How This Entrepreneur Revolutionized Brazilian Curl Care

As a young cashier at a McDonald’s in Rio De Janeiro, Leila Velez noticed what it was about the fast food chain that has made it such a global success. She realized it wasn’t the burgers that was keeping the business booming but rather a commitment to efficiency, quality control and standardization. Years alter, Leila would grow up to bring these same principals to the curly hair care industry in her native country of Brazil.

At 19, Leila took the lessons she learned as a McDonald’s cashier and applied them to her own business; a salon for curly haired women. The salon was designed to look and feel like a day spa, but operated with the efficiency of an assembly line. Leila noticed that fast food restaurants often have a high turnover, as workers generally moved on to other opportunities. She strove to change that, and wanted to build a business where her employees would stay and grow with the company. The salon she started as a teenager, Beleza Natural, has expanded from one location to a business that employs over 3,000 people in 30 salons across the country with plans for expansion. Most of her employees are young, single mothers who are offered on going training, opportunities for advancement and tuition waivers with partnering universities.

Leila’s clients relate to the salon as well. Noticing a disconnect between the types of hair her clients had (usually tight, kinky coils) and the services being offered (usually damaging relaxers or straighteners), Leila sought to offer alternatives for curly hair care. Her goal was to provide services that allowed her clients to leave her salon feeling happy and confident with their natural curls. This mentality has brought women in droves from neighboring cities, building a strong and loyal clientele base. Her salon targeted women who were previously unrepresented in the hair care industry, such as those who lived in lower income areas and thus weren’t considered viable clients by competing salons. Leila strove to create strong and lasting relationships with her clients, and in turn her clients have supported her business.

The ultimate pay off for Leila is seeing the change in her clients. Many came to her struggling to manage their curls or feeling ashamed of their hair type. Leila helps her clients learn to love and be proud of their natural curls, which she finds to be one of the most rewarding parts of what she does. To read more about Leila’s salon and how she cares for her clients, click here .