When I embarked on the journey of establishing Skandia Kollektiv, four weeks before the scheduled opening, life threw an unexpected curveball. My mother suffered a life-changing accident, getting hit by a car, which led to the loss of both her legs, making her a double bi-lateral amputee. This event had a profound impact not only on her life but also on the lives of everyone in our family. With my father’s demanding job that kept him away from home, my siblings and I knew we needed to step up and make sacrifices to care for my mother.

During this challenging time, I found it difficult to maintain my initial enthusiasm for opening what might have seemed like a regular “hair salon.” However, as I questioned this decision, I realized that my purpose went beyond creating beautiful hairstyles. I saw an opportunity to bring transformation and empowerment to women’s lives. I wanted to offer a space where women could find light, confidence, and renewed energy. My mother’s accident and the subsequent hair loss she experienced due to surgical procedures made me realize that even small joys in life can profoundly impact how women perceive themselves.

Witnessing my mother’s struggle, I understood that I couldn’t change her reality, but I could provide her with an experience that allowed her to feel more like herself again. Natural Beaded Rows offered her a sense of identity and helped her regain some of the confidence she had before the accident. To me, it became clear that the significance of my work didn’t lie in creating long or thick hair for women, but rather in helping them transform into the strong and empowered individuals they know they are, deep inside.