BRYAN, Texas — Audreka Turner said she is a mom first but doesn't shy away from being proud of her big accomplishment: being one of the few Black business owners in Bryan. Turner started her boutique, Hair With a Twist, as a side hustle. She sold clothes out of a shed from her home, but never stopped moving towards her goal: a full-blown business.
According to a recent study from Smartest Dollar, the Bryan and College Station area was ranked 15th for lowest amount of minority owned businesses. In April of last year, Turner went against the odds and became one of the few Black owned businesses to open up in downtown Bryan.
"I'm doing it, I'm one of the only ones that are doing it and I'm not getting help, I'm doing it all just by me, like nobody taught me how to budget," Turner said. "I'm just learning it all on my own. I know we didn't have nobody down here doing it so I was like okay you can do it," she said. "I had a shed, I fixed it up as a small boutique. I would go to work, go home, post on social media sites, I did that and I boomed."
Turner said she had a past where she didn't always make the best decisions for herself, but she used those setbacks to motivate herself to start her boutique. All while working a full-time job and raising four girls.
"I'm not ashamed of it because I think that's what made me and pushed me," Turner said.
Additionally, she said finding a building for her shop was difficult but she did it and she said she doesn't mind being known as a woman who is out breaking barriers. She said she wants others who may be looking to start their own business, to just do it no matter what it takes.
"Even if you got to start at home or out of your trunk -- however you got to do it, you can do it and you never know where it may take you, just keep pushing on," Turner said.
Turner also runs an online seminar that teaches young Black girls how to start their own business. She said as someone who wished she had help getting started, she wants to be that help for young women who have the same dreams.
To learn more reach out to hairwithatwist@yahoo.com and find out how to create your own business.