For LaTonia Oyeniran, hair care has never been just about beauty. It is about culture, care, and creating something meaningful from lived experience. As the Founder and CEO of Braid Miracle, she has built a brand rooted in the realities of protective styling, addressing pain points many people quietly accept as normal.Â
Shaped by her upbringing in an entrepreneurial family and deeply influenced by her Nigerian heritage, LaTonia brings intention into every part of her work. Her frequent visits to Nigeria keep her connected to a broader community and a fast-growing beauty and entrepreneurship ecosystem that continues to inspire her vision.Â
Through Braid Miracle, she blends clean innovation with social responsibility, using the brand as a vehicle not only for better braid care but also for real-world impact that helps survivors of human trafficking rebuild their lives through skill and opportunity. In this exclusive conversation with Exeleon Magazine, LaTonia shares about her journey, Braid Miracle, and the beauty industry.
You grew up in Texas working in your family’s hair salon. What early lessons did that environment teach you about hair care, entrepreneurship, and serving
people?
LaTonia Oyeniran: Growing up around my family’s salon taught me early on that anything is possible. I watched ideas turn into reality simply because someone was willing to put in the work and take a leap of faith. That stayed with me.
What also stood out was the trust that was exchanged. People willingly spent their hard-earned money because they believed in the service being provided. That taught me the value of excellence, integrity, and care. We weren’t just doing hair, we were serving people.
And because I had access to all of the products and tools at the salon, I became creative with my own hair and learned to do it myself. That eventually turned into me braiding hair in college as a side hustle to support myself. Looking back, that environment quietly trained me in entrepreneurship long before I ever called it that.
As the daughter of a Nigerian immigrant father, how did his entrepreneurial journey shape your mindset and approach to building a business of your own?
LaTonia Oyeniran: My parents built their first family business, a convenience store in Missouri City, Texas, and they let us be part of the process. From restocking shelves to watching them run the register, and sometimes even helping with checkouts, we were involved. That mattered. Most children play pretend, acting like adults in a grocery store or office, but I got to live that reality.
I watched my parents pour everything they had into that business. It wasn’t until much later that I fully grasped what it meant for my father to leave Nigeria, come to America, and build a life for his family from the ground up.
Because of him, entrepreneurship felt as natural to me as brushing my teeth every morning. He never settled for what was handed to him, and that mindset was passed down to us. That’s where my resilience comes from. It’s why I keep pushing forward when things are hard, and why I believe there’s always another level to reach.
Braid Miracle was born from a very real pain point you witnessed firsthand. Can you walk us through the exact moment when you realized there was a gap in braid care that needed to be solved?
LaTonia Oyeniran: I learned to braid my own hair early on, and braids became my go-to style. Now, I loved my braids, but I dreaded the process. It almost guaranteed pain, tightness, and scalp irritation; it felt like something you just had to endure.
One night, I was watching Shark Tank with my dad when it hit me: Why does getting braids have to hurt? I searched for solutions and came up empty. Nothing on the market addressed pain and scalp health in a clean, intentional way.
That was the moment I realized there was a gap in braid care. I worked with a chemist to create what became our bestselling Braid Spray, a clean formula designed to relieve pain and tension during and after braiding. Braid Miracle was born from that very real need.
You visit Nigeria often and maintain close ties to the culture and community there. How has staying connected to your roots influenced the vision, values, and identity of Braid Miracle?
LaTonia Oyeniran: Braids have deep roots in African culture, and over time they’ve become a powerful form of expression across many cultures. Because of my heritage, Braid Miracle has roots there too.
Visiting Nigeria keeps me grounded. The culture, the sense of community, and the way people look out for one another all shape how I see the world and how I lead. It’s also where I’m reminded that many people are still struggling and simply need access, opportunity, or support.
That’s why social impact is so important to our brand. Braid Miracle goes beyond hair. We truly care about our people and believe this need has been overlooked for far too long. We’re focused on creating pathways, especially for the most vulnerable, to build something better.
The beauty industry is crowded, yet Braid Miracle stands out as a clean, braid
focused brand. What was most challenging about launching a niche product in an
already saturated market?
LaTonia Oyeniran: It’s funny you ask that, because I actually believe being niche is our strength. We know our audience intimately because we are the audience. That level of understanding is something larger brands simply can’t replicate.
The real challenge in my opinion comes from competing with massive corporations that have larger budgets and more resources. But I often think about David and Goliath, it’s not always the biggest that wins. Sometimes it’s the small but mighty. Our size allows us to be intentional, agile, and deeply connected to our customers, and that’s what enables a brand like ours to stand tall in a crowded industry.
Finally, when people think of Braid Miracle five or ten years from now, what do
you hope the brand represents beyond products on a shelf?
LaTonia Oyeniran: I hope Braid Miracle is remembered as a brand that transformed something painful into something beautiful.
Beyond products on a shelf, I want people to see us as a turning point: a brand that genuinely cared for its customers and used its platform to create opportunity. Whether that’s improving the braiding experience or helping vulnerable individuals build new lives, I want our legacy to be one of care, empathy, and lasting impact.
