What started as a nervous favor for a high school prom has blossomed into a thriving beauty business for St. Lucian-born entrepreneur Samilia Clarke, known professionally as Lilly Mulann.
At 27, Clarke has turned her passion for hairstyling into a six-figure business, striving for even greater heights while staying true to her Caribbean roots.
Clarke, owner of Lilly Mulann Hair Experience at 492 Throop Ave. in Brooklyn, still vividly remembers her first client.
“I wasn’t confident in myself at the moment, but she was confident in me,” Clarke recalled. “And I did her hair. It ended up coming out really good.”
That leap of faith — styling her classmate’s hair for prom — sparked her 11-year career.
Raised in St. Lucia by her grandmother, Clarke learned resilience and business skills selling hand-woven purses every Saturday, often selling out completely.
“My grandmother would come back sold out every single time,” Clarke said. “I’m like I want to get up, do what I want to do, and make my money.”
These early sales trips taught Clarke braiding techniques she later used on hair. By age 8, she styled her own hair for school.
After moving to New York at 11, Clarke overcame cultural and language barriers. By senior year, she was known for $50 prom sew-ins, a service now in high demand and commanding over $300.
Right after graduation, Clarke’s talent earned her a Flatbush salon job at 17. She briefly attended college before realizing her true calling was hairstyling.
“This was not my calling,” she said. “I always knew that my calling was doing hair.”
She later obtained her cosmetology license in 2018, further solidifying her place in the industry. Her clients receive full-service treatment, from washing and conditioning to styling, creating not just a hairstyle, but a moment of transformation.
“As women, you never know what somebody is going through,” Clarke said. “But when your hair is done, you look good, you feel good, and your confidence level just automatically goes up.”
But her journey wasn’t always smooth. After initial success, Clarke faced stagnation, depression, and fewer bookings, prompting her to work overnight warehouse shifts while maintaining her daytime clients.
“I don’t think God wants me to have that job,” she said with a laugh.
Determined to rebuild, Clarke invested in marketing education. After experiencing a reaction to commercial glue, she launched her own line of wig installation products.
Now operating by appointment only from Wednesday through Sunday, Clarke continues to grow her clientele. Looking ahead, her long-term vision includes owning a building to house and mentor other stylists, particularly young entrepreneurs navigating the industry on their own.
“I’m the one breaking generational curses,” she said. “I didn’t have anyone growing up to look to, so I want to be that person for others.”
Despite rising costs in the beauty industry, Clarke remains committed to quality, refusing to compromise her standards.
“Good hair has never been cheap,” she said. “And cheap hair has never been good.”
For Clarke, success is not just measured in revenue, but in impact, building confidence, creating opportunity, and inspiring the next generation to take their own leap of faith.
