Leaving a Legacy of Trujoy: Building a Beauty Supply Empire.
Khary Hollis, owner and operator, launched Trujoy Beauty Supply of Peoria in December of 2023. While attending nursing school, he recognized a need for more African-American owned beauty supply stores in the area. After graduating he began his career in nursing, but after marrying and becoming a father, “I began thinking, I need to leave something for my kids,” Hollis shared. With the support of his wife, Hollis answered the call to open Trujoy Beauty Supply, in hopes of creating a legacy of entrepreneurship and generational wealth.
After a failed attempt with a previous startup accelerator in Atlanta, he became connected with the Illinois Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at Bradley University, which was a game changer for his entrepreneurial journey.
His business advisor, Chris Youngmark, Assistant SBDC Director, has been a key person in helping to successfully launch his business. “Chris has been there since the start, encouraging me and helping me every step of the way,” Hollis said. Youngmark helped him to establish consistent vendors, connected him with resources and grants to combat the funding obstacles, and has been there to offer motivation and entrepreneurial advice for each challenge. The biggest token of Youngmark’s assistance is related to Hollis' hurdle of developing a business plan. Youngmark met with him, both in-person and virtually, every week to help him establish a business plan that was feasible for his business needs and assisted him in turning his vision into a reality. “If it wasn’t for Chris, I probably wouldn’t be open right now,” Hollis confessed.
Hollis is a proud family man with two young daughters that are the center focus of his entrepreneurial mission. “My children are my driving force,” he shared. He prides himself on the business being a family establishment and the exposure his children have had during his launching and continued growth. “I establish the business now, grow it, and hopefully they can take it even further in the future,” Hollis said.
Currently, Hollis is working to establish an app which will provide delivery services to expand his clientele. With this app, customers can view what items are available, place an order, and the beauty supplies would be delivered the same day.
He and his wife are currently mapping out plans for expansion, possibly to the Bloomington or Champaign area. His goal is to have three to four shops across central Illinois within 10 years.
— Stephanie Bridgeman-McClaskey
Contact Info:
(309) 966-9114
