By Arial Collins

It can be difficult for full-time college students to find their identity outside their academics. Even maintaining a regular hobby can prove to be a hard feat. However, two U of L juniors have set the bar by starting their own successful businesses while balancing their higher education.

Layed By Layy

Layla Waddell, a junior at the University of Louisville majoring in Interdisciplinary Communication and Linguistics Studies, runs her own braiding business, Layed By Layy. Waddell got her start during the pandemic, needing to find alternatives for hair upkeep with everything being limited. This is where her passion for braiding began.

Being a full-time student alone is no easy task, so adding business management into the mix can have its challenges. Still, Waddell makes sure her education comes first. 

“I grew up making sure to keep education in the forefront, and then everything else falls after. I live faithfully by Google Calendar, giving myself two to three days to do hair after I’ve incorporated class and study time,” Waddell said.

Her joy for helping people is what keeps her motivated. “I love being in an environment where I feel inherently understood. I’m carrying a tradition brought by my ancestors that helped us survive and giving that to the youth and women of today to help make them feel beautiful,” she said.

Waddell has faced difficulties running her business, but she finds the act of continuing the tradition of hair shops being a safe space for Black women rewarding.

She advises students wanting to start their own business to stay consistent. She emphasizes the importance of networking and sharing your business, which can help you gain traction. She also notes that there is always more to learn in your craft, as practice makes improvement.

 Waddell hopes to open her own braiding shop one day and will continue to braid through the rest of her college years.

STRUNGOUT

Brennan Allen, a junior majoring in Communication, runs STRUNGOUT, a handmade crocheting business. Allen was inspired to start her business when she noticed the lack of crocheting options in Louisville. What first started out as a personal hobby later grew into a thriving business as she gained more interest and clientele through Instagram.

Allen admitted she is still working on finding a balance between school and her small business, but for now she is crocheting based off the demand for her products. At times, Allen can find it hard to maintain motivation for crocheting, yet she doesn’t give up on herself.

“Sometimes it’s difficult to keep the energy I had when I first began crocheting, but I try to remind myself that I have a talent I shouldn’t let go to waste. On top of that, crocheting has given me a new sense of confidence in my creative abilities and in my ability to juggle multiple things at once. Owning a business on your own is far from easy, but I’ve made it work for almost four years now,” explained Allen.

When it comes to other students wanting to start their own business, Allen’s advice is to just do it. “If you have something special to offer, nine times out of ten there is always somebody out there interested in engaging with it. You are your business, not the product,” Allen said.

Her future goal with her small business is to expand the clothing she offers. Right now she makes mostly hats, bikinis, and tops, but she wants t0 create sweaters and pants in the future. Allen hopes to build more creativity overall as she progresses with her business.