Sisterlocks Anniversary: Six years and six months

Another Sisterlocks Anniversary- Six years and six months.

I apologize about the lateness of this post.  I was literally flying around the world. (Tokyo*Frankfurt*London)  I will share the links to the travel articles at the end of this hair article.

I have a big head so people think that I cut my Sisterlocks when I wear them up, but nope, I just have a big head.

In my domestic and international travels, many have been disappointed with the Sisterlocks organization.  People need to know that like many other multi-level marketing type of organizations who have INDEPENDENT Contractors, they are some unethical people throughout the organization.  Scams will happen.  No organization can control everybody that buys into their brand.  Some people take the Sisterlocks course because they do have a personal agenda that has more to do with their personal pockets versus the love of hair. Just be careful. I still offer Locking consultations.  If you need to fly me in to discuss my experience with Locking techniques let me know.  I am a Master cosmetologist in three states in US, and I am a loctician.  I have taken the Sisterlocks training multiple times, but I DO NOT represent the Sisterlocks organization.  I am my own brand.  I do establish starter locs.

And now, My links to my travel articles:

Tokyo Japan: https://applebaumparadigm.blogspot.com/2019/02/tokyo-japan-2019-adventure.html

Frankfurt Germany: https://applebaumparadigm.blogspot.com/2019/02/my-regional-frankfurt-germany-2019.html

Certified Sisterlocks Consultant: Rosa Crawford

 Certified Sisterlocks Consultant Rosa Crawford is avoiding me at all costs.  I have called her, texted her, and sent her mail by Federal Express.  She will not stand by her work. 

She even had this attorney to write me a letter to avoid hearing from me.

I asked her at my initial formal Sisterlocks consultation to put her "quote" in writing.  So as seen in the picture of the piece of plain paper above, $750.00 total minus the $125.00 cash deposit left a balance of $625.00 due at completion of the Sisterlocks locking session.  This was the agreement six weeks prior to the locking session.  I had to hand this sheet of paper back to her for her signature.  She did not seem to want to sign it.  Maybe because it was a paper trail?  At this point, I expected her to order my Sisterlocks starter kit since she had a $125.00 USD cash down payment.

But no, she did not order the starter kit prior to my locking session. The starter kit includes the paperwork to send into headquarters in order to receive my Sisterlocks birth certificate as seen in the first picture above.  After begging for my starter kit which should have been given to me at the completion of the locking session, this consultant told me that many consultants do not even offer the "starter kit."  She eventually gave my starter kit to me.  I could not believe the horrible business etiquette that I was encountering with this consultant.

I brought my own receipt book during the locking session because she did not have one at the consultation.  I paid her $300.00 cash after the first 12 hour day.

On the second 8 hours day, I paid her the final $325.00.

So let me explain even further, the only paper trail of Rosa Crawford even doing my hair was by every effort on my part.

1) I had to insist on the starter kit in order to send my paperwork into Sisterlocks headquarters for my Sisterlocks birth certificate.

2) I had to insist on the "$750.00" quote be put into writing with her partial signature.

3) I had to bring my own receipt book and insist on her signing off on my two payments.

If I had not insisted on all of these steps to show a paper trail, then I without a doubt think that Rosa Crawford would have denied that she had even completed my head of Sisterlocks.  I would have had absolutely NO proof of the cash that I paid her.  Who collects $750.00 USD CASH without providing the customers with receipts?????

I can not begin to put into words how disgusted I am with the way this woman has treated me, how she failed to provide me with Sisterlocks within the Sisterlocks parting card sizes, and how I know that I am not the only one who has felt scammed by her.

I have asked for $417.50 to be returned to me because I will need to get some of my locks corrected.  This amount is half of the locking session plus half of the first retightening session($85).  I have tried to resolve this  matter privately and in a professional manner, but she consistently ignored all of my attempts.

As stated in previous articles, Rosa Crawford does have some satisfied customers.  However, I know that I am not the only dissatisfied customer.  She was constantly ready to blame the client for any and everything that went wrong with their Sisterlocks based on the discussions that I had with her on the four to five times that I was serviced by her.

I really, really recommend that anyone that uses Rosa Crawford for Sisterlocks services should insist on a paper trail by bringing your own receipt book.  I would take pictures of your hair before and after if she completes your locking session.

She told me that she is used to "more laid back" clientele than I.  She said that she did notice something different about me. This discussion happened while arguing with her via telephone about not receiving my Sisterlocks Starter kit.  She also mentioned that she learned her lesson.  She will have to make sure she provides the starter kit in the future.  Excuse me,  but that is a part of the Sisterlocks package anyway.  She seemed very manipulative and eager to shift blame and make you feel inferior to her as the "certified Sisterlocks consultant" at every service visit.

Rosa Crawford does not stand behind her Sisterlocks work and refuses to resolve my situation as two adults.  Because we are both now active with Sisterlocks headquarters, Sisterlocks is being as neutral as possible at this very moment.

However, at the end of the day, the bottom line is that "the customer is always right."

Sisterlocks (tm) feels like a scam

Everyone who has been following my blog knows that I have invested a lot of time and money (thousands of dollars) into Sisterlocks (TM) within the last several months.  I am on my third certified Sisterlocks consultant within six months, and after additional research, there are quite a few people out there disappointed in the Sisterlocks' headquarters response to their concerns.

I was told "no stress at this address" by one of the Sisterlocks' headquarter representatives.  So if one consultant doesn't work out, then just keep moving on.  However, similar to finding a good beautician or a good lawyer or a good doctor - it appears that finding a good Sisterlocks technician is also a challenge.  Problem is there are a limited number of people to choose from, and they have the right to work independently under the name of Sisterlocks.  Some people know that achieving their official certification means automatic "Sisterlocks" revenues whether or not they remain professional or not.

I completed further research on people who converted their Sisterlocks into traditional locks.  There is a community out there.  Some people were just tired of being tied to a Sisterlocks consultant for their hair maintenance.  Some had been tightening their own hair too long and no Sisterlocks consultant wanted to follow behind "DIY" tightenings.  Others relocated to an area without a Sisterlocks technician.  For some the cost became too great at $200 per retightening at 6 weeks intervals.

So is Sisterlocks (TM) a scam?  It depends on how professional your independent Sisterlocks consultant is.  The last two certified consultants that I patronized were from the Sisterlocks certified consultant registry, but I am sooo disgusted with my "lopsided" locking session and my follow-up with did not include a retightening session in which I know now that it should have been included.  Not to mention the waste of time and money of locking my relaxed hair that will probably be cut off eventually.  Let me just stop here.  Yes, I feel scammed by the independent Sisterlocks consultants which work under the name of "Sisterlocks" thus far that I encountered.

As a registered Sisterlocks trainee myself, I personally do not seek out Sisterlocks clients because I have had concerns about the process.  It is interlocking within small locks.  As a cosmetologist, I know that we shed hair strands everyday.  I also feel that interlocking small locks should be a task done with some delicacy which the second consultant  that I encountered did not seem to take into consideration.

I have been trying to figure out a happy alternative for me.  I decided that the Sisterlocks gridding and parting sizes are a good idea, but I think that I will begin the traditional lock twisting for retightening in the future for myself.  The small locks are important to me.  The tightening method is not as important to me because of my type 4c curl pattern.  People with looser curl patterns may not have a choice but to interlock to avoid unravelling.  My hair is not prone to unravelling.  I will keep everyone posted on my new lock journey direction.