Who Got tha JUICE!?! – Ming Lee

Written By: Melanesia Hunter

Photography By: Rebecca Anne Morgan

One of the main concepts that started this whole brand idea was to shoot and interview people that I have known or worked with that have personally inspired me. Needless to say the shit that KING MING has pulled off in less than two years in nothing short of amazing and inspiring. MING LEE, the creator/ owner of new Atlanta salon SNOB STUDIOS, as well as owner of SNOB LIFE, a virgin hair and clothing brand, has opened up to us about the journey of a young entrepreneur. With a fan base of over 200,000 + hair snobs all over the U.S. and the rest of the world for that matter…this young vibrant Detroit hustler gives me the scoop on where and how it all started. Twenty7 Mag was in Snob Studios before it was even open… Ming did her interview and shoot right in the midst of the salon being built. The exclusive content, the casual but substantial conversation, the passion of two young entrepreneurs talking about bringing their dreams and visions to life and watching it manifest are all things that you will find here. You will also find an extreme sense of realness, unfiltered content and a certain level of rawness… this whole project was gorilla style. I literally filmed her interview with my Iphone. My best friend Rebecca, who is an incredible photographer took the pictures for me, and we basically started this brand off with our super powerful 2man army Gorilla style shoots! What make things even more amazing is that Ming didn’t give a shit! lol We we’re totally in a zone of just being in the moment and actually taking the first steps towards bring our visions to life…. Doing this interview was experimental for me…I’m just trying my best to bring this vision to life…however I can…with whatever I have…and Ming was actually in the moment of building her dream salon…to start her empire/brand that she had been dreaming about. I mean… thinking back to last summer when we were all in that Salon grinding it out… I have a smile on my face…and my heart is full.

We got epic content the day of Ming’s shoot. From a woman who wants to encourage, support, and promote unity, femininity, and entrepreneurship. Ming has drive like I’ve never seen before and I’m literally watching her bring each and every one of her dreams to life. She  has put in the hard work, dedication, and sacrifice to build a multimillion dollar brand in less than 2 years…. If I must say so myself …

MING definitely has Tha JUICE

{M- Mel } {ML- Ming Lee}

{M} What made you come to the conclusion that you wanted to actually own a salon?

{ML} I don’t know…I just woke up one day… I rolled over to my BF and was like bae I think I wanna open up a salon. He was like for real….I was like yea… so he said DO It… Its so crazy because I decided to open up a salon like Nov 28th, and I called my homegirl like what are you doing today…she said nothing…so I was like great come ride with me while I look for spaces. She said spaces for what…I said ..I’m about to open me a salon up. All she said was ok Im getting dressed….We started looking that day Nov 28th… we looked for 2 days..and we couldn’t really find anything…then on dec 8…we were looking at a space across the street ..I just so happened to look over here and I saw a sign that said for rent….

it was a sign that said for rent so I was like let me see what these people talking bout . I called and the guy said he was upstairs but would come down to show me the space. He came down….told me how much the rent was and I was like…hmmm when can we do the paper work lol…. Im ready. We did the paperwork…it took like a week and a half to go over contracts and whatnot…and I signed my lease Dec 21st

{M} – So… tell me about the salon…is there a theme? What was your vision?

{ML}  The theme is “A girls best friend” Whats a girl’s best friend…Diamonds….

When I visited Hong Kong and saw the dryers and shampoo bowls I said to myself if I ever own a salon…Im gonna have these stations….and then 3 weeks later I woke up like I want a salon. And once when I was in Paris I saw this Swarovski crystal staircase in a store and I told myself I gotta have one. It’s crazy how when I started the project…it was nothing…it didn’t even have ceilings, a bathroom, it didn’t have walls, it didn’t  have anything…everything was custom built. I ordered everything I wanted… I even ordered 30,000 crystals for the staircase at first…not realizing that I actually needed 300,000 for the staircase until the others got here… so of course …more had to be ordered.

{M} So you did just basically wake up one day and say hey… I’m about to open a salon!! Did you already have a big enough clientele to make you comfortable enough to take that leap? Like what made you say I’m just going to get the space and work it out from there?

{ML} ummm I don’t know…I really don’t believe in luck…I just believe “when preparation meets opportunity” so I figured..I’m always prepared so why not. I feel like most people fail when they don’t keep going …like when they be on top of the world and they don’t capitalize on the opportunity to be bigger and brand bigger. I figured my rent for the space I could carry myself…off of my clientele so as long as I can take care of the rent myself I knew I could control the environment. Which to me meant I won’t ever be desperate, and I won’t ever have to just hire anyone into my brand. I knew it would work though because I’v never seen a salon this pretty so I was just like lets do it!!!

{M} Im happy for you…that’s why I had to choose you for one of my 1st features because you’re such an inspiration and the story has to be told, you are 26, you are a young successful entrepreneur

{ML} and i started with 500$

{M} and ur not turning back

{ML} yea …people don’t understand

{M} who….girl…listen …why you think I’m doing this

{ML} oh yea…you…you understand…I be like I’m writing a book…just to tell people you can do it….yo if I can do it….a young girl from the city…that didn’t even know if I was gonna be a doctor, a lawyer, a hairstylist, a waitress, dancer…lol girl I didn’t even know what I was gonna do…. so if I did it….anybody can do it because all I did was focus….invest my time,research, educate myself, believed and prayed”

{M} hey..I know the story…and I know the struggle…and I want to project that because we gotta stand up…its our time…. its like people looking in from the outside and living vicariously through our social media thinking that this shit is a piece of cake and easy but its not… the stories have to be told…

{ML} it’s really not. People think it’s fun being your own boss…and it’s cool, because you know at the end of the day its yours but if you don’t make no money….your company won’t make no money…and if your company don’t make no money…You don’t make no money…so as much as you put into it is what you get out of it. It’s cool and all…but it takes sacrifice, dedication…

like when I first started my company I didn’t see a profit for the 1st 6 months…like I was still living check to check….I was still sharing food because I couldn’t afford to eat everyday….like thats crazy….but I spent…the money…I was going to use to buy a sofa…buying some hair..and I swear that was the best 500$ I’ve ever spent…to date…lol.

I just want people to know you can do it…especially women….man I’m so passionate about female empowerment. Thats what I want my book to be about. All my friends are business owners, we all support each other, we all work together…

like its cool to have a dude that can do for you but my daddy always told me…anything somebody do for you should be extra.

I always tell people its open market…open season

{M} you got the same 24 hrs

{ML} the same…on top of that so many people don’t take advantage of it. Its so easy to make something happen. Its so easy…

{M} I’ve known it…for a while…but I really really found it out when I moved to La….that’s what’s crazy!

{ML} I found it out like 3 years ago…I was like oh…this is like taking candy from a baby…cool…I want in. like what I gotta do to get in…like save me a seat at the top lol…but once I realized that it was open season…things just started working for me, but whats crazy is…that once you start to become successful …you start to realize who your real friends are.

{M} ain’t people dropping like flies…don’t it hurt…but I’m not gone go off into that rant lawd

{ML} yea…it kinda does hurt: but I guess I’d rather find out now than later..but its cool. You realize that your biggest supporters be the people that you don’t even know.

{M} yea…its crazy how we touch so many people and we don’t even know it.

{ML} yea..I guess that’s the beauty of life. I mean everybody aint meant to stay….seasons and reasons

We continue the interview as Ming walks me and Rebecca through the entire salon explaining to us what is going to go where and where she got he inspiration for everything from. The contractors are actually installing bowls and stations, and doing all kind of handy work in the salon while we were there… to think back to that day…a month or two before the Salon opened in June….to now… I’m totally amazed. She really did get everything she wanted and set out for.

{ML} I think people don’t realize how many decisions I have to make…like everybody loves that chandelier(points to main chandelier)…I hate it…it’s not what I ordered so I’m waiting on a new one to come in.

{M} oh I like it..it’s nice…I think that shit is fly

{ML} it’s not what I wanted. It was supposed to be only crystals…more bling…like thats ..thats subpar…i don’t 1/2 do nothing so…

 {M} so you taking it down…

{ML} of course!

(laughter)

{ML} It’s not what I wanted…and at this point I have spent all this money I should get everything that I want. I don’t see why not. I don’t even see why I would have to cut any corners. I don’t have to cut not one corner, I don’t have to settle for less than what I want…Ima get what I want…especially if I’m paying for it! I could see if it was a gift…but

{M} if you’e gonna pay for it you’re gonna get exactly what you wanted

{ML} yea…mite as well…or don’t pay for it..thats how i feel.

{M} I think the energy in here is gonna be great

{ML}  it’s gonna be awesome

{M} it’s gonna be amazing… I think the people that are starting to follow you are getting attached to you and your brand because of the great energy…you’re gonna have some loyal fans and clients.

{ML}  yea I am…I can feel it already . You know….the best part of this is that I get emails…like 30 a day now…from women that I inspire…women that wanted to give up or women that didn’t think they could….now they know that if I can do it…you can do it. I always pride myself on being the relatable girl. So even with my friends…my homegirls does PR and she’s helping me get into little magazines and stuff…and she would be like oh..I told them you were a celebrity hairstylist. and i would be like but I’m not…

{M} so u don’t do celebrities

{ML} nope…I do SNOBS

{M} I noticed you didn’t take the “celebrity” hair stylist route with your career or  brand…why?

{ML} Because I didn’t necessarily want to put my vision on hold to build some one else’s. I’ve known of artists who can do both but yea unless you’ve built your brand and they are coming to you for your brand…. you pretty much to be on someone else’s schedule.So there’s been times where I’ve had opportunities present themselves… But at the time I was building my brand…and it was pretty much non existent so it was like either I put my brand on hold….

{M} on hold…oh girl…

{ML} to chase …not to chase them but to be apart of someone’s  team/glam squad

{M} but that a an experience thats beautiful as well…because I was dealing with that complex too..it was like aww man..I’m just now starting to create a little buzz in Atlanta with my make up career…then its like oooo you wanna go on tour and travel the world doing make up for a dope ass artist….and then I’m torn because really…. I want both…to stay in Atlanta and build my brand…and to go on tour and travel the world doing what I love to do. But if I’m all in South Africa and Australia  beating faces and and having all of these priceless experiences , I cant be in Atlanta building my empire the way I know I could be. It’s just such a had decision because traveling is like

{ML} {M} “so amazing”

{M} and the artist I’m traveling with…our relationship is amazing…so it makes working and traveling an even greater experience. But then I find myself missing the photo shoots, shows, and editorials.  I’ve been on the road for the past 3 years and now I’m finally starting to brand myself as well as build a brand around myself and my talents.

{ML} yea I see… I chose to build my brand 1st. I figured if the right opportunity ever presented itself I would take it…maybe

{M} again I say… I’m proud of you. Think about how much you have done…in 6 months…its amazing

{ML} it was supposed to be done in 3 months

{M} really?

{ML}  yea…that was the goal

{M} ok lol..I’ve totally been being selfish..…let me ask some questions other people might want to know

{M} How long have you been doing hair?

{ML} I’ve been doing hair for 2 and a half years.

{M} what!?!? you have been doing hair for what?!?!

{ML} 2 1/2 years

{M} omg..say it again lol

{ML} 2 1/2 years

{M} are you serious!! thats beautiful

{M} When did you know you wanted to be a hair stylist?

{ML} I’ve kinda known it all my life, I just procrastinated. It was always a talent…so sometimes you don’t recognize your talent as a career path…. I went to hair school but I already just knew how to do it so I was like why am I here..but I guess I had to get a pace of paper.

{M} Do you specialize in one type of hair styling or do you do it all?

{ML} I do not do it all. I specialize in color and extensions.

{M} Are you pro natural , anti perm, or are you kind of indifferent about it?

{ML} I’m kinda indifferent. I think there is a healthy way to apply chemicals to your hair, bc some people go natural but then have to end up pressing their hair out everyday, and heat is not healthy for your hair so I’m indifferent. I think it should be judged case by case.

{M} What are like the top 3 tools you use in your KIT?

{ML} Shapers ( I should get a check because I promote them so good) lol

my FHI iron and of course my product line that I have coming out… my edge control ( you see my edges)

*Ming’s edges were on point btw* lol

{M} In your opinion …what are some of the mistakes we make as black women with our hair? like what are some of the things you see and you’re like ahhh mannnnn…smh…because I know when I’m out and I see crazy make up Im like oh em geeee

{ML} blending – thats like the easiest but hardest thing to do