Lena Mingo

Q. Tell everyone who you are and what you do.

A. I am the owner of “Hair Bumpers” in Houston, TX. I was born in Boykin, Alabama, came from a loving family, and was a daddy’s girl. When I was young, we moved to Mobile, Alabama, before the memory of Boykin could define any of my childhood memories. One of twelve siblings, my parents, sustained 52 years of marriage before my father passed away. I am a graduate of Alabama A&M University, a historically black university located in Huntsville, Alabama.

Q. Tell us a little about your journey and how you got to where you are today?

A. I ventured to New York for the city life and eventually found myself in Houston, Texas, where I married and had three beautiful children, Kevin, Alf, and Melissa, all adults. I taught for two years at a private school (now closed) and opened Mingo’s Daycare. Although I loved working with children, I had a passion for cosmetology. I found inspiration via friend Randy Bows and ventured into Cosmetology and studied at Belaire Beauty School. The accredited cosmetology training program for different cosmetology careers. Hairstylists, estheticians, makeup artists, barbers, and nail technicians. I gained the necessary knowledge and learning techniques that helped me launch a successful beautician’s career and I’ve trained for all types of hair from Caucasian to Ethnic.

Q. What made you want to pursue a career in the beauty industry?

A. While attending the Popular Houston Cosmetologist, Michael Kemper often ventured the beauty school for assistants, and there lies the beginning of my extraordinary career in cosmetology. Michael Kemper, the owner of D-Vine Salon & Spa, made regular appearances on Great Day Houston, a Local News and Information show for Houston, Texas, and surrounding areas. Mr. Kemper advised on hair care and trends in the field. Our mutual admiration led to a family-type bond, and I advanced quickly during my tenure at his salon. Mr. Kemper, as fond as he was of my skills and customer loyalty, felt it was time for my launch. Explaining to me that my talents had exceeded their capacity or the positions at his salon, he told me it was time for me to be on my own. Immediately employed by Foley’s, a reputable high-end salon, I would later find myself at JC Penny.

Q. Let’s talk about “HairBumpers” and how it got started?

A. JC Penny catapulted me into a historical league. The inception of “Hair Bumpers” would come from my trailblazing performance, and JC Penny would find themselves in the Houston Chronicle expressing praise and gratitude to me…the highest-earning Beautician in their employment. JC Penny’s awarded me “The Golden Scissors Award” an ethnic challenge, despite a new millennium on the horizon. The requirement, mastering eight premium cuts/styles. I not only perfected the challenge but increased the usual patronage of their ethnic percentages. I earned them an incredible $150,000 during a fiscal period, and I became a part of the company’s history in the early 1990s. With “Hair Bumpers” being my next-level decision, I ventured into new territories. In collaboration with the well-known and successful cosmetologist Rudy Johnson of Pride and Power, I became a Platform Artist. A platform stylist, I was a Rock Star among Hairdressers. Part educator, communicator, salesperson, and entertainer, the platform artist performs on stage, mostly at industry trade shows, to promote styling techniques, tools, or products.

Q. How was your experience at the different Trade shows?

A. I found myself traveling internationally, often to exotic locations such as the Caribbean. Trips to St. Croix, St. Lucious, the Bahamas were commonplace. My experiences with Rudy Johnson and his Pride and Power products eventually immersed me in the innate urge to teach. I continued regular

motivational speeches and demonstrations throughout the Houston area and beyond. I mastered the art of public speaking, as well as styling techniques. I was also a regular participant/winner in the World’s Largest Professional Trade Show Dedicated to Multicultural Beauty held in Atlanta, Ga. The Bronner Bros. Beauty Shows inspires, educates, and elevates cosmetology professionals, students, and the multicultural beauty industry.

My experiences and knowledge in the beauty industry grew beyond clients. It felt good to be a highly skilled esthetician, cosmetologist, and platform artist, with a niche’ for bodybuilding.

The Southwest has diversity, style and is deeply rooted in tradition. Through years of being surrounded by such talented stylists and fashionistas, I realized many were serving in the community. Events like Houston’s Look Good, Feel-Good program. A free non-medical salon and productneutral Volunteers program in which I was annually a participant. The various Stylists, Product Creators, Models, and Platform Artists I’d known were all involved in community efforts. The pandemic thwarted my community- oriented pursuits. 2020 and 2021 left many adolescents unable to enjoy the usual treat of having their hair done. For many parents, costs for haircare products alone have been unaffordable.

Q. Where do you see your career in the next three years?

A. I would like to create a new program allowing underprivileged children accessibility to free hairstyling and products to help maintain the health and selfconfidence of Houston’s youth.

Each child would receive a care package and product samples to help maintain healthier hair, confidence, and needed school supplies. My goal is to help uplift and engage in the community with parents and children as they re-establish normality as much as possible pursue their education knowing others care about their sense of pride.

Q. Can you give us more details on “The Real Hair Junkies” and the motivation behind it?

A. Yes, the show is amazing. Here is the breakdown: I was all ways told one monkey don’t stop no show, but the right one will. You never can pinpoint any of the cast members because they go from 0 to 100 hundred in a spilt of a second. They all have their own personalities, and they don’t come to play. Some of them have big hearts and the others I don’t know whether they have a heart, they keep you wondering. They all are sarcastic and not to be trusted stay tuned!

Q. Are you working on any new projects or upcoming events?

A. Yes, I’m working on a couple of new projects. One project is called, no child should go to bed hungry 2 Instructor at One finest Barber school acres they have been there it is a pillow in the community and has been there for over 30 years, and I am continuing to add to my line of products.