About Hair Rich Project

What started as a necessity turned into a lifelong passion. Janerra began doing hair out of necessity, as her mother couldn’t afford salon visits. Over time, she developed a love for innovation, discovering new techniques and tools to make the hairstyling process easier and more comfortable. 

After an IBM downsizing, Janerra used her severance package retraining to earn her cosmetology license at Atlanta Technical College.  She began to recognize the disproportionate number of black-owned beauty supply stores and hair extension manufacturers. After graduation, she opened up a salon which included a storefront.  She visited a Korean-owned wholesale beauty supply warehouse to purchase stock for her new business and was denied even though she had all the necessary paperwork. It became apparent that they did not want to do business with black owners.  

Janerra took a trip to China to learn firsthand about the hair extension manufacturing process.  She was the only African American person that had ever visited the factory. That trip was insightful and launched her journey in the creation of her own human hair extension line BLACKOWNEDHAIR. 

Janerra is now using her knowledge and obsession with everything that is black hair to create a movement that empowers Black hairstylists, entrepreneurs and enthusiasts to protect their hair innovations, protect their legacies and control their industry.