“The revolution is a grassroots movement and that’s what is amazing about it.”
When a curly hair rant session over cocktails started evolving into a potential business opportunity for something niche and necessary, NaturallyCurly co-founder Michelle Breyer was all in.
With a full-time job, a young daughter, health scares and little to no experience about starting a company from the ground up, one might argue that our headstrong leader have bitten off more than she can chew. Enlisting the help of a 14-year-old family friend as NC’s first graphic designer along with a small handful of advertisers willing to financial support online content, throwing in the towel never became an option. And decades later, we finally have Breyer’s book, The Curl Revolution, to map out the platform’s most significant landmarks.
Let’s face it: Michelle Breyer is a pioneer and a living legend in the world of curly hair.
Yesterday I got the chance to head to Washington, D.C. where I sat in the crowd of a beautiful crowd of curlies ranging from all ages, races, and professional backgrounds who had come to see the Michelle Breyer in the flesh. Wafaya of Oasis Salon in Rockville, Md. was so gracious to host Michelle and NaturallyCurly as she discussed the pain points which led her to start the largest online community dedicated to people with textured hair.
Building a curly hair community: it’s a grassroots effort
From product recommendations to regimen building, Michelle was sure to note the impact that CurlTalk, an online support group for curlies of all patterns hosted by NaturallyCurly, has had on the growth of the natural hair movement. “The revolution is a grassroots movement and that’s what is amazing about it.”
Michelle’s speech discussing her inspiration behind making the popular website (and now book”> was followed by a series of questions from the crowd. Oasis Salon owner Wafaya and Moisture Salon’s Ron were also gracious enough to join the conersation.
The final, burning question of the night? “Michelle, what do you use to achieve such beautiful curls?”
“Honestly, I always like to try new things — and it’s part of my job!” she boasted. “On any given day I probably have 3 to 5 products on my head.”
Are you part of The Curl Revolution?
If you are reading this, of course you are! Get a copy of Michelle Breyer’s book, The Curl Revolution, here.
We want to give a special thanks to our sponsors As I Am, Aunt Jackie’s, Coconut Restore, Curlformers, DevaCurl, Paul Mitchell and Ouidad for their continued support. Follow #TheCurlRevolution on social media for more upcoming book tour stops.
Join us
We’re going to be hitting the road to listen to your stories, chat about your curl journeys and revelations, and Michelle is going to sign your book! Stay ahead of the curl by keeping up with the book signing events.
- New York City – October 19
- San Francisco – October 29
- Ft. Lauderdale – November 2
- Atlanta – Nov 5
- Boston – Nov 6
- Los Angeles – Nov 11
- Toronto – Nov 15
- Baltimore – Dec 2
Photos courtesy of Roma Vista Photography
