Eleanor Lewis- Ferguson started braiding hair as a hobby and then by word of mouth by her clientele started to grow. She has worked many jobs, but braiding hair has always been what people called her "side hustle.” She jokingly remembers stories being told of how as young child she would play in her dolls' hair until all of their hair eventually fell out. However, her side hustle became her main source of income when “Ella’s Braids” became wildly popular locally. She gained social media attention and her followers grew to more than 56,000 on Instagram. The hashtag, #TeamEllaBraids , has garnered hundreds of thousands of likes and comments. She now has people from around the country booking her, so they can too rock the signature “Ella Braids”. Eleanor says she was born to style hair and believes it is what God called her to do. She initially thought pursuing Law is what she was supposed to do, but believes God had a different path for her to take. She said she prayed and asked for God’s guidance, and now she does what she loves. In July of 2013 she stepped out on faith and quit her job at the Department of Children and Families to pursue braiding hair full-time, and she hasn’t looked back.