Buffalo Boss Babe: Emmily Bowman

Todays Buffalo Boss Babe is none other than our very own Emmily Bowman ! Emmily is the brains behind Buffalo Braid Babe and Buffalo Braid Bar. She is a master at her skill and it shows through her work. Not only is she awesome at braiding but she is also so kind, genuine and AWESOME!!! Emily is also the Assistant Director of Buffalo Boss Babes! She was our first ever volunteer and has been such an amazing part of this group! She is always the first one there and the last to leave, always checks to see if anything needs to get one and so much more. We chatted with Emmily about braids, babes and more!

What made you start or brought you where you are today ? Tell us your Story. What makes you a Buffalo Boss Babe? 

Fresh out of school with a math degree I was working a 9-5, and while I was excelling in my role, I found myself becoming less of my happy fun self. So, I left my comfy job to do technology consulting. Since I now could make up my schedule I had time in the morning to do whatever I wanted. I pulled out this braid book that had been under my bed for years and honestly I didn’t even open it. It was by Abby Smith and I thought to myself, I bet she has an Instagram. Sure enough, she did and in five days she was starting a 30-day braid challenge. So for 30 days before I went to work with clients, I braided my hair and posted on Instagram. Suddenly people were starting to know me for braids and my Instagram was organically growing. One important, pivotal day, I was on a camping trip and every girl there asked me to braid her hair. This is when I realized 'this is really a thing'. that day I change my Instagram to Buffalo Braid Babe. Not too long after that, Blush Boutique asked me to set up a Braid Bar at their grand opening. From there a complete stranger booked an appointment to have me braid her hair. This felt so wild and exciting that a stranger wanted to pay me for braiding. It’s all so exciting, and I have so much to learn but Buffalo Braid Bar has been growing quickly and I feel so grateful to have found this path and this career that I enjoy so much. Almost a year ago I came to a Buffalo Boss Babes networking event and I knew instantly that I had to be a part of it. I met Carrie And she was so kind and welcoming, I told her I had to help with Boss Babes. So after I attended a few more events and I became a familiar face, Carrie brought me on to the team. I feel so honored to be one of the first volunteers to help Buffalo Boss Babes and feature such amazing and strong women in Buffalo.

Photo by BCB photograhy

What does being a Buffalo Boss Babe mean to you? 

To me being a Buffalo Boss Babe is about listening to your friends and their ideas. It’s about showing them support, excitement, encouragement, and picking them up when they feel like they need to give up. I think as humans it’s our instinct to tell someone all the reasons that they’re great idea won’t work but I think as Boss Babes we need to fight this urge and really see the value in these unique ideas and think about how we can help them instead of why it may not work.

Photo by: Michelle Godfrey

Who are your favorite people to follow ? 

@twistmepretty - The woman that started my braid obsession. @hopescope - Such a fun and cute personality. I will buy anything she tells me to. @lashbarbuffalo - The branding is so consistent and clean. I admire and aspire to have a similarly clean brand.

Photo by Devin Bunns

What are your favorite things to do in the area ? Buffalo and greater WNY

My favorite activities include my dogs so I love taking them to play at Ellicott Creek Bark Park or Knox Farms or for a hike in the gorge or Cattaraugus park.

Tell us about your favorite collaboration or dream collaborations ?

I just live for collaborations! My favorite collab so far was with Bike or Bar; I am a Bike or Bar girl to the core. My dream collaboration is to somehow use Instagram to travel the world and have a booked schedule of braiding events and workshops wherever I went.

If you could have coffee with anyone in the world who would it be? 

For this question, I wanted to think deeply and come up with a creative answer but my brain is repeating one person, my grandmother Tootsie (I still don’t know where that nickname came from). I would love to hear about her life and play Go-Fish with her (maybe I could win now).

What are your hopes, dreams, goals. Big or small? 

I hope to find success in tutorials and online braiding courses. I dream to one day open a dog café and have adoptable dogs at it.

Tell us about your family? 

Single mom with two kids. Ha! If you consider a golden retriever and a Bernie’s Mountain dog as kids. Which I do because they are pains in the butt, but I love them so much.

FEEL GOOD FAV’s

Food: Sprinkles

Color: Pastel pink, the color of EVERYTHING in my life.

Super Power: Braiding

Animal: Koda Bears.

Season of the year: Fall!

Favorite thing about Buffalo:  Honest answer - the women! So many boss babes that are so friendly <3

I really don’t know where Buffalo Boss Babes would be without Em! She keeps me on track, will always have everything organized in a list or spreadsheet ( which is the total opposite of me ) and honestly does so much to keep the wheels of this group moving. She is dependable always there when I call and I down right feel like she is a sister to me! This woman right here deserves so much more praise than this but I couldn’t think of anyone better to feature on this International Women’s Day!

You can follow along with Emmily’s Braiding Adventure on FB & IG @buffalobraidbabe and @buffalobraidbar

Until next time, babes!

XOXO

Carrie