Saturday, June 18, 2011

Natural Hair: Turning Your Passion into Profit

As if we didn't know...... natural haired women are still in the minority and getting accurate hair care advice can still be a challenge for many. However, with the growing number of online resources available, if you're fortunate enough to have access to a computer and the Internet, you will find a wealth of information in the form of websites, blogs and video blogs (or vlogs) - there are many of these on YouTube.

This New York Times article highlights some of today's popular go-to sites for natural hair care tips. I am already subscribed to Curly Nikki, however the article has introduced me to Natural Chica and the online store Luv Natural.

Less explored is the financial dimension of owning a popular online space. All three women profiled in the article are making a respectable amount of money from their blogs and websites. Although we don't know how much exactly, Maeling Tapp of Natural Chica makes more than she would in a minimum wage job; Alicia Nicole Walton of Curly Nikki earned the same in gross revenue from advertising on her site as she did from her pyschotherapy practice last year; while Kim Love of Luv Natural saw enough earning potential in a natural hair store to leave her six-figure management consulting job.

Of course, to make any kind of decent money, the sites must be regularly updated - preferably daily - with fresh content. And that, let's face it, is really a full-time job.

I thought that this article showed more than anything else the truth behind the saying "Follow your passion and the money will come." Many naturals already know about some of these hair care online resources, however it's great to know that there is also a possibility of earning a revenue by doing so and doing so well. I thought that the article writer was remiss in not mentioning Black Girl with Long Hair, which was I discovered before Curly Nikki and which I remember was innovative in it's incorporation of the commercial aspect.

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