from St. Mary's to the town square to take our class pictures. While minority presence in Old Town was minimal I always felt at home. The city has so much to offer and it pained me that there weren't many black owned businesses or service-based businesses that met the needs of non-white consumers. When my cousin and I decided to go into business we knew that Old Town was where we both wanted and needed to be. With several salons in the area, there weren't any in Old Town that provided services for women with textured hair.
Our future plans include exponential growth! I believe Hazel O. is the first of many bridges that we're building. The support from our clients and community is immense and the impact monumental. We want to continue to create opportunities for the community through experiential services that bring people together.
TB: You’re also a Mompreneur. What’s your simplified advice for women to conquer it all at work and home simultaneously?
NM: Never make balance the goal. There will be seasons where your children need you more than your business, and likewise seasons where your business will need you more than your children. This seems like a hard pill to swallow because there are no days off in motherhood. Our goal as mompreneurs should be to PRIORITIZE. How do we determine what to prioritize? We prioritize whatever will put our families in the best position to thrive at the moment. Sometimes that looks like missing a field trip to invest time in something that will scale the business. Other times it looks like taking a few hours off to hang out with a child who needs some extra TLC.
TB: If you could only wear one makeup product, what would it be?
NM: Red Lipstick - preferably Ruby Woo by MAC
TB: Describe your perfect summer day.
NM: On the beach in St. John with a book.
TB: Guilty pleasure (that you indulge in often)?
NM:Ice cream. I hate that I love it. My grandfather always kept ice cream at their house and he believed we all should have a little every night before bed. Now I'm an ice cream connoisseur.
TB: Ultimate self-care ritual?
NM: Alone time. As a mom and entrepreneur I'm always interacting with people. Alone time - in my car, at a coffee shop, at the spa - gives me time to refuel and take an assessment of my needs.
TB: How many days a week do you prioritize fitness?
NM: I workout 3-4 days a week but I am mindful of my health and wellness daily - if I'm not working out I'm making sure I have a plan for my next workout.
TB: When you were 10, where or who did you’d think you’d be by now
NM: When I was ten I was in a program for talented and gifted children and my only goal was to continue to get straight A's lol. But I always imagined being all the things because I could never decide on one - I wanted to be a doctor, lawyer, and CEO. I guess that's why entrepreneurship suited me because it gave me the opportunity to delve into different fields without being pinned down to one.
