We recently connected with Latisha Pickens and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Latisha, thanks for joining us today. Risk taking is something we’re really interested in and we’d love to hear the story of a risk you’ve taken.
My full time job was at Aramark where I was working as a supervisor, a job I had held for six years while trying to make ends meet. Starting out, I faced challenges such as not having transportation, which made it difficult to get to work. In 2014, I also started attending cosmetology school, adding another layer of uncertainty to my future career path. Despite these obstacles, I persevered and eventually saved enough money to buy a car in 2015.
Taking a risk involves potentially facing a negative outcome or failure. In 2019, I found myself at a crossroad, debating whether to pursue a full-time career as a cosmetologist or stick with a stable
40-hour-a-week job. The decision between entrepreneurship and a steady paycheck was a difficult one for me to make.
Despite the challenges I faced juggling a full-time job, family responsibilities, and attending school, I managed to achieve some significant milestones during those six years. I received promotions at work, including the opportunity to manage my own kiosks on campus. Graduating from cosmetology school in 2016 was a major accomplishment for me during that time.
In 2019, when faced with the uncertainty of potentially losing my job due to a contract change at the kiosk, I made the bold decision to take a risk and pursue a full-time career in the hair industry. I believed in my abilities and saw it as an opportunity to leave my mark in the beauty world.
Since then, my career has flourished, and I have leveraged the management and people skills I acquired from my previous job to excel in my new career. While there have been challenges along the way, I have learned to overcome them and continue to grow professionally. This experience has taught me the importance of taking risks and not being afraid to step out of my comfort zone to make positive changes in my life. Sometimes, taking a leap of faith is necessary to achieve significant personal and professional growth.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
My name is Latisha Pickens, but most people know me as “Mizz Tish.” I am a hairstylist based in Memphis, TN, and I discovered my passion for hair styling after graduating from high school in 2011. Knowing that college wasn’t the path for me, I decided to pursue my love for hair by enrolling in cosmetology school in 2014. It was during this time that I transformed into “Mizz Tish” and set out to make a name for myself in the beauty industry.
Today, I am a professional cosmetologist and master wig designer, specializing in healthy hair practices, sanitation, and providing my clients with a luxurious experience. With nearly 12 years of experience in the beauty industry, I have mastered my skills and expertise. My greatest joy comes from helping women embrace their inner beauty while caring for and enhancing their natural crowns.
What else should we know about how you took your side hustle and scaled it up into what it is today?
I’m glad to share my story of how my side hustle evolved into my full-time career. It all began back in 2011 during my senior year of high school when I initially considered pursuing culinary arts due to my passion for creating beautiful dishes. However, by the end of that year, I found myself increasingly drawn to the world of hair styling and experimenting with different styles.
With my sister’s gracious support as my willing test dummy, I began practicing my skills in hair styling. Starting with sew-in installations and eventually transitioning to crafting custom wigs, I found my niche in the beauty industry. My sister’s trust and willingness to let me practice on her allowed me to gain valuable experience and confidence in my abilities.
In 2012 I landed my first job at McDonald’s.
I used it a networking ward. I was on the clock making money and promoting my hair side business. The more I networked, the more the bookings came in. At this time in my life I was doing hair in the middle of my grandmothers living room. She supported me by allowing me to do that as long as I cleaned up behind myself.
Later on I started working for Aramark, but was still just doing hair on the side.
As I continued to explore my passion for hair styling, I established “Mizztish Hair & Makeup” as my side hustle, offering a range of services such as natural hairstyles, weave installations, custom wigs, and more. Additionally, I launched an online store where clients could purchase hair accessories for at-home care and hair extensions, expanding my reach and offerings.
Over time, my side hustle steadily grew, and I dedicated myself to building, planning, and expanding my business. With a focus on providing top-notch services and a luxurious experience for my clients, I was able to scale up my side hustle into a successful full-time career in the beauty industry.
Key milestones in this journey included completing hair school, refining my skills, expanding my service offerings, and establishing a strong online presence through my store. Through dedication, hard work, and a commitment to excellence, my side hustle transformed into a thriving career with “Mizztish Hair & Makeup”!
Can you open up about how you funded your business?
It takes money to make money in any business. My business is no different. I started to build capital for my business by working a full time job and saving from every check. Sacrificing also played a big part. I applied the money I saved to invest in my tools, products, branding and advertising.
Investing in the best industry tools allows me the opportunity to provide a more luxurious service for my clients. They are my walking billboards. The more lux they look, the more the referrals come. Investing in the best products increases the longevity of every style, promotes healthy hair for my clients, and raises the value of “The Mizz Tish Experience”.
Saving and investing has helped me build a repeat clientele. I continue to invest in my branding, advertising and social media presence as well. I also network and connect with my audience to ensure my brand continues to flourish.
Working my full time job, saving and investing in my business taught me that both discipline and consistency are the keys to building anything especially a business!
It’s important to believe in yourself and follow thru on your dreams with dedication and execution.
Contact Info:
- Website: Mizztish.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/mizztish_hairmakeup?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MizztishHair?mibextid=LQQJ4d
- Linkedin: https://linktr.ee/mizztish
- Twitter: @MizzTish
Image Credits
Directedbyskin2 Marcus D Porter