When Talei Hornback’s four-year-old daughter wished for hair accessories that matched her coily tresses, Talei realized a glaring gap in the market — products for children with textured hair were nearly nonexistent.
A decade later, she brought that vision to life with the launch of Coily Clips in 2024, a direct-to-consumer brand designed to empower little girls with curls and coils.
This feature is part of Exeleon’s Emerging Women Entrepreneurs Series, where we explore the unique journeys, struggles, and triumphs of women who have recently stepped into entrepreneurship. Talei’s story highlights not only the importance of representation in product design but also the resilience and patience required to build a brand that challenges industry blind spots.
Talei, tell us about the moment Coily Clips was born. What sparked the idea for creating a hair accessory specifically for little girls with coils and curls?
Talei Hornback: The concept for Coily Clips was sparked 10 years ago when my daughter was four years old. She played dress-up regularly and loved incorporating colorful strands of hair into her playtime accessories. One day, she turned to me and said, “I wish they had these for my hair,” referencing the straight texture of the hair clips against her 4a, coily tresses.
I immediately searched online for clip-in hair that matched her texture, only to be surprised that nothing existed. Fast forward to 2024, and I finally decided to bring to life the idea that had lingered in my mind for nearly a decade — after realizing this gap in the market had still not been addressed.
You launched Coily Clips in June 2024 as a direct-to-consumer brand. What was that launch experience like, and what were some key lessons from your first year?
Talei Hornback: Launching Coily Clips was a nerve-filled rollercoaster. It’s always intimidating to put an idea into the world, but I was proud that I made it happen. Establishing a brand and website was only the first step in a long-term plan to get into retail stores. So, while the launch was rewarding, it also felt like the real work had just begun.
During my first year, I was reminded that patience is a superpower among entrepreneurs. There were what felt like endless tasks to complete, so I learned to count the small wins on a weekly basis — whether it was submitting paperwork or attending an educational webinar. Measuring “success” only by sales, while still in the building and learning stage, would have been detrimental to my motivation to continue.
Coily Clips fills a real gap in the market. In your view, why do you think products for textured hair, especially for kids, have historically been overlooked?
Talei Hornback: I think the phrase “majority rules” is true. When you’re in the majority, you don’t always recognize what’s missing for those outside of it. As a minority woman, I often don’t see myself reflected or accounted for in the design of the world around me — and I can’t expect others to always notice that perspective.
Minority-owned businesses make up just 3% of all U.S. businesses, so a natural blind spot exists in many product categories. You can see it everywhere, from “nude” shoe color options to Band-Aids. I highlight those examples because, like Coily Clips, they represent categories where brands were eventually created to fill an overlooked need.
At the same time, there has been a cultural shift over the past decade. Natural hair textures are more widely embraced today, and product lines across categories are expanding to reflect the diverse needs of all consumers.
As a solo entrepreneur, how do you manage everything from product development to branding and distribution? Any tools or systems you swear by?
Talei Hornback: I spent a lot of energy figuring out a daily system to keep myself organized. For me, it’s less about tools and more about time management and prioritization. That said, I rely on tools that integrate seamlessly with the platforms I use, which has been essential for efficiency. Shopify, Canva, and Mailchimp have been my go-to tools for CRM and operations.
In terms of systems, I color-code my calendar and to-do list according to the many “hats” I wear, which helps me quickly assess my day. I also commit to no more than two major “to-dos” and three minor “to-dos” per day. This approach has been incredibly helpful as a preventative method to reduce burnout while still allowing me to feel productive and accomplished.
What advice would you give to other women founders building a product-based business from the ground up?
Talei Hornback: Women are often more likely than men to shoulder household responsibilities and caregiving duties alongside the demands of running a business. My first piece of advice would be to prioritize yourself and your well-being. I previously launched a business that scaled faster than I could keep up with, and the problem was that I tried to keep up without prioritizing myself. That choice eventually led to clinical burnout and forced me to sunset the business.
Second, I would encourage women to get plugged into a network of other women in the product space. The learning, guidance, and support from that community has been a gamechanger for me over the past year.
As a new entrepreneur, how have you dealt with self-doubt, decision fatigue, or imposter syndrome, if at all?
Talei Hornback: Through my experiences with fellow entrepreneurs and even from my time in the corporate world, I’ve learned that imposter syndrome and self-doubt are part of the course. Recognizing that as part of the journey has helped me give myself grace.
When it comes to decision fatigue, I give myself permission to pause and take my mind completely off the issue until the fatigue passes. Then, I go through the pros and cons and play out different scenarios before committing to a decision. This process may involve research, brainstorming, or asking trusted peers for input. Most importantly, I’ve learned to let the answers come organically instead of pressuring myself with arbitrary deadlines — when the situation allows.
Finally, what’s your long-term vision for Coily Clips, and what impact do you hope to make beyond just hair accessories?
Talei Hornback: My long-term vision is for Coily Clips to become the go-to hair accessory brand for little girls with all hair types across the U.S. I envision Coily Clips on the shelves of major retailers, collaborations with larger brands, and an expanded range of colors and patterns to meet every seasonal need. Equally important is the cultural impact. I want straight-haired girls to love Coily Clips just as much as those with textured hair, because I know how meaningful that representation would be for little girls like my daughter who might otherwise feel overlooked during the most formative years of their lives.
