For many parents, monthly hair maintenance means having to take different trips to various salons to accommodate both the child’s and mom’s needs.
However, with the launch of her new family friendly hair salon, 24-year-old Shela Ledwaba hopes to put an end to that tedious routine.
Inspired by her own struggles with finding a convenient beauty routine for herself and her now three-year-old daughter, Amara, Ledwaba came up with the idea of building Amara and Friends.
“I liked getting glammed up with my daughter, and the inconvenience of having to book two appointments was just not working out for me. I needed a place that was convenient for moms and dads where they can relax and kids can feel celebrated; a space where every family feels at home. Amara and Friends was the solution to that,” she told Sowetan.
I liked getting glammed up with my daughter, and the inconvenience of having to book two appointments was just not working out for me.
— Shela Ledwaba, owner of Amara and Friends salon
Located in the heart of Bryanston, north of Joburg, the salon – which offers various services including braiding, relaxers, kiddies packages and even a barber shop – was well thought of to cater for both parents and children.
“A child’s attention span is not the same as an adult’s, so I’ve added things such as iPads, books and a vibrant play area where kids can play while they wait for their turn to be on the chair,” she said.
“We also chose colours that are inclusive to everyone, and even our brand colours are very playful. For parents, there are workspaces where they can get some work done while waiting or being braided,” she said.
While dealing with kids can be challenging, Ledwaba, who is also an economics student at Unisa, said she hired staff that is well-trained to care for children.
“What was most important for me was finding people that loved kids because we want them to be treated with the best care and for their hair needs to be met too because an adult’s scalp is different from a child’s, and that’s where intense training came in,” she said.
Coming from a small town in Limpopo, Ledwaba hopes to expand her business to the province in the near future.
“We don’t have such a service in my hometown, and I know the pain of growing up in an adult’s salon where the experience would not be nice. So, I believe families in my hometown would appreciate such a service.”
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