Operation Young Boss

Tah-Janay Hayes, left, the college-aged daughter of Leslie ‘The Heiress’ Coley, right.

BY J.A. JONES, Staff Writer

CLEARWATER – Leslie “The Heiress” Coley is working on a bold mission she has crafted for herself: “Taking over the land one business at a time and creating doors of opportunities for those who have limited or restricted doors available to them.”

With her newly opened Dyvine Appointments Salon, Hair Loss Clinic & Training Institute, Coley is using her decade, and then some, worth of experience as a hair loss specialist, business and life coach, speaker and author to not only bring healing to the community but to also raise a new generation of leaders.

This past summer, she launched “Operation Young Boss” at the Greenwood Recreation Center to teach youth about entrepreneurship, goal setting and creating a vision for their future. Youth created vision boards were schooled by entrepreneurs and business people who shared life lessons and inspiration and learned various beauty and hairstyling techniques.

Tampa’s Terrance Ramses of Ripe Brand Clothing was on hand one Thursday to share his experience and advice to the Operation Young Boss youth.

“Leslie’s work aligns with the vision of Ripe Brand Clothing…to respect black children and repair black communities.”

Financial coach Lee Oliver, Jr. sharing financial information and encouragement with the class.

Lee Oliver, Jr. of Fundamentally Funded Prosperity, a financial coach, also shared financial information and encouragement with the class. Oliver said he walked into Coley’s new salon, saw what she was doing in the community and loved it.

“[Her vision] fits right in line with what I do. I always tell people to put money where it makes money…and the goal is to retain money and grow our generational wealth.”

Coley said her path to building her empire as the self-professed “hair doctor” actually began en route to her journey into fashion.

“Originally I thought cosmetology was going to be my way into the fashion industry because I wanted to be a personal stylist—that was the original goal—but it evolved from there,” shared Coley, who today treats both clients with hair loss syndromes and natural hair.

After training alongside nationally-renowned cosmetologist Toni Love, Coley spent three years researching and studying groundbreaking techniques in hair loss (alopecia) treatment, which culminated in her alopecia guide and workbook “Targeting the World of Hair Loss.”

Different forms of hair loss include androgenic alopecia or androgenetic alopecia, also called male or female pattern baldness; telogen effluvium, a reversible hair loss condition caused by extreme stress and traction alopecia, caused by pulling on the roots for prolonged periods and often results from tight braiding or weaving styles.

Coley’s clients also experience alopecia due to everything from cancer treatment to thyroid issues to sickle cell anemia and high blood pressure–all illnesses that have medications that can result in hair loss.

While Coley uses industry leader XTC Rejuvenation products to treat alopecia, she has created her own line geared to natural hair.

“Our ‘Heiress’ collection is about offering preventative hair care. My regular clients that I’ve had for over 12 years kept telling me, ‘OK, we have great results, we’re natural, but our hair doesn’t grow as fast, and it’s not getting the nutrients needed.’”

Coley related that her new Heiress hair care line is all about feeling empowered and healthy. Long-time customer Andi attested to how Leslie’s treatments brought her hair back to a full healthy mane after her relocation to Florida’s heat had dried out her hair resulting in hair loss.

She established the Dyvine Appointments Training Institute to offer students a pathway to economic stability. Her program is a licensed provider for the braiding license course offered by the State of Florida Department of Cosmetology – a required license to offer braiding services at any salon or store.

Tah-Janay Hayes, Coley’s college-aged daughter, works with her mother as a personal assistant and helps her with social media. She said her mother has led her to think more deeply about business, economics and what it means to be an African-American woman in this country.

“She’s definitely impacted what I do a lot. Her business ventures have really educated me on being self-sufficient, what it means to be more than an employee, working towards being an employer…what it really takes to succeed in this world and the decision and sacrifices that you have to make to be successful.”

To reach J.A. Jones, email jjones@theweeklychallenger.com.