In the heart of Atlanta, where entrepreneurial dreams often collide with market realities, Juanda Roberts has crafted something extraordinary. Her venture, Princess Hair Pizzazz, isn’t just another chain of hair salons, it’s a testament to what happens when purpose meets precision in business planning. As an Atlanta native and Spelman College graduate who spent 18 years in technology consulting, Roberts has managed to transform a personal frustration into a thriving enterprise that’s reshaping the landscape of children’s hair care services.
Building luxury in underserved communities
The story of Princess Hair Pizzazz began with a 24-hour ordeal of doing her daughter Journey’s hair. “I looked up and thought, you need to pay somebody to do this,” Roberts recalls. But she wanted more than just a service, she envisioned a safe, luxurious space where young girls could feel valued. Today, with four locations across Metro Atlanta including Cascade, Cumberland, Stonecrest, and Stockbridge, her vision has materialized into much more than just a business success story.
Roberts’s decision to establish luxury salons in traditionally underserved areas was deliberate and meaningful. “I am South Fulton, I am Stonecrest, I am Lithonia,” she declares, emphasizing her deep connection to these communities. Her approach challenges the conventional wisdom about where upscale businesses can thrive, proving that excellence and luxury have a place in every neighborhood.
Excellence as a business foundation
What sets Princess Hair Pizzazz apart isn’t just its focus on children, but its unwavering commitment to excellence. Roberts attributes this mindset to her HBCU education and corporate background. “I don’t want to be good, I don’t even want to be great. I want to be excellent,” she emphasizes. This philosophy manifests in every aspect of her business, from the salon’s maintenance to staff training and customer service.
The attention to detail extends to the physical upkeep of each location. Unlike competitors who might let their facilities deteriorate, Roberts maintains a strict renovation schedule. “Every two or three years, you need to paint. That chair that now is totally stained and torn up, you need to replace that,” she explains. This commitment to maintaining a luxurious environment sends a powerful message to clients about their worth and dignity.
Creating impact beyond beauty
The impact of Princess Hair Pizzazz extends far beyond providing hair care services. Roberts has created what she calls the “Shero wall,” featuring influential Black women to inspire young clients. She’s deliberately established her luxury salons in communities that typically lack access to high-end services, challenging the notion that quality must be sought elsewhere.
One particularly moving success story involves a young client who was experiencing bullying at school. Roberts sponsored her visits and instructed her staff to build up the girl’s confidence. “From that one visit, her family says she was walking more confidently, speaking more, being more assertive,” Roberts shares. These transformations demonstrate the profound impact that a supportive, affirming environment can have on young lives.
Nurturing sisterhood and growth
Perhaps most remarkable is Roberts’s approach to team building. She’s created a family-like atmosphere where stylists support each other beyond work hours. “These ladies keep each other’s kids,” she shares, describing how team members have evolved from stylists to managers, from renters to homeowners. Her business model isn’t just about profit, it’s about creating pathways for economic mobility.
The company maintains this family atmosphere even as it grows through quarterly team events and regular local gatherings. These occasions serve multiple purposes: maintaining company culture, fostering relationships across locations, and ensuring that Roberts stays connected with both longtime employees and new team members.
Weathering challenges with grace
The journey hasn’t been without its challenges. When Covid-19 hit just as the business was becoming profitable, Roberts faced the difficult decision of closing doors temporarily. Yet, her commitment to her team’s and community’s safety prevailed. She’s also navigated the complexities of maintaining high standards while scaling, implementing quarterly team events to preserve the company’s culture across multiple locations.
Roberts acknowledges the emotional toll of entrepreneurship, particularly when dealing with staff transitions and occasional betrayals. However, she’s learned to balance her naturally big heart with business necessities, making tough decisions when team members no longer align with the company’s values while maintaining compassion and professionalism.
A blueprint for community-focused entrepreneurship
Roberts’s advice to aspiring entrepreneurs is grounded in practical wisdom: start with a solid business plan, solve a real problem, and be strategic about growth. “Don’t jump into a brick and mortar if you don’t need it,” she cautions, emphasizing the importance of phased expansion. She advocates for maintaining a day job until the side hustle can become the main hustle, a strategy that proved crucial during challenging times like the pandemic.
The success of Princess Hair Pizzazz demonstrates the viability of businesses that prioritize both profit and purpose. Roberts has created a model where luxury service becomes accessible to communities that historically lacked such amenities, while simultaneously creating economic opportunities for her team members.
As Atlanta continues to evolve, Roberts’s vision of combining business excellence with community impact offers a blueprint for entrepreneurship that transforms lives. Her journey from corporate executive to community champion demonstrates how business success and social impact can go hand in hand, creating ripples of positive change that extend far beyond the salon chair.
In an era where businesses are increasingly expected to contribute to social good, Princess Hair Pizzazz stands as a shining example of how to do it right. Roberts’s commitment to excellence, community service, and employee development has created not just a successful business, but a movement that’s changing lives one hairstyle at a time. As she continues to expand her empire, her impact on Atlanta’s communities grows, proving that when business is done with purpose and heart, everyone wins.
