Meet Rosa Nelly
Rosa Nelly is a proud mom, hairdresser, and salon owner with a remarkable thirty years in the beauty industry under her belt. Since emigrating from the Dominican Republic in 1994, Rosa Nelly has established herself and her Brooklyn salon as a mainstay in the community. She is passionate about providing her loyal clients a professional, enjoyable experience so they leave feeling beautiful and confident.
“At my core, I really enjoy hairdressing because I get to help other people. Seeing the smiles on my customers’ faces after their new haircut or fresh highlights is the most rewarding part of my job.”
Rosa Nelly has owned and operated her current salon in the Sunset Park neighborhood of Brooklyn for 27 years. She offers her clients a variety of services from classic cuts and colors to elaborate extensions and hair treatments. However, Rosa Nelly’s favorite part of her salon and owning her own business is the camaraderie between herself and her six other employees.
“I love the team I’ve created here. Over the years, we have just become so close, and it feels like I have a home away from home, especially since my three kids are grown up. We just have a lot of fun together.”
Despite all her success, COVID-19 took its toll on Rosa Nelly and her business. Prior to the pandemic, she was successfully running her Sunset Park salon alongside a second location. With New York’s stay-at-home orders in place for months, Rosa Nelly was forced to close that second salon prompting her to pivot and focus all her time and attention into her original location.
“It was scary to lose an entire salon during a time where there was so much uncertainty. That difficult time taught me the importance of saving for an emergency because I never could have guessed I would have to close that second location. It was really eye-opening for me.”
During this challenging time, Rosa Nelly leaned on Grameen America for the support she needed to put her time and energy into her Sunset Park salon. Wanting to take her business to the next level, she began selling accessories and clothing in a previously unused corner of her salon. The idea to do so actually came from Rosa Nelly’s fellow members.
“I was looking for ways to bring in extra revenue since I was relying on one salon now. In talking with the other members in my center, they suggested I start selling accessories and clothes alongside my usual services. It was such a good idea.”
Since joining the program, Rosa Nelly has also seen growth in her credit score and savings habits. Her credit score has increased over 120 points and she now has an emergency fund where she sets aside money for unexpected business expenses. She is also able to purchase expensive, professional-grade hair products she sells to clients so they can get the salon look at home.
“Loans from Grameen America have allowed me to invest in higher quality hair care products and extensions. Now, I never worry about keeping up with inventory.”
More than anything, Rosa Nelly feels thankful for Grameen America and the support the program provides her and women entrepreneurs like her.
