About US

Strands of Beauty filled the void of missing customer service in the braiding industry and created the industry standard for Tree Braids, traveling braid shops, and professional braiders.  While our primary focus will always be on the hair goals of each client while providing our clients with healthy, neat, & polished protective styles, we have once again listening to the heartbeat of the industry and are responding. Strands of Beauty is now Hooked on Braids providing the same level of service and hair care, but without the inflated price. 

Strands of Beauty was founded in 2006 by Ethena, an American Master Braider with over 100,000 hours of installing and teaching protective style techniques such as Tree Braids, Crochet Braids, and hair extensions.  Ethena started braiding hair in 2006 while serving full time as a sworn police officer. Hooked on Braids was established in 2020 amid the COVID 19 Pandemic as an affordable way of still helping client in the wake of the world being closed. 

She perfected her braiding skills in 2012 during hands-on training at  Atta's Braiding Saloon at the Kaneshie Market Complex in Accra, Ghana (West Africa).  There she worked in a Ghanian braiding salon for no compensation, only for the opportunity to braid on the land of her ancestry and perfect her skills.  The experience was life changing. 

Her ambition comes from her parents and a long ancestral line of sharecropers -turned-business owners.  Her father, Joe Profit a former Atlanta Falcons NFL first round pick running-back & Louisiana Sports Hall of Famer whom along with her late mother a youth minister, guided and encouraged her to listen to GOD and create her own world.  Her background in law enforcement, emergency management, and homeland security along with phenomenal management training in customer service from Nordstrom also laid the foundation for her stamina and drive. 

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In 2013 Ethena turned Strands of Beauty into a franchise with one flagship and one franchise location in Fayetteville, GA. Soon after franchising, she was awarded eight (8) military contracts for hair salons on US military bases in three states.  In 2018, she closed the salons and took a sabbatical.

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In 2019 after a divorce, she revived the brand and expanded west to Phoenix, Arizona and Las Vegas, Nevada. From 2019-2020, during COVID, she became a published author & co-author of eight (8) books and the host of Ethena's Play Pen Podcast. One year later she established The Braid Boss Podcast  and Braid Boss Couture. Her ninth book, a memoir is set to release in Winter of 2023. 

After serving as the Chief Operating Officer for over a decade, being at the helm of operating ten (10) brick & mortar salons including eight military and two civilian salons, four pop-up shops and mobile braiding services spanning eight (8) states, Ethena is excited to continue expanding the team to more cities and enhancing the beauty of their clients. ​

Her focus is on taking care of her clients, writing, hosting her podcast, and building Strands of Beauty.

She has been an instructor for several years at the Bronner Bros. International Hair and Beauty Show, Miami Beauty Expo, and World Natural Hair Show providing training and consulting for beauty business professionals. Ethena personally trains Strands of Beauty Staff as well as Strands of Beauty Institute Students.

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She is a mother of two lovely daughters, an author, podcast host, filmmaker, writer, and the founder of several companies including The Greatness International Hair & Beauty Show (Ghana) and the Strands of Beauty Institute of Braiding and Beauty Business Development.  Ethena has a bachelor's degree from Arizona State University along with several certifications and licenses in anti-terrorism and homeland security.  

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However, her first love is taking care of her team and Strands of Beauty Clients. Stay tuned for more beauty from Strands of Beauty.  ❣️