Introduction

In 2019, after months of struggling to find a braider, I finally sat in a chair hoping for the best and left feeling disappointed. My braids were too tight, my edges were snatched (and not in the cute way), the style wasn’t what I asked for, and I ended up paying more than expected.

That moment stayed with me.

After countless conversations, voice notes, and late-night phone calls, Braider was born, an app that could finally bring clarity, care, and community back into the braiding experience, designed specifically for us by us!

Braider, to me, is a revolutionary new app that connects hair braiders with clients in a simple, transparent and culturally-rooted way.

Imagine moving to a new city or living in a place where you barely see anyone who looks like you and you need braids for an occasion. You don’t know who to trust, where to go, or if the person you find online even knows how to do your style. For many Black people, especially in white-dominated spaces, this is a familiar struggle.

Braider solves that.

How it works?

It is really that simple!

The result:

✓ zero guesswork for clients

✓ fair pay, clarity, and structure for braiders

✓ a better experience for everyone

Why I love this:

This project started from a personal place. I learned how to braid because I couldn’t find a braider who understood my hair and from that frustration, I fell in love with the craft itself. Braiding is centuries old. From Sub-Saharan cultures to the Americas and the Caribbean, our ancestors used braids as identity, communication, resistance, survival and beauty. Today, those of us in the diaspora carry that history in every style we wear.

This app exists because I want to preserve the culture, protect the craft, and continue the tradition of sharing resources just like the aunties who always knew a good braider.

This is a community project

and not just a tech project

I’ve been talking to the aunties, the women who kept these techniques alive long before any app existed, and I want to bring them into this project as we grow.

My dream is to create a space where:

Why I need your help

I never thought I would start and build something like this alone. I’ve come this far, and now I need my community to help me cross the finish line. I’ve invested a year’s salary, endless hours, and everything I had to bring Braider to this point. We are now in the final stage, and to release the first version and make it visible in multiple cities, I need your help.

Your contribution will go directly toward:

Final Development

Marketing for Launch

We’re aiming to release in January 2026.

Thank you for believing in this idea, for supporting, and for helping me bring something meaningful to our community.

Let’s make Braider a reality. ❤️