Get to know Quinessa ‘Q’ Solomon, fashion stylist behind Always on Q. Beautiful, bold, and expressive business owner who focuses on styling her clients from the inside out.

Q shares that February “is the time to celebrate not only love, care, and gratitude for romantic relationships but business relationships as well; those individuals that have been instrumental in taking my business to the next level because let's face it...I love them too!!”

Chelsie and Q met back in September 2022 at an event hosted by Tiffany English of Women in Business Connect and Velvetstyle. It’s fitting that as we celebrate Black History month that another Black, woman-owned business brought us together. Learn more about WBIC here and be sure to support your local woman and Black-owned businesses this Black History Month and always!

Quinessa ‘Q’ Solomon, photos by Amy Bissonette Photography

What does being a Black and woman-owned business mean to you?

Being a Black and woman-owned business to me means that I am able to be in a space where I feel comfortable celebrating my Blackness, my creativity, my femininity - all of the things that in the past have come with some form of restriction or limitation. It means that I put in the time, the suffering, and the effort to thrive in an industry where I can boldly and unapologetically express my creativity and my desire for wanting others to feel great about who they are and how they look. It means that I can be an example, a leader, an inspiration to show other Black, woman owned businesses that if I can do it, you can do it too Sis!

Tell me a little about yourself.

Above all, I am Wife and Mother of 2, a teen and a toddler. (Hey Kris, Kaydence and Kadé!!)

I’m a Personal Stylist, Style Consultant, and Founder of Always on Q Style Consulting, a Personal Styling and Shopping Service that specializes in ‘Styling from the Inside Out’.

But I'm not your typical Personal Stylist. I’m more concerned about who my clients are on the inside before we get to dressing the outside. I help my clients accept that style is not always about glitz and glamour. It’s about knowing who YOU are on the inside, THEN working on dressing you on the outside. And this is not someone’s idea of who you *think* you should look like!

I’m more concerned with making sure you can go to your closet and pull out an outfit you feel great in… day after day…for work or for play… not just for one day!

Always On Q’s unique fashion styling formula infuses personal development with personal style, connecting the dots between women's personality and lifestyle with their closet and wardrobe, to ultimately unlock a unique signature style.

What is your background (education, previous jobs and/or experiences) that led you to become a stylist and ultimately start your own business, Always on Q?

I was raised in the 'hood on the Westside of Chicago, but was often exposed early on to experiences outside of my daily surroundings. Those experiences would go on to impact and influence so many parts of my life, including how I chose to express myself.

Out of college, Finance was my initial career move, but I realized my heart wasn’t full. I traded my full-time career in finance for a project-based position: writing a fashion column for a Lifestyle magazine.

After I got pregnant with Kaydence, I worked for a Strategic Planning & Team Building firm for Small Businesses.

Then I started my entrepreneurial journey, The Kloset Kleaner Project, working as an independent contractor helping women entrepreneurs clean up their personal lives through closet cleaning services and clean up their businesses through administrative support.

I worked with several women business owners and women professional in different industries from non-profit to healthcare.

I worked for a Sales & Marketing, woman-owned business, while simultaneously working for a women's clothing boutique stocked with independent designers. I would also go on to do direct sales for an LA-based women's clothing brand.

Through my experiences, I developed an immense passion for supporting professional business women break away from the "rules" expected of us.

I combined my Professional Support Services with my love for Fashion and rebranded the business to “Always on Q”, a one-stop-shop for Personal Style and Personal Development, empowering women to be themselves no matter the time, place, or circumstance.

What do you think is most interesting or unique about your profession?

Identifying your Personal Style does not always equate to buying new clothes. Sometimes it's as simple as just seeing the clothes you currently have in a new way!

What are some of your short and long term goals?

Short Term goals: To hold an informational Zoom monthly, giving style tips that women can do on their own and also introducing Men's Styling to the company

Long Term: Having a team of 3-4 stylists that can get you Q-Tified when I'm not available and also traveling the world with my VIP clients to get them dressed for everyday or special occasions!

What is one or two of your favorite styling projects you've done?

Oh, oh this is so exciting to answer!!

1) I work with an amazing Emergency Room Doctor that spends countless days and nights impacting the world through her work, her research and her kind and gentle spirit. I'm able to minimize the stress around what to wear when she travels, when she shows up for events and help her feel like her best self while she is out here making a HUGE difference in the world!

2) I work with the most INCREDIBLE Life Coach and Brain Tumor Survivor. She, too, is making a significant change to women in the world not only through her work, but just by being herself and sharing her experiences. She is living her life, which she’s built by design and I'm helping her show up as her authentic self through her wardrobe.

How would you describe the process of working with Lettering Works to establish your branding? What did you enjoy most?

Wow it’s been an AH-MAZING experience! Chelsie is very organized and intentional which aligns with how I like to work. Meetings close together, seamless Zoom meetings and follow-up notes after each session. She made sure that we were on the same page every step of the way by making sure expectations were communicated and met. I enjoyed our genuine connection! Nothing felt forced and throughout our sessions, I found myself repeatedly saying “You get me!”

What value have you received from working together?

Sooo much value! I’m much clearer in the direction of where I’m going with my business. Our work together allowed me to get so many thoughts out my head and into the mind of an expert that could direct me on how to turn those thoughts into actionable items! Knowing that DOING is the next step after THINKING, our work together has allowed me to move out of a place where I was stuck and stagnant to a clear direction of achievable projects and tasks that make sense.

Why do you think creatives should invest in branding their businesses?

We have so much going on in our minds that we need help narrowing down the most important parts of our business we want to communicate and the best way to get those messages out. We’re often a one-woman show, so investing in our business allows us to bring someone else into the fold to help us tell our stories and what our brand represents in a way that can be easily understood.