At various points in life, something deep within you pushes you towards a goal that seems impossible to reach. Learning to silence the negative thoughts and pursue that goal is a skill that very few have developed in their lifetime. One exception to this rule is Princess Deshong, founder of GlamBar Salon. Ever since her primary school days, she knew that she wanted to own a hair salon. Today, her achievements speak for themselves, and at such a young age, it really brings into perspective how great of a feat she has achieved so far.
When asked “Who is Princess?” She responds in her own words:
“I’d say Princess is a very hardworking and determined young woman. She is very headstrong and doesn’t give up easily. On a more personal side she struggles to be vulnerable. She’s very authentic and passionate, so what you see is what you get.
“I’ve always been very competitive growing up; track and field, class competitions… anytime there were competitions in class, I’d thrive on that.”
What did your athletic side teach you early on?
“You always have to give your best. Being a sprinter is how I learned that doing your best isn’t always giving 100% because you don’t always feel 100%. At training, you’d say “omg I have to do my best” and that day you only feel 40% (lol) so I’m going to give my best which is 40%, and not judge myself just because on other days I was able to do better.
“In school my focus was passing… but I would always comb people’s hair, putting eyeliner and so on (lol). Teachers would ask why I’d get to school at 10 o’clock– it’s because my hair didn’t turn out the way I wanted it to in the morning so I’m coming once it’s ready… and for me I had to get it right. One time I tried a bang but I cut it too short for my liking, that day I cried and stayed home because I didn’t get the look I was going for.”
So beauty for yourself and others has always been a thing for you… what happened next?
“After secondary school, I studied business management with Penn Foster Online. Still at that time I didn’t know that I’d open a business so soon. I just felt that in my spirit it was the right move to make when I was going through the courses. For the first 2 years after leaving school, it was difficult for me to get a steady job, so I started building my brand at the age of 19.”
What steps did you take next to build your brand?
“I rented a station in Castries for $500/month with 0 clients and a vision– big risk! But back then I had a lot of faith in my abilities, and I still do. There were definitely times where I thought that this would be too much, like what am I doing? (lol). But I pushed a lot and it worked out. I was able to do influencers’ hair for free, promoting myself online, putting my business cards on windshields. One time I walked around doing a lucky dip, where participants could get a percentage off on my services if they paid $5 to enter. Nobody came, but they contributed anyway, maybe they felt sorry for me (lol).”
“Every time I talk about this it gets me a bit emotional. In my savings, I only had 3 months’ worth of rent, during that time I was paying out of pocket because I wasn’t really making money. On the last day, I was missing $150 which I had to make on my own. That morning, I prayed and told God that I needed $150 to pay my rent. Since I was just starting off, my services were cheap (around $30) so I had to do lots of work to make the money. I went in around midday and each client that came by I was like “God, thank you”. By 6pm, I made EXACTLY $150, not more, not less. I went aside and I cried.
“After that, business just started picking up. I had a 5-year plan to take my business to Rodney Bay. Within the first year and a half, I was able to do that during Covid-19 when a lot of businesses were closing down and people were saying I shouldn’t do it. I also planned a service and clients list, all of which has manifested (including doing Shenseea’s hair when she visited Saint Lucia). But every time I felt the doubt, I went on my knees and prayed about it to get that reassurance. I always thought that I should at least try. I can say that it’s the best decision I’ve made for my business.”
Fast forward to today, GlamBar is known for providing the most natural looking hair lines with wig installations, for lace frontal installations or sew-ins.
What is your strategy for standing out in a crowded market?
“It was so crowded when I started, and that’s what made me grow differently to others who were there for a long time… when I observed the market, not many people were doing lace frontal installations– but it was very big in the U.S. Knowing that in St. Lucia we’re usually a little bit behind time on these trends, I figured if I started doing it at that time, by the time it catches on here I’d be one of the more experienced ones doing it.
“Initially I’d charge about $40 to install a wig because I was basically practising on customers to fine tune my skill, but now an install is almost $300. I had to be patient, but I knew that that specific service would grow into something big locally. I never did the typical stuff like relaxers or braids, it just wasn’t profitable in the long run. One style I always turn down now is big edges. Simply because they don’t look natural and the look doesn’t fit my brand’s image. Some customers would see that and actually gain a greater respect for me because I’m not just doing styles to make money, but instead for what I believe works.
“And anything that wasn’t being done in the market, I wanted to do it- to fill the gap. In the beginning, it was so difficult for me to learn from someone who wasn’t doing those things. So now, I offer to teach others so that they can get certified in what they do.”
In a market that can be so crowded, it doesn’t help when you follow the crowd.
“Right, you really have to try to create your own lane, but remember to do it at your own pace because at the end of the day it’s still yours. It’s better to focus on your craft and not what others are doing because you could be using that energy to push yourself further.”
Tell us about your 1 on 1 classes…
“It sprouted from when I just started, even though I knew I couldn’t teach just yet because I was still learning. I really wanted to learn from hairstylists, who were already established but they were all very hush-hush about everything they did. The thing is, we’re in an age of technology where you can find all of that information online. After I did my research and found my style, business just started escalating and more people started coming to the point where I couldn’t handle that many clients (lol)… which is when I started my 1 on 1 classes. Just last year in December (2022), I did my first masterclass at Harbor Club.
“I started with the 1 on 1 classes because for one, people could learn my techniques as well, and two, it’s beneficial for my brand. It means that, if I’m skilled enough to teach something, I must be really good at it, right? I’ve never looked at it as me doing it all by myself and being alone at the top.”
What’s one important tip you’d give yourself when you were starting off?
“In business, when a negative thought comes along, try to combat it with something positive and uplifting. Feeding into it can cause you to procrastinate and doubt yourself. Being the first in my family to really do something, the negative self-talk was definitely a challenge for me early on.”
What are your plans for the future and how do you plan on achieving that?
My plans for the future are to go international with my brand. I’m going to let you all in on one thing… What’s really going to help me get to that level, coming from the Caribbean, is my new website design. It’s going to have an international look that will target that audience. It’s not about the services that I’m providing or even travelling to do work, it’s something different that I’m introducing to the brand.
With her self belief and an incredible body of work behind her, we wish Princess all the best with her future endeavours!
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Fun facts:
- Watch movies all day or listen to music all day?
- Listen to music
- Favourite colour and why?
- Black, because it symbolises power
- Biggest pet peeve?
- Big edges
