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Taloria Clark’s love for hair started when she was 4 years old. As her mother was completing hair school, Taloria would prep and wash her clients’ hair to get them ready.
Now, Clark and her mother, Crystal, share a suite at Queens Beauty Bar in Winterville.
“I’m just really proud of her and her growth, and being able to manage her time and still do well at school,” Crystal said. “Being able to take care of herself at an age where a lot of kids are lost.”
Taloria was 11 years old when she started taking on her own clients.
Now as a senior at Oglethorpe County High School, she’s built her own business, Touched by Taloria.
She specializes in knotless, stitch and box braids. Also skilled with locs, retwists, quick weave, sew-ins and wigs.
Being in the heart of Winterville, she said, has helped grow her business.
“Having a hometown that is really involved in upbringing and watching her grow, mature and supports her — that’s a good feeling,” Crystal said.
Taloria said she almost had no choice but to start her own business.
“In the midst of helping her (my mom), they just started asking me to do styles,” she said. “I was doing my own hair then it kind of just happened.”
Being a young, Black female business owner has shocked a lot of Taloria’s customers.
“It’s really a lot of pressure, honestly,” Taloria said. “People wouldn’t expect you to be able to do certain stuff, especially my age.”
Nina Clay, owner of Queens Beauty Bar, said Clark has a lot going for herself while being a great student.
“I love to see young women have that type of motivation, energy, ambition and goals at such a young age,” Clay said.
Taloria is a senior cheer captain for Oglethorpe County High School’s basketball team and throws shot put and discus for the track team.
“It is a lot to handle,” she said. “But it teaches me structure and how to balance.”
As Taloria nears graduation, she plans to continue to do hair and earn her business and cosmetology license. But if she decides to pursue college, she said she will study at Athens Tech to become a dental hygienist.
For other young entrepreneurs, Taloria said she’s learned important lessons along the way.
“Don’t give up during the slow times, keep going,” Taloria said. “It’s not going to start off perfect, sometimes it takes years to perfect something. You can’t just decide you’re gonna do something and expect to be successful that first week, first day, you gotta give it time.”