Xsandy’s owner Sandra Brown-Pinnock

Months after launching her hair and beauty shop Xsandy’s, Sandra Brown-Pinnock was told by one competitor that they were going to “crush her” and that her business “wouldn’t exist in a matter of months”.

A year later Sandra has proved the greedy, hateful, cretins wrong!

It’s a widely known fact that despite Black women spending four times more on hair care than any other ethnic group, an overwhelming majority of Afro hair and beauty suppliers are not owned by Black people. Sandra Brown-Pinnock, owner of Xsandy’s (the only black-owned hair and beauty store in South East London) is on a mission to disrupt this disparity.

A forensic psychiatric nurse-turned businesswoman, Brown-Pinnock entered the lucrative industry (worth an estimated $700m) manufacturing a successful line of hair extensions. After a string of negative experiences with high street beauty supply stores (one which forced her to take legal action), the intense frustration resulting from persistent poor customer service, lack of product knowledge and ‘outright disrespect’, provoked the ambitious mother of two to challenge the status quo.

This month (June) marks a double celebration for the businesswoman with the first year anniversary of Xsandy’s in Lewisham and opening her second store in Peckham (Rye Lane), something she credits to the support of the Black community.

“I decided to share my vision of empowering the Black community by urging them to help to reclaim control of an industry that we dominate…and the video went viral. Since then customers have been coming far and wide to support Xsandy’s – something I’m so grateful for. It’s encouraging to see us proving that we can come together and support Black businesses.

Recalling the frustration as a customer herself, Brown-Pinnock manages to build and maintain the loyalty of her customers by investing in staff enabling them to deliver great customer service with the advantage of experience and product knowledge. Equally important to her vision is the desire to see other Black-owned hair and beauty supply shops enter the market.

Committed to assisting other entrepreneurs within the community, the ambitious shop owner stocks many independent product lines including Mahogany Curls, Shea Decadence and Shear and Shine.

Visit: www.xsandyshairandcosmetics.co.uk

Congratulations Sandra.