Mompreneurs: Tookie Did It And The Art Of Braiding And Branding

Monteria Chisholm kicks off the Season 4 premiere of Mompreneurs, sitting down with host Nancy Redd to share her dynamic journey—from building her brand, Tookie Did It, from the ground up, to becoming a celebrity braid artist, salon owner, and creative force in the beauty world. Her intricate protective styles—including the TikTok-famous braided baldie—have adorned stars like Doechii, Tyla, and more.

Chisholm, who goes by “Tookie,” didn’t always picture herself behind the chair—let alone running the show.

“Believe it nor not, I never even wanted to do hair. I did it as a hobby on the side.”

Now, a mother of two, Chisholm opened up about her unexpected path into entrepreneurship. Although hesitant at first to pursue a career in beauty, her mother encouraged her to enroll in cosmetology school. That push opened her eyes to the creative potential and future waiting for her in hair.

With dreams of living in California, the Gainesville, Fla., native eventually made the move out west. But adjusting to the glitz and grind of Los Angeles wasn’t easy at first.

“The first year was the hardest. I was like, whoo! Is this really gonna happen? Do I need to move back to Florida?”

Still, Chisholm put in the work. She got creative, put herself out there, and made connections. She worked at a hair salon, where she moved her way up from the front desk to shampooing to styling—all while completing her California cosmetology license.

As her clientele grew, Chisholm launched her own salon suite—first under the name Natural Hair Flows which she later rebranded as Tookie Did It, a strategic move that helped elevate her growing brand.

Today, Chisholm runs her LA salon, Tookie Did It, and continues to expand her reach by investing time and creativity into social media. Last year, one of her most talked-about styles—the braided baldie—became a viral sensation worldwide, earning features in British Vogue, American Vogue, Essence, and beyond. It’s her modern-day twist on the styles she grew up with.

Source: Mompreneurs: Tookie Did It And The Art Of Braiding And Branding

“To me it wasn’t new. I’m a ’90s baby so we used to do designs all the time.”

The overwhelming response to Chisholm’s styles on social media affirmed her vision and gave the beauty entrepreneur further confidence to push the boundaries of her creativity. “I have ideas all the time,” she said. “Most times, the ones that I’m kind of iffy on are the ones that go viral.”

Through it all, motherhood is her compass. As a wife and mother of two, including a newborn son, her children inspire her to dream bigger.

“Something just clicked when I had my daughter. I think that just kicked me into overdrive.”

As her salon continues to thrive, Chisholm is channeling her creativity beyond the chair. Her brand recently launched its #BraidedSummerCampaign—a stunning visual showcase of flawless #TookieDidIt styles, with Chisholm leading the creative direction.

“I’m putting myself where I want to be but doing it my way.”

The creative powerhouse is using her platform to spotlight her talents and manifest future opportunities in film and production. She’s ready to do it all—with not a hair out of place.

Don’t miss the full conversation. Watch or listen to this episode of Mompreneurs below.

Catch new episodes of Mompreneurs every week.

Welcome to Season 4 of Mompreneurs—where we spotlight brilliant Black women who are building their businesses and raising their families with strength and style. Join host and New York Times bestselling author Nancy Redd as these inspiring mompreneurs share their stories and the lessons they’ve learned along the way. Catch new episodes of Mompreneurs every Monday on MadameNoire’s YouTube channel or listen to the podcast online on the Urban One Podcast Network.