About Hair Rich Project

Janerra began doing her own hair out of necessity, as her mother couldn’t afford salon visits that would allow her to have the latest hair trends. Over time, she developed a love for innovation, discovering new techniques and tools to make the hairstyling process easier and more ergonomic. This has turned into a lifelong passion. 

After an IBM downsizing, Jan was ready for a change and used her severance package retraining provision to earn her cosmetology license at Atlanta Technical College. 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. She recognized the disproportionate number of black-owned beauty supply stores and hair extension manufacturers in relation to Asian owned. 

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

Janerra is now using her knowledge and passion with everything that is black hair to create Hair Rich Project a company and movement that empowers black hairstylists, entrepreneurs and enthusiasts to work together to create products and tools that are specific to our unique hair needs, to protect our hair innovations and legacies, and take control of the black hair industry.