We recently connected with Carla Pressley and have shared our conversation below.
Carla, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Looking back at internships and apprenticeships can be interesting, because there is so much variety in people’s experiences – and often those experiences inform our own leadership style. Do you have an interesting story from that stage of your career that you can share with us?
I’ve started my career as a hair and makeup artist first in the salon. I swept the floors and stayed all day and night practicing on my mannequin. Senior artists noticed my drive and took me under their wing and while I was attending cosmetology school, and an apprenticeship program I began assisting a now celebrity hair stylist. I eventually went to New York to continue assisting from the DC/VA area. I became so busy in the salon and now juggling weekly trips to New York to work with Project Runway, New York Fashion Week, and several artist agencies that I truly felt the burn out. I took some time to explore the world and traveled to 13 countries before I came back and knew I wanted to start my own company. I have since mentored a number of artists, hosted classes to train new team members for my company and to train myself on how to be a mentor and educator. I love the cycle of giving back and paying it forward. It is my favorite part about being in the industry. Some advice for anyone starting out is to get a mentor. Follow that mentor, learn and study what that mentor is showing you. Once you get it, you wont have to look for clients. You will have helped to build up your mentor and they in return will pass you down clients they are now too busy for. Thats when you start to mentor yourself. Its wonderful!
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’m Carla Pressley and I do hair and makeup! I’m a mixed African American/Korean chick born the year of the DOG in July which makes me a fiercely loyal sentimental Cancer. I also talk to most dogs and have been the proud mother to two Jindo dogs. I laugh EXACTLY like my two brothers, TRY eating vegan most of the time, LOVE yoga, and tear up EVERY time dads see’s the bride for the first time. I was born in Kentucky on a military base. Proud of the US Armed Forces. Black Lives Matter. LGBTQIA ally. I’m very proud of all the progress we are making to be a more united and loving country.
I began my career in the beauty industry over 15 years ago with PR @ Partners, a Washington D.C area franchise salon and MAC Cosmetics.
I have a background in the fashion Industry as well as in the Salon. I can cut and color hair, although nowadays I mainly style hair and do makeup on location.
I’m #blessed to work with clients of all colors, cultures, hair types, and complexions.
No matter what makes us different, there’s so much more that makes us the SAME.
Past Clients include PROJECT RUNWAY, Macy’s, Tarte, Marc Jacobs, RuPaul, and Martha Stewart Weddings amongst others.
I pride myself in HELPING you feel confident from the inside out. People always compliment me for my naturally glam looks and for creating a calming environment.
I look forward to meeting you and helping you create the look YOU want from the wedding aisle to the runway!
Namaste
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
I have a goal to retire early and secure a dream property. Because of this dream I am working hard, training new talent, and growing my company from a single artist to an agency.
Have you ever had to pivot?
My company has had many set backs in starting up the agency I have in mind. Technically we could move forward but I remember starting my company and then feeling bulldozed by how busy we got. I know if I open the flood gates there will be a lot of business and without the right systems in place we will feel overwhelmed. Hire the right contractors, if you don’t, you’ll be like me, waiting and postponing. It will be worth the wait and I do not want a messy start to the second phase my company is taking on.
Contact Info:
- Website: carlapressley.com
- Instagram: http://instagram.com/carlapressleyhairmakeup
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CarlaPressleyMakeupArtistHairStylist/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carla-pressley-pressley-292a27b0/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDsxRPDvpNJ4S8VpCNsr1og?view_as=subscriber
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/carla-pressley-hair-and-make-up-fairfax