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

Abigail, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. One of our favorite things to brainstorm about with friends who’ve built something entrepreneurial is what they would do differently if they were to start over today. Surely, there are things you’ve learned that would allow you to do it over faster, more efficiently. We’d love to hear how you would go about setting things up if you were starting over today, knowing everything that you already know.

I would definitely stop being timid. A lot of what I do now I have known forever but because I was so shy I just wouldn’t step up to the plate.

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

Hello I am Abigail Hernandez and I am an artist located in San Antonio, Tx. I do hair, makeup, I create, and educate. This industry became my passion 16 years ago. It started off with the parental pressure and then it became something I fell in love with. It has helped me express myself through my work. It is definitely a full commitment between my career and myself.

Cars have always been in my heart and that is when Flip Top Beauty and Barber was born. The year of 2014, when we returned from Italy I started my first small business. The salon was meant to service everyone under one roof while having a pin up vibe. I feel San Antonio has a lot of passion for that scene so it suited this beautiful city perfectly. It has taken a lot of discipline and hard work to maintain my reputation. From surviving 2020 to balancing my business with family as a single mother. Any chance I am able to learn a new skill I take it. The more I can provide the more clients I can attract. The list of services provided by solely me go from color, haircuts, to permanent makeup, and body enhancements. I am fully certified and licensed to make sure my clientele has a peace of mind. Someone who is truly passionate about their craft will continue to educate themselves to enhance the knowledge they already have.

Having this passion led to meeting brand owners whom made me a part of their team. That is something I never thought I would be doing. I became an educator for Johnny B. Hair in 2015. Johnny B. Is a mens grooming company based out of Los Ángeles, California. With their structure I have been able to go from the shy woman I used to be to a platform artist educator.

What is one thing I’d like people to know about my brand and myself ? I love to share my knowledge. I am not greedy or selfish when it comes to teaching someone a new skill. There was a point in my life where I was hungry to learn and nobody wanted to teach me. Therefore I taught myself. I will always be there to help any student who is eager to learn or a new employee who is afraid to be new. Our industry is brutal and definitely not the place for being shy or show any sort of fear. I learned that the hard way. Anything I can do to help someone succeed or feel more confident, I am there for it.

The last months of the year are my busiest and the ones I feel the most proud of. Starting August the festivities in San Antonio begin. I have been hired by amazing people in our city to do what I love… makeup. I take a lot of pride in my catrinas and theatrical applications. Makeup has given me trophies, magazine covers, and the best of experiences.

What sets me apart from others is.. that I do it all. If I don’t know how I learn how and I have proven to be capable to run a whole salon alone. There is no such thing as sick days for a mother of three and business owner.

Can you open up about how you funded your business?

Funding my business was very rough. I moved to the U.S from another country and had nothing. It was a bad time in my life along while I was pregnant and it’s when I told myself … I have to learn a new skill. I made sure I used all of my knowledge and turned it into money. I knew how to sew , therefore I made merchandise to sell at local events. Any money I would make I would turn around and invest in a new class or towards my new business. Little by little people started to recognize me while I was vending and that was my opportunity to make them potential clients at the salon. If there is one thing I always tell students is … never stop learning. Knowledge is power, you always have to have a backup skill to fund your dreams.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

I believe me working so hard doing small things to help pay for my bigger dream, is what built my reputation. Having to go out and sell my homemade crafts showed how passionate I was about reaching my goal. Making sure everything still revolves around the theme of my salon.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: abbycakesmua
• Facebook: Flip Top Beauty and Barber

Image Credits
Photographer Billie Jean One Love photography Logo made by Nocturnal Printing