Kayla Kim Meiring. Picture: Instagram/kaylakimkay
August is Women’s Month, a time to celebrate women, what they have achieved and what they are capable of.
We spoke to businesswoman and TikTok sensation Kayla Kim Meiring, better known to her followers as Kayla Kim Kay, about her haircare business and how she got started.
The entrepreneur who was born and raised in Cape Town, studied fashion design and worked in the corporate space for seven years.
However, when Covid lockdown hit in 2020, she took a leap of faith and started focusing on her social media presence.
A year later she started doing content creation full-time and in October 2022 she launched her own hair brand Afrocurl.
According to Meiring, it’s a brand that caters to everyone. A brand that is inclusive - sulphate-free, paragon-free, cruelty-free and curly girl approved.
We spoke to the energetic businesswoman about her business, what keeps her motivated and how she wishes to inspire other women.
What inspired you to start your haircare business?
The lack of products on the market when I first went natural in 2009; (my first of many big chops) the idea sparked and back then it was only an idea.
It was only later on that I would come to do more research to action the idea and passion and turn it into a business. This was a personal journey for me and one that I related to, I felt I wanted to share it with the world.
Breaking beauty standards is important to me and that comes with accepting yourself and hair is a big part of many people's lives.
How did you get your business off the ground?
I’ve used the knowledge I’ve acquired during my years in corporate to start my business.
Social media was part of that strategy. Honestly, I too am learning as I go along. I am no business guru - just a girl with big dreams.
What keeps you motivated?
Growing up for me there’s always been a lack of representation in the entertainment space as well as the entrepreneurial spaces for coloured women.
Knowing that I can be that role model for younger girls keeps me going - breaking generational curses and stereotypes is something I value.
What advice do you have for women wanting to start their own business?
Everyone’s journey is different. As cliché as it is, we all need to start somewhere. No one successful has passed the first time around.
You are not failing; it's merely part of your growth. Challenges are inevitable. How you overcome those is one of the most important things about a business.
I would also say that running a business has a lot to do with mindset and a healthy mind is capable of many things.
What do you do to relax?
I find peace in sharing my challenges with my followers when I go live. Offering that transparency is important to me. So many battle with similar challenges.
I take breaks where needed, vacations too are important for me. I spend lots of time with my family. Prayer is the root of rebooting for me.
If you could talk to your 12-year-old self today, what would you tell her?
That anything is possible, to listen to the voices of those who never believed in your dreams.
That hard work really does pay off. I’d tell my younger self that I will be breaking generational curses.
That this small-town girl with her big dreams will inspire and motivate others to do the same.