Today we’d like to introduce you to Victoria Small

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?

I was working at Target and my roommate was working at Walmart back in 2015. She had been looking into beauty school for a few months, we were looking at moving together, and then she suggested I attend school with her. I personally laughed and committed to doing the two week trial run. Day one and she didn’t show up. I was LIVID to say the least. I finished the two weeks because I didn’t want my money to go to waste. After two weeks I thought it was pretty neat and I wouldn’t mind learning more. My roommate looked at me and said, “I bet you can’t graduate.” Game over. I was determined to graduate at that point. I moved to Cedar Rapids, applied to Capri College, and found an apartment within a month. It was a full time commitment I wasn’t prepared for. I had my fair amount of trials and tribulations during beauty school, but I really started finding myself.
After I graduated in late 2016 I worked at a few different salons over a year span and had a few different addictions. I was in a serious relationship that went south fairly quickly after my grandmother passed. I was shamed at the upscale salon I was employed with and ended up back home in my parents basement in Bellevue unemployed by the end of 2017. To say I felt like I hit rock bottom was an understatement. I had no idea what I was about to endure in the near future.
The beginning of 2018 I decided to turn my life around and be a better human and mother. I packed my stuff and went to Canada to get sober. I came home after three months and decided I didn’t want to do hair anymore. I worked third shift at a factory in Bellevue for awhile, then went to another company who offered first shift and better pay towards the end of 2019.
At the end of my employment at the factory and beginning my journey with this new company I met this amazing woman, Libby, on Tinder. She was an EMR at the time working towards her EMT. She was a firefighter and the mother of a beautiful daughter Iris. I had only been speaking with Libby and working at this new company for about a month. This woman made me push harder to be better in life. In December of 2019 my other grandmother, my son, daughter, and I were in a car accident. I had to have life saving surgery and re-learn how to walk. The children were physically not harmed except for some bruising from me landing on my son, Marcus’s leg. My grandmother passed five months later. During this whole process Libby and Iris were right by our side. October 4, 2020 I married Libby and gained a second daughter.
2020 Is in full swing at this point and Covid was starting to shut the world down. My doctors were telling me limitations of working and physical activity that I would endure the rest of my life. Libby introduced me to her barber and I started doing hair again. I mentored and refined my skills over the next two years at Fresh Feel Fade in Iowa City while still residing in Bellevue. December 31, 2022 I left Fresh Feel Fade to start my own shop in Bellevue.
February 1, 2023 I opened Fade Babe in Bellevue, Iowa. We are still going to this day and I have surpassed every limitation I was given. We have three stylists and are still expanding. I wouldn’t be where I am today without my wife, my kids, my parents, and the owners of Fresh Feel Fade. Thank you all for taking a chance on me and believing in me.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?

Entrepreneurship is far from a smooth road. I have had to dig deeper and deeper into who I am as a person, what I believe, and challenge those beliefs and morals. No matter what you are trying to do with your life there is always different challenges. Some physical, some emotional, etc.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?

Well, I own Fade Babe Barbershop in Bellevue Iowa. We are a primarily walk-in shop. We specialize in men’s grooming and women’s luxury services. I am mainly known for the good morning videos I post. I started when I opened to let people know when I would be in the shop and now I do it to cheer up people’s day. I have a lot of energy and love for others and the fact that they can feel that through a screen in my video is amazing.
I am most proud of myself, here’s why. When I was young I made young decisions that were not the smartest choices and that impact my life to this day. I don’t regret the life I have lived, I am thankful I have lessons I can use to help others who express their decisions whether recent or past. At Fade Babe we offer a non judgmental space that you can show up as you are, in whatever era you are in, and we won’t allow others to gossip on you. We are the underdogs in this life who end up on top babe.
What sets us apart from others is that we aren’t just smiling to make you feel better. We are smiling because there is a small piece of us we see in you. We utilize our life experience whether good or bad and genuinely show you other points of view.

Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?

I love how it is like time slows down. You aren’t anxious about traffic or if you are gonna make it before the grocery store closes. Family morals and values matter and are taught to each generation through the town as well.
I sometimes just like being a face in the crowd and want to not have to drive thirty plus minutes to lift or do hot yoga.

Pricing:

• Haircut $25
• Beard $15

Contact Info:

• Website: https://fadebabe.godaddysites.com
• Instagram: fade_babe_barbershop
• Facebook: Fade Babe Barbershop
• Other: [email protected]