Meet Delonne Brotherson | Owner and Curl Specialist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Delonne Brotherson and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Delonne, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
After deciding to return to my natural roots in September 2010, the first thing I realized that there was no help for hair care. Styling was minimal as it seems as though when you mention styling and natural hair, it means braided extensions, crochet braids or sew-in.
After roughly a year of trying to figure out my own and realizing I was on my own, I started thinking about everyone else in my community and island who have natural hair or wanted to return to their natural hair but no clue how to care for it. All we had was how our parents did it and if you had parents from back then, you know the routine, shampoo, conditioner, dry, a lot of grease and braided for a week or 2.
Times has changed a lot since then. Educating myself of this new era of natural hair care was and still is a journey. Educating others and unlearned many of the bad habits we learnt has been a tasks.
As the years went by and I showcased through my own hair and a few other clients that healthy hair and scalp came first, business sort of took off on its own. In that, I found there were so many persons with hair loss issues or scalp problems that thought it was “just how it is”. After seeing that, I started looking into courses that help with these issues and have been pursuing that ever since.
I am presently studying Trichology(the study if hair loss and scalp diseases) and will later in do a certificate course in dermatology.
“Where the health of your hair and scalp is priority, everything is a bonus” is what I base my business on. Without healthy scalp and hair, hair styles are not possible, they won’t have the luster or the longevity because the foundation is not strong. I also teach my clients how to keep it simple by using quality products with minimal maintenance to achieve long lasting styles.
In September 2019, I took the dive and went into business full-time. I have many things in store to help with the restoration of healthy hair care and can’t wait to launch them, one by one.
Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
With our primary focus on hair and scalp care, we have been able to help persons manage issues such as seborrheic dermatitis, which is very common here due to bad hair care practices. Being able to use a microscope to show my clients up close what is going on with their scalp, have given them a better understanding of the damage they are causing continuing with their present habits…….in partnering with a dermatologist, I have also been able to help clients slow or prevent loss at an early stage. These services alone sets me apart of your typical hair stylist. I focus on the root of the problem and how we can correct it.
Going into my business full-time in September 2019 was one of my proudest moments. Doing that while 7 months pregnant, knowing in roughly 2 months I would have to close shop to go on leave was scary and at the same time, having my clients get excited for me and assured me they would be waiting patiently for me made it easier. It showed me I was doing something that really mattered and they valued that.
Getting to where I am today took patience and easing out of my comfort zone, not just physically but mentally. I can attribute a lot of my success over the last 2 years to the Level-Up Ladies, Business Scaling Course I did with Dr. Tamu Browne the first half of 2020. Doing that course during the pandemic gave way for us to push the envelope more and not ease out of the comfort zone but literally jump out of it. Being able to go through the pandemic and still be able to maintain 90% of my business was a huge plus with her guidance and teachings.
“You can’t do what you don’t know, get to know” and “Swim in your lake of genius” both by Dr. Tamu. Those quotes will always stick with me. If you need to know something, do your research, do whatever course that needs to be done to be the best at what you do.
Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I would have to call for help to be quite honest. In that aspect I am an introvert but definitely an island tour to visit all our historical sites such as the Centaph Memorial, Bloody Point, Fair View Inn, Romney Manor, Brimstone Hill and Black Rocks.
Great places to eat and drink, Boozies, Zanzi Bar, Coconut Grove, Marshall’s, Rituals Sushi, Reggae Beach, Spice Mill, Arthur’s, Aqua Lounge, Mojitos Lounge, Port Zante and it’s different shops, bars and eateries. Sunshine’s Bar, Lime Beach Bar, YatchsMan Grill and Chrishi Beach Club in Nevis.
Some fun things I would say is snorkeling, jet ski, diving, ATV tours, hiking excursions, zip lining and catamarans.
The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I have come this far by a lot of faith, God is always good but with persons such as Cleopatra Richards(former boss/friend) pushing me to go Cosmetology school and diving more into what I love, I am forever indebted to her. Not much bosses would push their employee to go after their dreams like that. Petra Vonder Newton, the Facilitor of Soul 2 Sole Cosmetology who is now also a colleague and friend, pushed me even more to step out my box and take a leap of faith into going into my business full-time, she is always ready to share knowledge and I am always open to receive it. Through her I met my entrepreneur coach, Dr. Tamu Browne who gave me ALL the fundamentals I needed to structure my business and put things in place to continually win for myself and my business. My day one client, Haddiya Jeffers, she was my test subject from roughly 2011 and my client til today, thanks for trusting me with your hair in the good times and bad(trust me, there was some bad ones). Last but not least, the love of my life, my husband and friend who have been supporting me at full length no matter how crazy or expensive my idea sounds.
All my clients, THANK YOU! Nothing about my business would be possible without all of you, pass or present.
Website: www.msdeesnatural.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/msdeesnatural
Twitter: www.twitter.com/SKNCurlDoc
Facebook: www.facebook.com/msdeesnatural