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

Brenda , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Covid has brought about so many changes – has your business model changed?

When Covid hit I was forced to face many of the same challenges as other business owners. Keeping clients safe was our top priority. Although social distancing was impossible because it’s a hands on job, we made sure to follow the all the new CDC guidelines. We took extra time to fully sanitize before and after each service, wore masks, screen each client before their appointment and Closed the waiting area to control traffic. Cancellations were very frequent and it took a toll on all of us. For a moment it felt like we were stuck with no end in sight. Things might be somewhat back to normal but we continue to follow all the restrictions, it’s the new norm. I’m super grateful for all my amazing and loyal clients that stuck by me through this tough time.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

I have been in the mens grooming industry for 16yrs. My services range from haircuts and shaves to facials and chemical treatments. I love that this is a never ending learning field, there is always something new, whether it’s a style, product or technique. Barbering is such a creative outlet, but you really have to be consistent with it to be successful at it. I come from a family of barbers and beauticians so I developed a passion for it at a very young age. I would practice on friends and family up until I was old enough to get licensed. Being a female in a male dominated industry was hard at first, especially before social media. I was often overlooked and had to work really hard to prove myself and earn the trust of potential clients. It was never easy but I love a good challenge! I’ve always enjoyed interacting with people, sharing stories and major life events with them makes me love my craft even more. I feel that I’m a caretaker by nature, so having the power and the skill to give someone confidence gives me a sense of purpose.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

I worked in salon management for the first half of my career. It was a very demanding position, especially around holidays and important events, it was stressful but also very rewarding. My ultimate goal was to become a business owner one day so I made sure to learn all the ins and outs of the salon industry. I sacrificed a lot of time with friends and family but it was so worth it. Becoming a mom really pushed me out of my comfort zone, I couldn’t work the long hours and miss special days anymore. I craved that flexibility and independence that came with being my own boss. I had to kick it up a notch, after years of learning and building clientele I decided to take that leap of faith. It was the best decision I could ever make. It was definitely not easy, I met a few challenges along the way but I kept my positive mindset.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

Since the beginning of my career, I’ve kept it old fashioned. Like I mentioned before there was no Instagram, or hashtags just simply word of mouth. Client referrals will always be effective. When someone is happy with their service, they are more likely to tell others about their positive experience. And that’s my entire mission as soon as they sit in my chair. Houston is a huge city and competition is tough.. after all, our clients are like walking billboards.

Contact Info:

• Website: Www.royalstudiobarber.booksy.com
• Instagram: Barber_bee__