We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Alicia Valdez. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Alicia below.
Hi Alicia, thanks for joining us today. Before we get into specifics, let’s talk about success more generally. What do you think it takes to be successful?
To be successful is to keep pushing through even on the hard days. When you have the people who mean the most to you supporting your goals and rooting for you. With those two key things in your life you will always be successful.
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 Alicia Valdez, a lot of people in the Orlando area know me as AliciaTheHairGod. I got into the braiding industry 6 years ago. I found art in braiding and fell in love with it. I have had up’s and down’s because let’s be honest all businesses do. I had a Male braiding lounge called Loft 9 that I closed in May 2022. I am now braiding at David’s Cuts Barbershop where my career has been elevating a lot. I took a step back from owning a loft and stepped back into a barbershop because I wanted to gain re-focus on my brand. My brand has been going to another level allowing me to really get into opportunities I dreamed about. The proudest moment for me definitely has to be seeing my work in WWE 2K23. Never in my wildest dream thought I would see my work in a video game. Braiding has really impacted my life in so many good ways not just the opportunities, but all my clients who I adore their relationships will be with me forever and it’s a good feeling how many people they refer my way. A message I have for my future clients is the moment you sit in my chair just know I always got you and this is a relationship forever not temporary.
Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?
I do have a business partner his name Alex David, we met a year ago through a client. Meeting him I did see a vision for him and his barbershop that I wanted to be apart of. Once I stepped into his barbershop our energy when it comes to our goals and pushing to the top is unmatched. It’s definitely a different ball game having a partner who supports you and wants to see these goals happen and changes happen.
What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?
Building my reputation in the barber industry as a braider has definitely been easy, I just been me and I always have credit where is was due and I never wanted to burn a bridge with any barbers because I knew they would help me with referrals and of course they add at touch of what my braid work is missing. They enhance my work.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: Aliciathehairgod