Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Candace Parrish. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Candace thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Owning a business isn’t always glamorous and so most business owners we’ve connected with have shared that on tough days they sometimes wonder what it would have been like to have just had a regular job instead of all the responsibility of running a business. Have you ever felt that way?

I am happy as a business owner, but it is a job that never ends and I rarely get time off.
People ask “Oh do you have off at all this week?” And my answer is, well there are days that I don’t have clients behind the chair, but on no client days there is administrative work, inventory, advertising, team building, and on and on and on…
But! I love what I do and I started my business when I was pregnant with my now 10 year old daughter. I remember being 8 months pregnant and going to Panera with my laptop and spending hours there working on the beginning stages of the business and I really love those memories.
Even though there’s always something to do or catch up on, this has allowed me to provide a life for my daughter and myself. She sees my hard work and I take pride in knowing that she has grown up in my salon environment. She is learning that a strong work ethic is important when it comes to getting what you want in life.
I always tell her…especially as a girl, you need to work hard for what you want in life and find a skill that will allow you to be financially independent.
And so with all of these thoughts in mind, I find myself content and happy and flourishing as a business owner. And I will continue to work as hard as I can to provide the best environment for our clients, for our team, and for me and my family.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I own and operate two businesses within the beauty industry. Charm City Hair Studio (est. 2016) focuses on custom color and cutting. Down the Aisle in Style (est. 2014) is a luxury bridal hair and makeup company that specializes in on site bridal services within the Maryland, DC, and Virginia areas. We have over 20 years experience in the bridal business and what sets us apart is our experience, skill, continuing education in our field, and our attention to detail when it comes to giving our brides a seamless experience on their wedding day.

I have always loved doing hair. I used to constantly brush my hair in the mirror when I was little and my grandfather would say “Girl if you keep brushing that hair over and over it’s gonna fall out!” I just always loved styling hair. My grandma was a hairdresser in the 1940s and I definitely followed in her footsteps.

I have my grandma’s cosmetology license hanging on the wall in my studio. She was always my biggest supporter in life and I think if she were alive today she’d be very proud.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

This question immediately brings me to 2019, when I broke my leg and ankle in 3 places and had to have full ankle reconstruction. I was on crutches for about 6 months give or take. But when you’re a bridal hair specialist, unless you are in the hospital and immobile…you show up to your commitments when you have a wedding scheduled!

So with a broken leg, I would use crutches or roll around on a chair with wheels to do my job. I would roll around the salon on the chair to do my clients or stand with one knee resting on a chair when doing hair.

And so when I was fully recovered I looked back and felt a feeling of resilience. That I did not have to miss one wedding. And to this day, after completing thousands of weddings, I still have never missed a wedding of one of my clients.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

When I was younger, I always felt like I had to be a yes person. I felt like I had to say yes and a lot of times put my peace aside to accommodate the comfort of others.
So it took a lot for me to unlearn that way of thinking and to set boundaries personally and professionally. I’ve learned that it’s important to set boundaries both personally and professionally to have a balance in life. Self care is so important and that makes me a better mom and a better business owner and a better stylist.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://charmcityhair.com/ http://baltimoreweddinghair.com/
• Instagram: @charmcityhairstudio @downtheaisleinstyle
• Facebook: Facebook.com/charmcityhairstudio Facebook.com/downtheaisleinstyle

Image Credits

Photography: Mindy Zakrzewski, Photography by Brea, Love Moran Photography, Jsasu Photography, Bradley Images, Danileigh Photography, Sarandon Smith Photography, Just Y Photography,