Martha Lupai
Martha Lupai is a natural hair educator with over a decade of experience helping people improve the health of their hair and skin. She is a strong advocate for minority entrepreneurship and the owner of S&E African Hair Braiding and the creator of Neta’s Natural hair care and body products.
Born in Ethiopia with a Sudanese heritage, Martha moved to the United States of America in 1995 with her parents and three brothers. A lifelong learner, Martha graduated from Tennessee State University in 2000 with a Bachelor of Science in Social Work. Martha served her community as a social worker for seven years before realizing her dream of entrepreneurship.
Named after her two eldest daughters, S&E African Hair Braiding opened in Nashville, Tennessee in 2007 and specializes in various aspects of braiding. The salon has grown in popularity throughout the region, with customers traveling from as far as Georgia, Alabama, and Indiana.
Years of styling hair allowed Martha to observe extensive problems with damaged hair due to the use of chemical products. As a result, Martha researched natural methods of treating damaged hair while experimenting with plant and fruit oils from various parts of the world to help treat the problems. After two years of research, she launched Neta’s Natural. Neta’s Natural is an all-natural hair and body care line of free of fragrances, chemicals, and petroleum that help alleviate hair, scalp, and skin ailments.
A strong advocate of education, Martha founded the nonprofit Neta’s Foundation to support education for young women and girls in East Africa. Neta’s Foundation is funded by Neta’s Natural and helps students in South Sudan and Ethiopia by covering educational costs including tuition, uniforms, and books.
Today, Martha lives in Nashville with her husband and three daughters. She is committed to improving the lives of people in her community.