meet the team
Amanda Manigault
Co-Founder Amanda Manigault began her beauty journey at eleven years old on the front porch of her family home in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. With parents who had only an eighth-grade education, she often served as their reader, writer, and problem-solver — developing the independence and leadership skills that would define her life’s work. She opened her first in-home salon as a pre-teen and used her craft to support herself and her family.
After high school, Amanda earned her cosmetology and instructor licenses from Empire Beauty School and has worked exclusively in the beauty industry ever since. Over the years, she has become a salon owner, beauty school owner, educator, mentor, hair braiding expert, product manufacturer, beauty advocate, and coach. She also appeared on WETV’s “Cuttin’ in the ATL” and is an Evangelist who credits God as the foundation of her success.
Along with her daughter, Uniquia, Amanda trademarked and built the Black Girl Beauty Brand — a national ecosystem that includes licensing opportunities, national certifications, continuing education, mentorship, youth trades programs, a beauty product line, and the National Alliance of Black Girl Beauty Foundation.
Today, Amanda leads the first Black-owned 100% online beauty & hybrid trades apprenticeship academy, offering a culturally relevant, industry-aligned model designed to close the gaps in traditional beauty schools. She is passionate about correcting the long-standing issue of students — especially Black students — graduating with debt but without salon-ready Black Hair Care skills. Her academy delivers accessible, flexible, asynchronous, and synchronous learning that prepares students for real-world success while helping them graduate debt-free.
Amanda’s mission is to take individuals from the kitchen and the front porch into thriving professional beauty careers. Through strong partnerships with employers, beauty professionals, and industry experts, she provides students with the tools, resources, and opportunities needed to build sustainable, prosperous futures. She believes every person, regardless of race or background, deserves equal access to high-quality education — and her online apprentice model is helping make that a reality.
Uniquia Manigault
Uniquia Manigault is a 3rd-generation entrepreneur, multi-disciplinary artist, and visionary leader whose life has been rooted in beauty, creativity, and service. Raised as a latchkey kid in her mother’s beauty salon, Uniquia developed her work ethic and artistic gifts early—answering phones and assisting clients at age four, shampooing and braiding hair by ten, and performing poetry, storytelling, and modeling before she reached middle school.
Her talent and drive led her to pursue theatre and performing arts at a young age. She is a graduate of the prestigious Tri-Cities High School Theatre Arts Magnet Program in East Point, Georgia, and later earned her Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Arts from Clark Atlanta University. Over the years, she has become a professional actress, poet, model, comedian, entertainer, public speaker, and widely recognized as one of the most captivating event hosts in the industry.
Uniquia is the Founder and CEO of I AM UNIQUIA Co. and the Black Girl Beauty Performing Arts School, where she empowers youth and young adults to build self-confidence through beauty, fitness, modeling, acting, poetry, writing, leadership, and entrepreneurship. She is the author of two poetry books and has written hundreds of poems, scripts, and film concepts that reflect her deep connection to creativity and emotional healing.
Her passion for community advancement extends into her role as Co-Founder of both the Black Girl Beauty Brand and the National Alliance of Black Girl Beauty Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charity organization. Through this platform, she created “Uniquia’s Theatre Arts Teen Scholarship Program,” designed to provide inner-city youth with access to performing arts education, self-expression, and creative opportunity.
Today, Ms. Uniquia serves as the Beauty School Director of the Black Girl Beauty School of Careers, where she oversees school operations, supervises instructors, supports learners, and ensures the highest standard of cosmetology education. She leads with excellence, compassion, and a commitment to developing future professionals in beauty and the creative arts.
For more about her work, visit www.iamuniquia.com
Mentorship That MOVES MOUNTAINS
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