For the better part of two decades, Trayce Madre has a been a celebrated and sought after celebrity beauty entrepreneur and personal branding coach.
Her background in marketing and sales coupled with her expertise in cosmetology have made her one of the most trusted professionals for corporate and entertainment clientele. With over 60 different certifications, Madree is an expert in coloring, cutting, extension application and more. She has also gained invaluable experience by working with the likes of Mizani, Redken, Affirm, Sebastian, Schwarkopf, Matrix, Joico, and Morrocanoil among others.
Her roster of clients includes celebrities such as Common, R. Kelly, Paris Hilton, Michelle Williams (Destiny’s Child), legendary supermodel Beverly Johnson, actress Erica Hubbard, and TV host Val Warner to name a few.
Walk us through your journey to success. How did you get to this point?
My journey was just that a journey. After finishing college and studying marketing and psychology, I started my career. I immediately knew I didn’t fit the regular employee mindset. I was always coming up with new ways to do things that brought more productivity to the company. Then came a day they tried to make me choose because I was a new mom and had been taking off a lot for my son’s doctors appointments. They said if I left that I’d lose my commission on the largest billion dollar corporate client that I had acquired. I was young and full of ego and so I quit with no plan. I then enrolled in cosmetology school and took on my real passion. Being that my back was against the wall — and I was now pregnant with a second child at 23 — I knew I had to take my skill sets and business knowledge and turn a profit quickly. I wrote a business plan and my husband became my street team. Now 15 years later, I run a full entity entailing two salons, two education systems, and two hair lines. I attribute my success to patience and planning.
What do you do to stay on top of your game professionally?
In a competitive environment it is very important to stay on top of your game. I sit down and compile a list of my strengths and my weaknesses. I then take one from each list and come up with ways to improve both quarterly. I am a strong believer in education so I make sure there is nothing available that I don’t at least know how to do or am able to speak upon.
How do you balance your personal life with your career?
Balance is the key to functionality there is no way around it. With all the modes of communication and access it can get quite loud to one’s brain. The way I stay on top of this is setting times frames and boundaries. If I have set two hours to the side to work on business planning then I do not take phone call or emails and vice versa. You have to break the day into time increments and stick to it.
What advice would you give to a budding entrepreneur or career woman?
My advice to any new entrepreneur is know that it is possible. Set realistic expectations and make sure you follow those doing what you desire to do in your field. Make sure you stay abreast of what’s going on in your field and work hard toward your goals.
What does being a BOSS mean to you?
Being a BOSS to me isn’t a title, it’s an earned state of mind. It’s the ability to understand a project and see it to the end. It is the feeling you give of empowerment to your team. It is understanding and knowing work comes before celebration. A BOSS carries themselves in a manner that others can follow to reach their own professional goals.
For more information about Madre, please visit www.traycemadre.com or follow her on Twitter at @TrayceMadre.
The BOSS Network is a community of career and entrepreneurial women who support each other through conversation, online and event-based networking. Their mission is to promote and encourage the small business spirit and professional development of women. For more information on The BOSS Network, please visit www.thebossnetwork.org.
