Daily Inspiration: Meet Danielle Gilbert

Today we’d like to introduce you to Danielle Gilbert.

Hi Danielle, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Where do I begin?
At five years old, I was dyeing my Barbie’s hair with Kool-Aid, already saying I’d be a hairstylist one day. Life took me on a path through fashion design, I even earned my degree but deep down, hair was always my true love.

In 2013, I graduated from Dorsey School, and on October 7, 2015, 8½ months pregnant with my son, I earned my cosmetology license. That day changed everything and I always say he was my good luck charm.

I worked everywhere SmartStyles, Ulta, booth-rented in Detroit. I had ups, downs, a divorce, three kids, and moments I wanted to give up. But with prayer, faith, and support from my family and friends, I found my strength again.

In 2025, I stepped out on faith again and finally opened the doors to Bold & Beauty Hair Salon, the first Black-owned salon in Livonia, MI.

This isn’t just a salon. It’s a safe space. A vibe. A dream turned reality. Built with purpose. Fueled by faith. And made for women to feel bold, beautiful, and completely themselves.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
No, it has not always been a smooth road some of the struggles that I had was just within myself not believing in myself, financially struggling. Thinking that I just, I could not do it but the more and more I started trusting in God the more things started to get better for me.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
What do I do? I am a hairstylist. What do I specialize in? I specialize in natural hair, color and wigs. I am most proud of the woman I have became over the last four years. What set me apart from others is I am very authentic and I take so much pride and my skills and learning more and more about hair. When I first started doing hair, it has never been about the money for me. Is always been about being able to bring happiness to a woman doing her hair and turning her around to the mirror and she feels way more confident than what she did when she walked through my doors and that is the best part that I love about my job is making women feel so pretty seeing them smile and just having that confidence that means so much more to me than the money

How do you think about luck?
Luck? It played a role but so did faith, resilience, and timing.

I like to say my son was my “good luck charm” I passed my state board exam to become a licensed cosmetologist while 8½ months pregnant with him. That moment felt divinely timed. But most of what I’ve built wasn’t just luck…it was obedience to God, stepping out on faith, even when I was scared.

There were seasons that felt like bad luck jobs lost, dreams delayed, personal struggles that shook my confidence. But looking back, even those moments were part of my preparation. Each closed door pushed me closer to the path I was meant to walk.

So yes, I’ve had some lucky breaks but it’s been faith, work, and God’s grace that truly got me here.

Now, as the owner of the first Black-owned salon in Livonia, MI, I see every challenge and blessing as part of a bigger plan.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://danigthestylist.glossgenius.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danigthestylist?igsh=NXJ6c2FuaHd2YTRi&utm_source=qr