Polished Braids of Fresno, CA

By Terry L. Watson

Photos Provided By Polished Braids

Shantele Mitchell and Lexus Clark describe themselves as goofy, artistic, motivating, thoughtful, cool, and caring. They have combined their talents and love for art to create one of the largest hair braiding companies in Fresno, CA. Meet the founders and owners of Polished Braids,

Polished Braids offer Hair Extensions, Hair Accessories, Hair Care Products, and Beauty Products with their brand. Their hairstyling and hair care services include Loc Extensions, Twist Extensions, Braid Extensions, and Crochet Extensions. The Polished Braids brand is also acknowledged for having a quick install time and a “Two Girl-One Style” styling technique.

Shantele’s journey in business began when she enrolled in school for Small Business Management. The savvy business woman from Fresno, CA says her interests are fashion, photography, art, modeling, and hair and makeup. “I am so grateful to utilize these interests in my business.

Lexus is a native of Los Angeles, CA, but was raised in Fresno. She realized her love for doing hair at the young age of seven and recalls giving her Barbie Dolls full sets of box braids. While growing up, it was apparent that Lexus possessed a gift for styling but says she didn’t feel confident in her abilities until the age of 21. It was then Lexus decided to take a leap of faith, all in hopes to give her son a better life.

The merger of Shantele and Lexus’ talents happened in 2015. It was then Lexus had a clear idea of starting her own business and creating her own schedule. Lexus had a bright idea for them to braid together. Shantele says it took some time for her to commit to the idea of starting a business, but once they did, things really took off. “I didn’t really think we would blow up,” Shantele says.

This styling duo says they love seeing the transformation process of their clients hair. “We get to create different hairstyles in different colors and lengths in just a couple of hours. We also love to provide a professional hair care experience to our local community.”

To arrive at the level of success they currently enjoy, Shantele and Lexus had to endure a few challenges. They share, “In the beginning, we had to build up our clientele. Posting our work on Instagram helped our business a lot. When we hired a booking assistant, we connected with each inquiry and responded accordingly.” Now with being a fully operational business, they are faced with the challenge of staying up to date with the new hairstyles.

The owners of Polished Braids say they are inspired by their clients the most. “When they sit in our chairs, we get to know them more and catch up with them. We also get to meet many different individuals from all places and hear their stories, such as opening a new business, relationships, life experiences, and even hardships. More than anything, we appreciate the opportunity to learn from our clients,” they share.

For anyone who is thinking about jumping into the hairstyling industry, Lexus and Shantele advise you to first determine if you have a love for styling hair. “A lot of hard work is required when starting a business. Being dedicated to answering your clients’ calls promptly and giving them the best experience throughout the process is essential,” they said.

In the future, Polished Braids plans to keep their clientele happy and excited with their services. They also plan to offer classes to those who want to learn how to braid. To learn more about Polished Braids, please visit their website.