Montreal-based mother-daughter trio Shenika Paris and her young entrepreneurs, 13-year-old Kyra Milan Brown and 9-year-old Kali Brown, are redefining representation and self-love through their business, Koily Kurls. What began as a simple idea sparked by Kyra at just eight years old has blossomed into a thriving venture celebrating natural hair with tools, accessories, and educational products designed to empower people with textured hair.
What is your business called and what does it do?
Our business is called Koily Kurls. We sell natural hair tools, accessories, and educational products that celebrate and empower people with textured hair. One of our signature products is our interactive hair book Koily Kurls Presents: The Girls With The Kurls, where each hairstyle on the page links to a full video tutorial via QR code of my daughters styling their hair. We’ve also just launched Koily Kurls Presents: My Natural Hair Adventure A Colouring & Activity Book filled with affirmations and creative activities that encourage self-love and cultural pride.
What made you want to do this work?
Growing up, I didn’t always see our natural hair represented positively in books, toys, or media. I wanted to change that once I knew I was having a daughter. I wanted her to fall in love with her natural hair. So Koily Kurls was born from an idea she had at 8 and her younger sister at 4.
What problem did you want to solve with the business?
We wanted to solve the problem of representation and education in the natural hair community. Many people struggle to find tools and tutorials that cater to their unique hair textures. Our books and products make learning how to care for natural hair fun, accessible, and affirming — while encouraging self-confidence and pride in our heritage.
Who are your clientele/demographics?
Our customers are primarily Black women, men, and children, also parents with mixed-race kids who are embracing or learning to care for their child’s natural hair. We also serve parents who want to teach their kids to love their curls from an early age.
How does your business make money? How does it work?
We operate primarily through online sales via our website and social media platforms. Customers can purchase our hair tools, accessories, and books directly. Our two books Koily Kurls Presents: The Girls With The Kurls and Koily Kurls Presents: My Natural Hair Adventure A Colouring & Activity Book are sold on Amazon. We also partnered with a local retailer who carries our products. Kyra and Kali also do pop-up and speaking engagements to encourage other kids to start their own businesses.
Where in the city can we find your profession?
Koily Kurls is based in Montreal, but we proudly serve customers nationwide through our online shop. We’ve shipped to 5 out of the 10 provinces in Canada, 25 out of 50 states in America, Germany, Belgium, Finland, France, London, Switzerland, Italy, and Australia!
What is the best question a prospective customer could ask a member of your profession when comparing services? Give the answer as well.
Question: “How does your product help me or my child learn to care for our natural hair confidently?”
Answer: At Koily Kurls, we focus on education and empowerment. Our products don’t just style hair — they teach you why and how to care for it. Our interactive books offer hands-on guidance and real video tutorials, so every page becomes a learning opportunity. And our colouring and activity book empowers and makes natural hair fun.
What is the best part about what you do? What is the worst part?
The best part is seeing the joy and pride on a child’s face when they recognize their hair reflected in our books, that representation truly matters. And to watch my daughters build something they can be proud of and pass down to their kids. The hardest part is balancing the creative and business sides of entrepreneurship. It takes a lot of heart, but it’s always worth it.
What is your favourite joke about your own profession?
We like to say: “We’re in the business of kurl (we spell it with a K) power — it’s a tangled job, but someone’s gotta do it!”
Where can we follow you?
You can find us online at @koily_kurls, @kyra_milan and @koily_kali on Instagram. Kyra and Kali’s mom on TikTok, or visit our website.
PAY IT FORWARD: What is another local business that you love?
We love supporting Artizan a local natural hair salon which actually sell our products there. And The Crown Project, which is a local non-profit that shares our passion for community with empowering initiatives. They both have always shown love to local entrepreneurs like us!
