DENVER — A Denver entrepreneur is launching a new business with a goal of helping parents with adopted children learn how to braid.
Your Braids are Everything (also known as BAE) was started by LaTyle Morgan. Morgan will host a beginner braiding class on Saturday, July 22.
“I will be working with 20 students who will just be coming in," she said. "I have provided all of the materials from start to finish. They each will receive a mannequin head, clips, the stand and the small materials here to also maneuver through the class. I want to be able to really extend my services to those who are in the adoption world who are taking in African American kids… and being able to say that I've learned this or I've taken the time to go learn this, it gives you the opportunity to not only give that communication (but) maybe build that bridge with somebody that you're bringing into the home.”
Morgan said her new business was made possible by the Rocky Mountain MicroFinance Institute (RMMFI).
“They basically helped me start this entrepreneur journey,” Morgan said.
RMMFI is a nonprofit that helps aspiring entrepreneurs launch their businesses.
“Our model revolves around what we call capacity meeting capital," said Jessica Sveen, Rocky Mountain MicroFinance Institute CEO. "So, we do business development, kind of like in that technical assistance, really helping entrepreneurs build their capacity to run a business to kind of activate a dream or an idea. And then we are also a micro lender. So, we infuse capital into the business when the entrepreneur is ready for it. We have loans and grants between $500 to $75,000. So that is kind of that sweet spot of micro-finance — these smaller pieces of capital, so smaller loans really aimed at what do you need to have in place in order to start making money.”
Sveen said qualifications for those loans and grants do not require a credit check.
“So, we don't take credit scores or kind of past performance in loans. We get to know people over time, and really build that trusting connection with people as they go through our program,” Sveen said.
Morgan said RMMFI helped her reach her dream, rooted in deeply personal experiences.
“When I was younger my mom passed away due to domestic violence. So I went to stay with my cousins and my cousins was a house full of girls. One thing that we did not play about — we did not want to go outside without having was our crown done. And our crown meaning our hair,” Morgan said.
Morgan said she plans to continue holding classes and providing education materials to make learning how to braid hair more accessible for all.
