Who is Amanda?

Amanda Manigault 

Co-Founder Amanda Manigault began her beauty journey at eleven years old on the front porch of her family home in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. With parents who had only an eighth-grade education, she often served as their reader, writer, and problem-solver — developing the independence and leadership skills that would define her life’s work. She opened her first in-home salon as a pre-teen and used her craft to support herself and her family.

After high school, Amanda earned her cosmetology and instructor licenses from Empire Beauty School and has worked exclusively in the beauty industry ever since. Over the years, she has become a salon owner, beauty school owner, educator, mentor, hair braiding expert, product manufacturer, beauty advocate, and coach. She also appeared on WETV’s “Cuttin’ in the ATL” and is an Evangelist who credits God as the foundation of her success.

Along with her daughter, Uniquia, Amanda trademarked and built the Black Girl Beauty Brand — a national ecosystem that includes licensing opportunities, national certifications, continuing education, mentorship, youth trades programs, a beauty product line, and the Black Girl Beauty Foundation.

Today, Amanda leads the first Black-owned 100% online beauty & hybrid trades apprenticeship academy using the Amanda Manigault Method offering a culturally relevant, industry-aligned model designed to close the gaps in traditional beauty schools. She is passionate about correcting the long-standing issue of students — especially Black students — graduating with debt but without salon-ready Black Hair Care skills. Her academy delivers accessible, flexible, asynchronous, and synchronous learning that prepares students for real-world success while helping them graduate debt-free. Amanda is a systems builder, educator and institutional creator. 

Amanda’s mission is to take individuals from the kitchen and the front porch into thriving professional beauty careers. Through strong partnerships with employers, beauty professionals, and industry experts, she provides students with the tools, resources, and opportunities needed to build sustainable, prosperous futures. She believes every person, regardless of race or background, deserves equal access to high-quality education — and her online apprentice model is helping make that a reality.