Our Founder
Meet Janerra
Some of my earliest memories of hair began at home. Like many young Black girls, I admired the latest hairstyles but salon visits weren't always affordable. So, I learned to do my own hair, and what started as necessity quickly became curiosity. I was always experimenting with new techniques, finding better ways to style hair, and creating tools and methods that made the process easier and more ergonomic. That passion for innovation has stayed with me ever since.
Years later, after an IBM downsizing, I chose to pursue a completely different path. Using a retraining opportunity through my severance package, I earned my cosmetology license at Atlanta Technical College and soon opened my own salon and retail storefront in Atlanta, Georgia.
As a new business owner, I expected the biggest challenge would be building my clientele. Instead, it was gaining access to wholesale products. Although I had the required business credentials, I was denied the opportunity to purchase directly from Korean-owned wholesale distributors and was forced to buy through retail beauty supply stores at higher prices. That experience changed the direction of my business—and opened my eyes to the lack of Black ownership throughout the beauty supply chain.
Determined to better understand the industry, I traveled to China to visit hair manufacturing facilities and build relationships directly with manufacturers. As the only African American to visit one of the factories, I gained a firsthand understanding of how products were developed, sourced, and brought to market. Those experiences eventually led me to launch my own human hair extension company, BoHair (Black Owned Hair), which debuted at the Bronner Bros. International Beauty Show.
Over the years, I watched a familiar pattern repeat itself. Black consumers and professionals created the trends that shaped the industry, yet non-Black companies were often the first to commercialize those ideas, while Black innovators received little recognition or long-term economic benefit. I realized that creating great products alone would never be enough. Real change requires collaboration, intentional purchasing, stronger Black ownership, and a community committed to building something bigger than any one business.
That realization became Hair Rich Project.
Today, Hair Rich Project is more than a company—it's a movement dedicated to reshaping the Black Hair Industry through innovation, education, collaboration, and intentional purchasing. Through initiatives like CISS (Connect • Inform • Shop • Support) and the Hair Buyers Collective, we're creating opportunities for consumers, professionals, and entrepreneurs to work together to strengthen Black-owned businesses, encourage innovation, and build a future where our communities benefit more directly from the industry we inspire, influence, and drive.
Our Hair. Our Way.