Keshia EastMy name is Keshia East, and I’m the founder of No Knot Co – a hair tools and accessories brand specifically targeted to wavy, curly and Afro hair types.

I’m half Ghanaian and half English. I studied history at university and after graduating, I went straight into the beauty world! I started my business in September 2020.

Did you ever sit down and plan your career? 

Never in my life have I ever planned the future (other than now I’m running a business and need to make forecasts). I’m very much an in the moment person. It means being my own boss works well as each day is new and exciting. A new opportunity for me to create whatever I dream of that day! It keeps life exciting. 

Have you faced any challenges along the way?

Starting a business brings a LOT of challenges. One of my biggest has been balancing work and life. There always has to be a sacrifice when building a business which I’ve come to learn. But the pros certainly outweigh the negatives. 

What has been your biggest achievement to date?

I think winning our Cosmo beauty award for best hair brush 2021 is my greatest achievement. It was for our Lilac Gentle Detangler. 

What one thing do you believe has been a major factor in you achieving success?  

I think the fact that the problem I was solving in launching No Knot Co was so personal to me. I know the struggles of not having the right products/tools for my hair. So much so I straightened my hair for YEARS. I think when you create something that solves a big problem in your own life – there’s a genuine desire to bring an amazing product to the market. 

How do you feel about mentoring? Have you mentored anyone or are you someone’s mentee? 

I love mentoring. I have a few mentors myself. I would love to help anyone in anyway I can – but I think I need to get some more success and experience before helping others 🙂 

If you could change one thing to accelerate the pace of change for Diversity & Inclusion, what would it be?

I would ensure every single retail shop that stocks “hair” products caters to ALL hair types and not just a specific hair type. I think we are so far behind when it comes to curly and Afro hair types. It’s 2021 and I can still talk into a major retailer and there not be one brush that works in my hair. This is the problem No Knot Co aim to solve. 

If you could give one piece of advice to your younger self what would it be? 

I would say to stress less – because nothing that you are worrying about now will be important in the future. Enjoy your life! You’re still young. And when you start a business you won’t have much free time – so enjoy it while it lasts.

What is your next challenge and what are you hoping to achieve in the future? 

My next challenge is growing my business further. I genuinely went to see a No Knot Co brush in every major beauty retailer in the UK. I am also hoping to launch some hair products that will compliment our tools 🙂 

What’s it like being a female in your particular space/business?

You would think being a woman running a hair tools company would be common, but I am a unicorn on this space. All my major competitors are male owned! It makes me feel like my brand will stand out amongst because of this as I genuinely use and love the products myself! 

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