Looking fabulous with FabKidz Hair Salon
The recently opened hair salon catering for young clients has been receiving praise from happy parents. The Zone caught up with Frieda Karipi, salon owner, to find out what makes her establishment different from others.
Tunohole Mungoba
The first hair salon in the country that is exclusively for children and teenagers from the between the age of 2 to 16 years is founded and ran by mother of two, Frieda Karipi. “Fab Kidz Hair Salon is exclusive for children only. We do not use any harsh chemicals on the children’s hair and we are all for flaunting your natural hair. The environment in the salon is fun and child friendly and we ensure that the hair products used are for safe for children,” she said. “We do not only create beautiful hairstyles but we also encourage our little clients to love their natural hair and teach them how to look after it,” she explains.
The salon also offers pamper treatments such as facials, manicures and pedicures for their young clients. “We cut and trim their nails with every hair appointment, free of charge.”
The 41-year old is a self-proclaimed jack of all trades with a wide range of interests and hobbies. “I have worked in the travel, television, film and performing arts industry over the past few years. I am now embarking on my entrepreneurial journey,” she said.
“I am not trying to compete with anyone or trying to prove anything. I just want to give children something they need and in the same breath, offer parents piece of mind with our drop off and go service. We have eliminated the waiting time parents have to sit and wait for their children.”
Karipi decided to pursue this venture after being fed up with spending hours in different hair salons waiting for her daughter to get her hair done. “I started taking her to hair dressers when she was two years old and even though I can do her hair myself, she just would not sit down long enough for me to undo even four corn rows. I found a hairdresser that was really good and patient with her but the environment where she operated was just not child friendly,” she explains.
“This resulted in setting aside a whole Saturday with a bag filled with snacks, drinks, an iPad, books and colouring pencils for her in order to ensure she can survive the time at the salon and not cause too much stress for me or other people in the salon,” she said.
Karipi have voiced her frustration many times and asked for a section in salons that cater just for the children, but her cries fell on deaf ears. “I have observed other little ones crying and just being stressed and traumatized by the whole experience,” she explains.
After months of deliberation and planning, Karipi decided to stop complaining and do something about it herself and then Fab Kidz Hair Salon was born. “I have always worked for others and it has always been my dream to own my own business or to run my own projects. All the experience that I have accumulated over the years in the various industries has proved to be very helpful,” she said.
Esme Kilon, head hairstylist of FabKidz, has worked the industry for the past six years and says she enjoys working with kids. “I started off at another salon and most of my customers were children. I created a good relationship with their mothers and my love for this niche market just grew over time,” she explains. “Children can be difficult to work with as they get distracted very easily. You need to be fast as well, but treat them well so that they feel comfortable,” she explains.
According to Karipi, you must be involved in your business and be present every step of the way. “You should know your clients and ensure you are taking care of their needs. I make sure that I learn from my team and that I listen to my young clients,” she said.
She did extensive research and also made time to learn and study the industry. “Yes, we do hair but not just any hair. We do fabulous hair and we create fabulous kids at our FabKidz Hair Salon. If a child likes the way they look, they will be happy and have a higher self-esteem,” she said.
The first hair salon in the country that is exclusively for children and teenagers from the between the age of 2 to 16 years is founded and ran by mother of two, Frieda Karipi. “Fab Kidz Hair Salon is exclusive for children only. We do not use any harsh chemicals on the children’s hair and we are all for flaunting your natural hair. The environment in the salon is fun and child friendly and we ensure that the hair products used are for safe for children,” she said. “We do not only create beautiful hairstyles but we also encourage our little clients to love their natural hair and teach them how to look after it,” she explains.
The salon also offers pamper treatments such as facials, manicures and pedicures for their young clients. “We cut and trim their nails with every hair appointment, free of charge.”
The 41-year old is a self-proclaimed jack of all trades with a wide range of interests and hobbies. “I have worked in the travel, television, film and performing arts industry over the past few years. I am now embarking on my entrepreneurial journey,” she said.
“I am not trying to compete with anyone or trying to prove anything. I just want to give children something they need and in the same breath, offer parents piece of mind with our drop off and go service. We have eliminated the waiting time parents have to sit and wait for their children.”
Karipi decided to pursue this venture after being fed up with spending hours in different hair salons waiting for her daughter to get her hair done. “I started taking her to hair dressers when she was two years old and even though I can do her hair myself, she just would not sit down long enough for me to undo even four corn rows. I found a hairdresser that was really good and patient with her but the environment where she operated was just not child friendly,” she explains.
“This resulted in setting aside a whole Saturday with a bag filled with snacks, drinks, an iPad, books and colouring pencils for her in order to ensure she can survive the time at the salon and not cause too much stress for me or other people in the salon,” she said.
Karipi have voiced her frustration many times and asked for a section in salons that cater just for the children, but her cries fell on deaf ears. “I have observed other little ones crying and just being stressed and traumatized by the whole experience,” she explains.
After months of deliberation and planning, Karipi decided to stop complaining and do something about it herself and then Fab Kidz Hair Salon was born. “I have always worked for others and it has always been my dream to own my own business or to run my own projects. All the experience that I have accumulated over the years in the various industries has proved to be very helpful,” she said.
Esme Kilon, head hairstylist of FabKidz, has worked the industry for the past six years and says she enjoys working with kids. “I started off at another salon and most of my customers were children. I created a good relationship with their mothers and my love for this niche market just grew over time,” she explains. “Children can be difficult to work with as they get distracted very easily. You need to be fast as well, but treat them well so that they feel comfortable,” she explains.
According to Karipi, you must be involved in your business and be present every step of the way. “You should know your clients and ensure you are taking care of their needs. I make sure that I learn from my team and that I listen to my young clients,” she said.
She did extensive research and also made time to learn and study the industry. “Yes, we do hair but not just any hair. We do fabulous hair and we create fabulous kids at our FabKidz Hair Salon. If a child likes the way they look, they will be happy and have a higher self-esteem,” she said.
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