CINCINNATI — A recent study done by the United States Census Bureau shows 68 percent of small business owners believe the pandemic has hurt their business.

What You Need To Know

  • Ohio nonprofit Score provides free financial expertise to small business owners

  • Small business owners are paired with mentors to help assist with their needs

  • Annetta Waters, the owner of Annetta’s Beauty Bar and Eleven Twenty-Two, is a part of the program
  • The program has helped her generate revenue for her Eleven Twenty-Two vegan hair products

That’s why one southwest Ohio organization is stepping up to provide free coaching and resources to business owners in need.

Annetta’s Beauty Bar and Eleven Twenty-Two owner Annetta Waters has always wanted to be a hairstylist.

“My mom wasn’t into the times so I had to start doing my own hair on my own so a lot of trial and error,” said Waters. 

And it wasn’t until after going to school for nursing in 2009 that she decided it was finally time to pursue her dreams.

“I just wasn’t happy so I was experimenting on campus and I decided to go to the institute and I’ve been doing hair ever since,” she said. 

Since opening her own hair salon its had its challenges, but none compare to the financial hardships she faced during the pandemic. 

“I would have to pay salon rent, utilities, other expenses that come out monthly, you can only imagine,” she said. 

On top of that, she was working on launching her Eleven Twenty-Two vegan product hairline and needed help with marketing and financial assistance. 

“With it being 100% vegan and me working with the chemist we have to work hard to find stable ingredients that again won’t go rancid, won’t cause adverse effects,” she said. 

To help with financial expertise, she was connected with a Score mentor.

She said they have been helpful with generating revenue for her vegan products.

“It’s been an awesome journey with sourcing products, accounting, being able to understand the metrics of charging and producing the products,” she said. 

Score is a nonprofit organization with experienced volunteers who offer free mentoring in all aspects of business development and operations.

Waters said it’s amazing.

"Having people to help you and to connect you with different resources whether it’s financial, whether it’s financial literacy, funding.”

As Waters looks to expand and further improve her business she said she hopes to focus more on retail and attracting customers of all ethnicities. 

“Not just in the Black community but just different individuals who would benefit off of the vegan, ethically sourced, eco-friendly lifestyle and products,” she said.