We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Melissa Rodriquez a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Melissa thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. So, let’s start with trends – what are some of the largest or more impactful trends you are seeing in the industry?

I believe the biggest trend in the salon industry is stylists wanting to have a booth rental structure over an old fashioned way of running a salon with a set schedule and set commission. In 2023 more stylists graduating from cosmetology school are wanting to go straight into booth rental for better pay and schedule flexibility. I’ve noticed more people are prioritizing home life over work life and booth rental offers stylists an oppurtunity to do so. As a traditional based salon we are working on turning our salon into both. We want to meet the needs of stylists and their work schedule while having stylists available at set times for clients that want to have their hair needs met on a walk in basis.

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 back background and context?

My name is Melissa Rodriquez I am 37 years old and currently live in Burleson, TX. I have been doing hair for 20 plus years and have found joy in being able to use my craft on a daily basis. I created Haute Head Salon as a space for stylists to have a fun environment based on client appreciation and stylist education. We are a full service salon for everything from vivid colors to the latest color trends and cuts. At Haute Head Salon we use Guy Tang and Pravana color and products as I feel they have the best longevity for color life and yield the best results from take home products. My clients range from every 6 week color touchups to extreme overhauls where some just want a fresh new cut and color. I have also fixed my fair share of at home color nightmares. As far as other salons go at Haute Head Salon we pride ourselves on the constant knowledge we share with our stylists and continuing education we provide. I work closely with our stylists to make sure they are up to date an knowledgeable on the latest styles and color trends. I would like future clients, stylists, and followers to know that I take my craft seriously and work very hard to provide the best service for each client. Your hairs integrity is my top priority and always taken into consideration when making suggestions and creating custom styles/colors for each individual.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

Like most businesses we suffered during the shutdown of Covid and it was a long road to get back to profitability. I had downtime like most during this shutdown to really reflect on what Haute Head needed to survive and get back to business. When we reopened we were lucky to be busier than ever with everyone ready to get back to their normal hair routine. I then suffered from the growing trend of stylists wanting a different way of life and needing a booth rental type of agreement and had a loss of stylists. This loss helped me push forward and start my new business plan of offering booth rental as well as also making structural changes in the salon. My family and I have been hard at work remodeling the salon while I still maintain a normal schedule and make sure all clients are taken care of. I am hopeful that with not only the booth rental changes but also the structural changes that this will bring an even better experience for both clients as well as future stylists.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

Pivoting is an ongoing theme for myself. Earlier this year I was looking into expanding the salon into a larger place that I could add on a school. While researching and forming my business plan, my momager and I decided the best thing to do would be focus on the salon we have currently and pouring ourselves into reforming what we already have before making any bigger changes. This pivot has allowed me to create a better version of Haute Head Salon and also to focus more time on my own personal life where before I never really took time for myself. I have really been humbled into understanding the work/life balance and how important it is to take time out for the ones I love. Pivoting doesn’t always have to be a bad thing it can definitely be a great intentional shift into a new era of loving yourself and the business you’re running.

Contact Info:

• Website: vagaro.com/hauteheadsalon
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/salonhautehead/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=haute%20head%20salon

Image Credits
Amy Brown