We recently connected with Melissa Kelly and have shared our conversation below.

Melissa, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. So, one thing many business owners consider is donating a percentage of sales or profits to an organization or cause. We’d love to hear your thoughts and the story behind how and why you chose the cause or organization you donate to.

Bello Haven is so much more than a hair salon and hair extensions brand. We are a family, a group of women who make it our mission to make others feel beautiful and radiate confidence. Hair is a very personal trait, and when you lose all of it to a disease that is taking over your life, you can be left feeling like a sliver of who you used to be. That is why I started creating wigs for women who are battling cancer. Over the past few years, we have donated 15 wigs to women of all ages, and even a young girl, who are all fighting for their lives. Many people wonder why I chose to make wigs, and the answer is simple. I want to help give these women a piece of themselves back and give them a little more confidence. Cancer strips everything from a person, and you can be left feeling hopeless. Each of these wigs is custom to what these ladies’ hair looked like before they got cancer, so every time they look in the mirror, they remember who they are and just how strong they are. I want these women and every client that comes into the salon to experience happiness, confidence, and beauty through Bello Haven.

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?

Hi everyone, my name is Melissa Kelly, and I am the owner and creator of Bello Haven Salons & Hair Extensions. As I went through cosmetology school, I noticed a huge gap in hair extensions’ price and quality and knew I had to do something about it. I have been wearing hair extensions since high school and have never found a collection that blends seamlessly with all hair textures and colors, that wasn’t constantly getting tangled. So, with my dad’s inspiration behind me, I created Bello Haven Hair Extensions. Not only does the quality of our hair set us apart, but so does our drive. A proceed of every pack of hair sold goes to creating wigs for cancer survivors. Cancer is very near and dear to my heart, so I will always support that community in any way I can. Aside from our two hair salons in Colorado and a hair extension line, we also have a booming education program. I am a huge believer in the importance of education and began teaching the Bello Haven method to stylists about 4 years ago. Now, we continue to teach our Bello Haven No-Show method with over 50 territory educators nationwide. While I am incredibly proud of every stylist and employee I have, I am most proud of my daughter Bella. Being her mom has been the world’s greatest gift. She is one of the reasons I named my company Bello Haven, for Bella, my daughter, and my father, who now is cheering me on from heaven.

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

Growing clientele has to be one of the more difficult parts of your career as a hairstylist. I pride myself in being very open and honest with my clients, always putting their hair health above all else. Instead of just doing a more expensive service because that is what they asked for, I take the time to get to know them and truly understand what they are looking to achieve. From there I will recommend what is best for their specific desires and the health of their hair. This builds a solid base of trust and loyalty with my customers, which is important to me. Once you have a solid base of loyal clients, they will refer their friends, and you will grow naturally. Another big attribute in growing your clientele is continuing your education. Our industry is constantly evolving and changing, so it is crucial that we as hairstylists evolve and change with it so we can offer our clients the best services. Lastly, you have to truly love what you do. The saying, ‘if you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life,” is so true, but more importantly, if you want to show up to work and are happy to be there, your clients will be able to tell, and they will want to come and see you!

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding part of being a hairstylist is seeing my clients leave the salon more confidently than when they came in. It is so easy to get torn down by social media nowadays, constantly comparing ourselves to one another, that if I can make my clients stand a little taller and smile just a little bit more, I am happy.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.bellohavenhairextensions.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melissakellystyled/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bellohavenhairextensions?mc_cid=ca19b229af&mc_eid=UNIQID

Image Credits
Danja Barber