We recently connected with Claudia Martin and have shared our conversation below.

Claudia, appreciate you joining us today. One of the toughest things about entrepreneurship is that there is almost always unexpected problems that come up – problems that you often can’t read about in advance, can’t prepare for, etc. Have you had such and experience and if so, can you tell us the story of one of those unexpected problems you’ve encountered?

Some of the most unexpected problems/issues I’ve faced in my business were salon closure, and unexpected caregiving roles simultaneously. My grandmother became severely ill, not long before the 2020 Covid pandemic. I became her caregiver alongside a few family members during that time. All while I was navigating this new season in my life of caregiving I received an alarming phone call. The salon I worked in close to 10 years, was unable to reopen due to the Covid pandemic shutdown. The unexpected closure of the salon along with caregiving demands caused my business to cease during that time. I stayed in contact with most clients as best I could as I worked towards resolution. With no resolution in site as far as I could see I relied on my Faith to carry me through this time. About a year later my grandmother passed and the caregiving role transitioned over to my father. I didn’t think my business would recover well. But God! He had another plan! The setback was a setup for a come up! I began to restore my business while working at Salon 403. Many of my loyal clients started to return as I also gained new clients during that season. For five years thereafter, I navigated part-time salon work and caregiving roles until my father passed. I am grateful for God, my loving husband, family, and the owner of Salon 403. They were all influential in helping me keep a positive mindset as I continue to even now rebuild my business!

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your background and context?

I am a licensed hairstylist of over 20 years residing in Hampton, Virginia. I currently operate my business inside of Salon 403 located in Newport News, Virginia. The passion, art, and love for hair has always been present in my life from a young girl until now. I attended hair school in Hampton, Virginia very shortly after graduating high school. While attending hair school I became a member of the hair design team focusing on high-level styling. I successfully graduated and begin working inside of a commission based salon that serviced diverse hair textures for several years. Evolving from there I desired independence in the salon industry. I went on to become a self proprietor! That yearning took me on a journey of booth rental in two different salons throughout a span of several years. During this time I continued to enhance my skills as a stylist and also served as a makeup assistant in one of those salons! I provide services to all hair types. However, I specialize in healthy hair maintenance for relaxed and natural hair, precision cutting, crochet braids, updos, coloring, and more! I also wax eyebrows! What sets me apart from others is my ability to personalize each of my clients experiences according to their individual needs. My professionalism, customer service, and knowledge sets me apart from others. I have an “old-school”approach when it comes to servicing my clients. I don’t like online scheduling and I still enjoy hearing my client’s voices on the phone! I am most proud of my resilience throughout my career. Being able to adapt to many changes along with an unwavering faith in God has allowed me to maintain my business. The main things I want potential clients/followers/fans to know about me and my brand is how much of a passion this profession is for me. I really love what I do!! I enjoy making clients smile during their experiences with me!

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

I think confidence in my skills, and learning to just “Be Me”unapologetically has helped me build my reputation within my market! In my opinion just being relatable along with great skills causes people to return for future service!

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

The best source of new clients for me has been word of mouth referral and social media!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://stylezbyladiec.com
• Instagram: stylez_by_ladiec