Today we’d like to introduce you to Indiya Drummond.
Hi Indiya, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I am from Alexandria, Virginia, born and raised! I have always had a passion for beauty. I got my cosmetology license in high school at the age of 17 and continued using my license in and out of hair salons until my sophomore year of college.
Going after my business degree, I started doing hair out of my dorm. I was known as the on-campus hairstylist who could do it all. I took 21 credits each semester my senior year while balancing a full-time internship and part-time night job at a local hotel.
Somehow, someway, I ran a successful hair business in-between the hours dedicated to my studies. When I graduated from Virginia State University in May of 2016, I received a job offer from UPS working in their small business sales department as an Account Manager (long story on how I got into logistics).
I accepted the offer (how crazy would it be to turn down my first job offer a month after graduation!?). I had 3 options: move to Phoenix AZ, Greenville, SC, or good ‘ole San Antonio Texas. Three places I had never visited, and I chose San Antonio Texas! My mom and I packed up my car and drove 26 hours making stops in Florida and Houston. We reached San Antonio and my mom showed me around and made sure I knew where my local hospital, police station, and pharmacy were.
I decided that hair was no longer my passion, I took my first permanent cosmetic class and became a certified eyelash technician. I started offering lash services PT inside of my apartment in my spare room. The business took OFF and started to bring in more income than my full-time job at UPS. With my mother and grandmother’s support, they purchased all of my equipment, and I quit my job to run my home-based beauty business full-time. The MINUTE I left my job and entered into entrepreneur life – life sped the hell up!
A week after quitting, I turned 24 and found out that I was pregnant… on my birthday. 3 weeks later, I was engaged to my daughter’s father… and 2 weeks after that my lovely, supportive, amazing, grandmother passed from breast cancer; it was very sudden and unexpected. It took me a long time and an emotional pregnancy to make it out of that cycle of depression and acceptance of moving on in life without her.
In November of 2018, my beautiful daughter London was born and my home-based beauty room was now a beautiful pink nursery. Naturally, I was forced to expand and lease my first commercial space to run my business. Fast forward to 2020, I went from 50 clients to over 1000, 3 employees, and 2 locations in 2 cities (I opened up the 2nd salon in Dallas in 2019-closed march 2020 as the pandemic started). I also separated from my fiancé and called off our engagement and took on the responsibility of not only my business but being a single mother.
Fast forward to 2021, my business went from small-time to big-time, I signed a 3-year retail commercial lease, and funded my own full complete build-out! I have over 1,500 sq ft, marble floors, 6 employees, and a plethora of loyal and amazing clients. In July of 2021, mom started to complain of a stomach ache, and a week later was diagnosed with stage 4 breast and liver cancer.
While my shop was under construction, I was flying back and forth to Virginia to visit with her, take her to her treatments and try my hardest to run my business without skipping a beat. October 2021, I lost my mommy to her cancer battle. I’ve been trying to keep it together ever since. I’ve been working through grief since I started my business, and although it’s done nothing but grow and flourish, I have had personal triumphs and tribulations.
I am working through grief with the loss of my grandmother and mommy 4 years apart both to breast cancer. I watched them both take their last breath, I kissed them both, and have taken their advice and wishes – I have continued making my dreams come true.
Blinx Salon Suites LLC is a product of their love, support, strength, and prayers for me.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Having said all that, there was nothing smooth about my road lol. Family loss, becoming a single mother, heartbreak, poor business choices, signing unfamiliar bad leases, etc. I came across many challenges but I pride myself in my willingness to keep going and never fold.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Blinx Salon Suites and Affinity Artistry?
Blinx Salon suites is a 𝘏𝘐𝘎𝘏-𝘌𝘕𝘋 𝘚𝘈𝘓𝘖𝘕 𝘚𝘜𝘐𝘛𝘌𝘚 𝘐𝘕 𝘚𝘈𝘕 𝘈𝘕𝘛𝘖𝘕𝘐𝘖 𝘛𝘌𝘟𝘈𝘚 for independent beauty and wellness professionals – 𝐒𝐚𝐧 𝐀𝐧𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐨’𝐬 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐛𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐋𝐮𝐱𝐮𝐫𝐲 𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐧 𝐒𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐞.
Blinx salon suites have 6 suites and are currently fully leased. We are home to some of San Antonio’s most talented beauticians. Offering: Lash extensions, lash lifts and tints, eyebrow wax tint and lamination, nail services, and fun body wax and facials.
Affinity Artistry LLC is my own spinoff of Blinx Cosmetics groomed into my personal brand of luxury beauty. AA is an eyelash extension brand and cosmetic supply line located in and servicing San Antonio, Texas. I mentor and train other lash professionals and have successfully mentored over 40 students in the beauty market local and out of state. I’ve made over 14k in sales to local and out-of-state beauticians.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
We need more business resources, business social events, more diverse food, and better marketing of local events and offers.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.affinityartistry.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/affinityartistry_/
- Facebook: https://www.instagram.com/blinxsuites/
- Email: [email protected]
