Super 8, the economy hotel brand, is celebrating its 50th anniversary by tending to its most loyal guests —truck drivers. The company has officially kicked off its year-long celebration with a pop-up salon in its home state of South Dakota. This new initiative will help truckers get a brand new look to feel refreshed to get back on the road once more. In order to accomplish these fabulous makeovers, Super 8 has tapped celebrity hairstylist, Kim Kimble to join the efforts.
Kimble has been in the beauty industry for decades. She is most recently known for her work on HBO’s hit series, “Euphoria.” She is also well known for being the hair stylist to the stars. Her clients include Beyoncé, Halle Berry, Kelly Rowland, Mary J Blige, and Rihanna. 21Ninety had a chance to catch up with Kimble about the new partnership and to give some tips on maintaining a fresh hairdo in the warm months.
Kim Kimble With Super 8
21Ninety: What attracted you to working with Super 8 on this partnership?
Kim Kimble: I love doing makeovers. I love that they have given their hotel a makeover because I’m a person that travels a lot. I’ve been on tour so I love to have a comfortable space to stay. Additionally, I love hitting truck stops because there’s something about that lifestyle that I like — because I am a traveling woman.
I love making people feel good and giving makeovers, so I thought it was a great opportunity to partner with them to do this. I like that they chose me to start it off in South Dakota, where the franchise was born.
21N: Do you have any connections with truck drivers that helped in your decision to work with this initiative?
KK: I have a brother who was a truck driver. I actually haven’t hit the road with him yet. He would love for me to do that. Maybe one day, I will. He drives trucks across the country. So, this partnership is near and dear to me, because this is what he does. And I know how hard truck drivers work and how the type of lifestyle it is. Having my brother in my life and knowing what he does and how hard he works means a lot to me to be able to give makeovers for truck drivers.
21N: What are some of the looks you plan on achieving during these makeovers?
KK: I really want to make sure I give the truck drivers good foundational haircuts and hairstyles that they can
easily maintain because they have to focus on the road. I want to give them something that’s not only
easy to take care of, but also make them look good and feel handsome and gorgeous on the road while
they’re doing their jobs.
Taking Care Of Your Hair
21N: What are some of your top tips for truckers themselves to stay fresh while on the road?
KK: The top tip is keeping a little beauty kit. The beauty kit can include shampoo, conditioner, dry shampo, a blow dryer, and styling products that keep your hair looking great. Having hairstyles that are going to be easy to maintain and do something that will last longer because you may take a week to get to your next destination. You’re going to go to a salon for a haircut and hair color, so while on the road in the meantime, it’s important to have a great haircut or style that’s going to last a while. Along with great hair products to style and keep the hair clean– basics go a long way.
ZA: This summer has been scorching hot, do you have any tips for making sure people keep their hair cute but still healthy in the heat?
KK: You definitely want to keep a couple cans of dry shampoo close by. The hair is gonna get hot, sweaty and oily and you definitely want to keep it fresh, maintain its volume, and keep moisture down. If you’re going to blow your hair out, you want to have a product that is anti-humidity. You will maintain your hair standing straight longer. Lastly, try to adapt to a hairstyle that is more natural, curly, and wavy. Get into your more natural texture, because sometimes that’s easier when you’re dealing with humidity.
ZA: All of your expertise has led to you launching your own hair product line. Since you’ve launched, what have you learned so far about entrepreneurship that you didn’t know before?
KK: I’ve learned that the hardest thing in the world that I’ve ever done is to be an entrepreneur. It is such a hard, long road. I’ve watched my clients launch their own brands. Watching them has been very helpful to me because it shows dedication and hard work and all the stuff that comes with it.
I learned that there’s so much in building a brand. You have to have a great team because you have to be as good as your team. If you don’t have a good team, your brand is not gonna go far and you have to be the face and the head of the brand. You have to put a lot of input, your brand is your name, you have got to be the person in charge. I’m not saying that you don’t have people working for you that can help you get to that point but you ultimately are the voice and the person behind the brand and that has to be heard and authentic to you.
You gotta be in it to win it, you’ve got to be present. It’s hard work, it’s not going to make your life any easier. You’ve got to roll with the punches because it’s not for the weak or the faint of heart. You have to keep it moving.
This article has been edited and condensed for length and clarity.