Podcast Summary: Keep it Positive, Sweetie

Episode: From Beauty to Business with Kiyah Wright

Host: Crystal Renee Hayslett
Guest: Kiyah Wright
Release Date: August 6, 2024

Main Theme

This episode centers on the journey of celebrity hairstylist and two-time Emmy winner Kiyah Wright, tracking her evolution from a passionate young stylist in D.C. to a business-savvy beauty entrepreneur in Los Angeles. The conversation dives deep into themes of reinvention, resilience, faith, entrepreneurship, and staying authentically yourself while navigating personal and industry transformations.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Early Inspirations & Beginnings

Doll Styling and Early Hustle ([04:14 – 06:01])
- Kiyah shares how her childhood love for styling dolls and doing friends’ hair in her grandmother’s basement led to her career.
- Lost her mother at 14, who had just placed her in hair school.
- Became independent early, using her skills for both survival and self-expression.
- "I was 14. My mom had just passed, and she put me in hair school... that gave me a jump start at making it a career." – Kiyah [04:52]
First Steps in Business ([06:31 – 07:49])
- Kiyah hustled to support herself, working at a popular salon and learning quickly from talented, established stylists.
- By 16, she was making significant income and serving influential local clients.
- “Those were the celebrities at that time, drug dealer girlfriends. So those were the girls that I sort of started with, and they helped me become a trendsetter.” – Kiyah [07:33]

2. Rise to Entrepreneurship & Industry Success

Pivoting and Planning Ahead ([08:59 – 09:49])
- Early experience with getting denied independence led her to plan and eventually launch her own solo business.
- “So I went down the street and I set it up just in case they said no... I took my entire clientele and that was the beginning of me becoming an entrepreneur.” – Kiyah [09:00-09:19]
Working with the Best, Building Networks ([10:11 – 10:44])
- Kiyah emphasizes the importance of seeking mentors and learning within high-caliber environments.
- “Work with the best. Be around the best so you don’t have to search for it... Find a mentor. Go work for someone who’s better than you, who you want to kind of be like.” – Kiyah [10:11]
Breaks in Bad Times: New York and LA ([11:13 – 14:02])
- Serendipitous, sometimes tragic events opened doors, such as a robbery in NYC and the aftermath of the Aaliyah plane crash.
- She used these moments as launchpads for new beginnings.
- “I’ve had very fady moments in my life. Unfortunates that were blessings kind of for me, like—not in a good way, but kind of sort of.” – Kiyah [11:13]

3. Touring with Icons and TV Stardom

Tour Life Lessons ([14:28 – 15:50])
- Toured with Faith Evans, Mary J. Blige, and more—learned speed, adaptability, and always being ready.
- “Be ready, be prepared, have options... Your work is gonna be featured on national television.” – Kiyah [15:50]
From Salon to TV with Tyra Banks ([16:04 – 19:28])
- Initially reluctant, Kiyah eventually joined "America’s Next Top Model," learning professionalism, technical precision (like lighting for all skin tones), and the importance of positive set culture.
- “She (Tyra) taught me about, like, how to show up on set...and never had an attitude when she came to work. Never.” – Kiyah [17:58]
- Not all experiments went right: a disastrous hairstyle on Tyra led to public feedback but became a learning opportunity and a dedicated show segment for Kiyah.

4. Entrepreneurship, Pandemic, and the Beauty Industry

Salon Ownership and the Suite Movement ([19:37 – 22:27])
- Opened Muse Suites in LA; discussed the shift from large salons to suites as a popular entrepreneurial path.
- The pandemic and Hollywood strikes led to business uncertainty and personal reflection.
- “I was always praying for, like, time off... (then COVID hits) oh God, time off. Be careful." – Kiyah [22:22]
Faith in Hardship ([23:24 – 28:40])
- Faith, self-belief, and adaptability were crucial in crises like COVID and family losses.
- “When my mom died, it was like, boom. Oh shit... You have to immediately take a shift in your mindset.” – Kiyah [25:13]
- Emphasized importance of mental health and staying resilient through trauma.

5. Staying Relevant & Evolving

Consistency, Relevance, and Professionalism ([28:40 – 30:14])
- Kiyah credits her sustained success to focusing on being good, easy to work with, and refusing to rest on past glory.
- “My whole goal was always to stay good...be well known and be easy, you know what I mean? Easy to be in the room, easy to get along with.” – Kiyah [28:40]
Avoiding Industry Pettiness & Focusing on Self ([30:14 – 31:14])
- She advises against obsessive competition and social media “unfollowing” drama, focusing on personal growth instead.
- “I’m competitive with Kiyah. Really.” – Kiyah [30:36]

6. Giving Back: Product Lines and Education

Muse Hair Product Line ([31:22 – 31:57])
- Inspired by the creative exchange with her clients, Kiyah created a styling-focused haircare line.
- “A muse for me is someone that inspires you… and I decided as a stylist, I wanted to have styling products.” – Kiyah [31:22]
Book: From Beauty to Business ([31:55 – 34:02])
- Her book advises stylists and beauty entrepreneurs: perfect your craft, find your niche, and always know your “why.”
- “Don’t do it to hustle…find out what it is that you love about styling hair…what keeps you going every day? …Mine is making women feel and look their best.” – Kiyah [32:36]

7. Love, Sacrifice, and Personal Balance

Balancing Career and Love ([34:11 – 37:52])
- Career focus led to sacrifices in her personal/love life; she froze her eggs and now prioritizes making room for love.
- “Making space for love...now that’s all I am made up of, is looking for love. Not even looking for it, just being like, let me be more love, let me have more time for people.” – Kiyah [35:42]
- Discusses personal growth, therapy, and rewriting inherited emotional patterns.

8. Listener Advice: Wearing Locs in Corporate America ([39:36 – 43:18])

Practical Tips:
- Maintain and groom locs, shape them to frame the face, and present with confidence.
- “A little bit of edge control can refresh them…as long as it’s not in the face, they’re not hanging down, and you create some sort of look, I think that will help people see you differently.” – Kiyah [41:38]

9. Personal Growth: Transition and Reinvention

On Embracing Change ([44:07 – 45:16])
- Both hosts reflect on juggling blessings and challenges, calling transition uncomfortable but necessary for next-level growth.
- "Transitioning... is extremely uncomfortable. And I know that God wouldn't give me anything that I couldn't handle." – Kiyah [44:18]
Sign-off with Show’s Spirit ([45:16 – 45:18])
- “Keep it reinventing, sweetie.” – Kiyah [45:13]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

“There are no shortcuts in evolution. We should be consistent in evolution and adapt to the new without ever losing our essence or our integrity.” – Crystal [02:25]
"I have to immediately take a shift in my mindset. I'm 14.” – Kiyah [25:33]
"Pivot and not compete—I'm competitive with Kiyah." [30:36]
“Keep it reinventing, sweetie.” – Kiyah [45:13]
"My whole goal was always to stay good. Just be a good hairstylist and be well known and be easy, you know what I mean? Easy to be in the room, easy to get along with.” – Kiyah [28:40]
“Find out what it is that you love about styling hair… what keeps you going every day? Mine is making women feel and look their best.” – Kiyah [32:36]

Important Segment Timestamps

[04:14] – Kiyah’s early years, starting with dolls and doing hair for friends
[07:49] – First salon experience and learning from top stylists in D.C.
[09:00] – Launching her own business after being refused independence
[10:11] – The importance of mentors and “working with the best”
[11:13] – Moving to NYC, serendipity, and pandemic pivots
[14:28] – Touring with icons, learning to be adaptable and resilient
[16:04] – Working on “America’s Next Top Model,” set culture & professionalism
[19:37] – Opening Muse Suites, navigating pandemic and strikes
[25:13] – On loss, faith, and forming resilience after family tragedy
[31:22] – Launching her Muse Hair product line and writing her book
[34:11] – Sacrifices in personal life for career, making space for love
[39:36] – Listener letter: professional natural hairstyles and the CROWN Act
[44:07] – Final reflections on transition and balance
[45:13] – “Keep it reinventing, sweetie.”

Tone & Language

The episode is candid, supportive, occasionally humorous, and always uplifting. Both speakers are direct, charming, and grounded, weaving faith and tenacity into their stories while sharing both hard-won wisdom and industry pearls.

Takeaways

Evolution and Reinvention are lifelong, requiring faith, adaptability, and self-knowledge.
Working with the best, seeking mentors, and prioritizing craft are fundamental career advice.
Staying relevant means being both consistent and adaptable, as well as easy to work with.
Personal sacrifice is real, especially for highly driven women, but so is the ability to “make space” for love and personal fulfillment.
Black beauty and authenticity deserve celebration and support, especially in professional spaces.

Closing

A heartfelt, wisdom-packed episode perfect for anyone navigating creative careers, entrepreneurship, or personal transformation – always reminding you to “keep it reinventing, sweetie.”

Transcript

A (0:00)

Keep It Positive Sweetie is available on Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Just search Keep It Positive Sweetie. That's sweetie with an ie to listen. Hello and welcome to this episode of Keep It Positive Sweetie. I'm Krystal Renee Hazlett and guys, guess what? We, we are in Los Angeles. I finally brought Kips to la. Guys, I want to sit down and talk to some of my friends here that couldn't get to Atlanta. So we are here and I am so excited. I want to thank 13 Loon. We are here at this beautiful black owned establishment owned by Nikao Graco where 90% of her products that she sells are BIPOC founded. Guys, make sure you stop by right here in the Larchmont area. If you don't know where it is, just Google it and pull up on my girl. For this episode, I am talking to someone that I'm very close to that I've known for years. I'm so excited to have her. She is responsible for a lot of the hairstyles that you've seen me rock on red carpets and so many other people, just to name a few. Tyra Banks, Angela Bassett, Chaka Khan, Laverne Cox, Ciara. It's so many people. If it's fly, she probably done did it, I'm telling you. But I have with me Kaya Wright. Guys, Kaia is a two time Emmy award winning celebrity hairstyles whose genius has not only set the precedent for image making but has redefined the appearance of sexy, successful and confident women. Kaia is a fashion powerhouse with expertise ranging from signature hairstyle designs to overall beauty consultation and transformation. As a charismatic visionary, this creative trendsetter has established her mark in the industry and continues to inspire with cutting edge developments and and groundbreaking achievements. Ladies and gentlemen, Kya Wright. I'm so happy to have you here.

B (1:57)

Yes. I am so excited to be here.

A (1:59)

Oh my God.

B (1:59)

You know I'm always like Christmas.

A (2:02)

Oh my gosh. She keeps up with everything y'. All. Like you keep up with the shows, you keep up with the podcast. I just appreciate your continued support over the years.

B (2:09)

Seriously.

A (2:11)

Today we want to talk about continuous invention and that is what I think about you. You have reinvented yourself over the years. You've been doing this for 30 years and.

B (2:23)

You have been doing it.

A (2:25)

You know, people wish they could. You've been doing it for 30 years and when I think about you, I think about this quote and it says there are no shortcuts in evolution. We should be consistent in evolution and adapt to the new without ever losing our essence or our integrity. And I feel like that is something you have done.