Feature Story Draft

 Pain kept her hands moving like a well-oiled engine. It let her know the nerves in her hands had not completely given out yet, but she could not say the same for her legs as they threatened to buckle beneath the weight of her body. Isis Sanna, a Miami hairstylist was on hour 5 of the 8-hour box braid install she had naively gotten herself into. Hard work was not a foreign language to Isis, but it certainly was not one she felt she could speak fluently. “It was passion and ambition that coaxed me into first laying my hands in someone else's hair, but it was the pressure of that responsibility and the long, gruesome hours of labor that nearly hindered my desire to do it again,” Isis Sanna says as she describes her experience from her first time professionally doing hair. “Despite the challenges the smile on my client’s face as she looked at herself in the mirror was an affirmation that this is my calling and I would do anything to see that smile again.”

Isis Sanna gained interest in hair by watching her mother, “who did hair as a side hustle spend hours shaping, braiding, and pressing hair into these beautiful, intricate styles.” Sanna “stood by watching in curiosity and amazement as she (her mother) transformed these women into their most confident selves.”  This had a lasting impact on Isis Sanna as it was her first introduction into the world of hair. “Ever since then I have always wanted to bring this kind of radiance out of women, just like my mother did.” Sanna aspires to be one of the top hair stylists in Miami, with a successful hair company and magazine. She plans on taking her dreams beyond borders and “expanding business internationally to become globally known.” In addition, she envisions being the CEO of a hair company. “I want to leave Miami and move to Atlanta to have more networking opportunities,” Isis explains.

In wake of the Coronavirus, Isis has had to put these ambitions on pause. “There has been a decline in my clientele and with the decreased income, I have struggled paying for hair supplies and bills.” To acclimate to these struggles, Isis has had to use her savings to keep her business afloat and implement safety measures for her client’s well-being. Considering this, Isis has persevered and is now saving money for a hair salon through online business endeavors. “I am currently offering virtual braiding and wig install one on one sessions to clients.” 

In recent months, her work has gained some traction, as one of her hair videos went viral on Facebook, accumulating thousands of views and comments. “This recognition pushed me to work harder at the craft.” Isis explains. “Hair is a source of confidence, beauty, and a statement piece that should be nurtured and worn with pride,” is the philosophy Isis exercises throughout her brand. Sanna believes that “If people remain true to the craft, the craft will remain to them.”