We were lucky to catch up with Ciara Monèt recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Ciara, thanks for joining us today. What do you think Corporate America gets wrong in your industry? Any stories or anecdotes that illustrate why this matters?

I think corporate america underestimates the amount of work hairstylist do. The industry doesn’t get the respect it deserves. I still have clients take the day off work to do their hair but tell their boss it’s a doctors or dentist appointment. As if maintaining your physical appearance isn’t important. How we look on the outside directly effects how we feel on the inside. So that would qualify as mental health, right? Lol Hair is an accessory you dont take off.

It’s also such a physical and emotionally taxing industry. Quite often I’m one of the first to know when someone is pregnant, or having trouble conceiving. When they found out they’ve had cancer and we have to do their hair differently going forward. Or their mom just died and they need their hair done for the funeral. So many massive life events and feelings. Constantly absorbing emotional energy is a lot.

We’re so important in people’s lives yet I’ve had people say “it’s just hair” way too many times.

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?

Hey, I’m Ciara Monèt, Puerto Rican from the Bronx, raised in Yonkers, NY—some might call me Nuyorican. I’ve been doing hair for 13 years, over a third of my life.

I worked on the Upper East Side of NYC for eight years, gaining confidence and honing my skills with high-end clients I would’ve never otherwise crossed paths with. Then I moved to Sarasota to help care for my grandfather and uncle and that’s the first time I experienced a toxic work environment. I was at a popular local salon and quickly learned this wasn’t the place for me. I started Ardeo Hair Studio inside Salon Society Boutiques in Sarasota. My salon has huge windows and natural light, I love it. I work with the assistance of my right hand girl – Leila V. She’s also the host of our blow dry bar. The days I’m not working, the salon is a blowdry bar where one can come for any updos, blow dry styling services or keratin treatments to beat the humid summer frizz. Every service is accompanied by a shampoo and scalp massage. Salon suites have revolutionized the beauty industry, allowing artists to be their own bosses and express their creativity. But while I love running my salon, I also see the value in large-scale, commission salons. There just a lack of quality salons with owners who care about their staff. Maybe I’ll bring that change to our industry one day.

I love doing all types of hair. While marketing often pushes for specialization, and to choose your “niche” I embrace variety and have perfected many techniques. One of my favorites is blending gray, especially post-COVID when many women wanted to transition to their natural color. Helping them go from grown-out color bands to natural salt-and-pepper is no easy feat and can take 8-12 hours, but it’s worth it for the long-term results. Now, I see these clients every 8-12 weeks for a quick cut and treatment, instead of every 3-5 weeks to cover new growth.

I still do classic bob cuts and haircuts, and I have a soft spot for my fellow curly girls.And of course being in Florida, I have lots of blondes. Keeping blondes bright and healthy is a challenge, especially with the hard water here. The buildup can make hair feel dry and turn it rusty yellow. Blondes are particularly affected due to their porous nature. If your hair feels weird or looks rusty yellow, and it didn’t look that way when you left the salon, you need a clarifying treatment. You’re welcome!

It may not sound the most glamorous but I’m most proud of my consistency, my discipline and professionalism. I’ve come from very humble beginnings and to not only service but to thrive in Sarasota, FL and build a life for myself using these beat up hands is something Im so proud of. My son Roman is 1.5 and my ability to work for myself and make my own schedule allows me to be a much better mom than I ever thought I could be. That’s my most important job in this lifetime and the fact that I’m able to do both, though a lot of work, neither one suffers and I’m so, so proud of that.

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

Within two years of living in Sarasota, I had a steady clientele and a waitlist! Most of my clients come through word of mouth. I post on social media to stay connected, but I can’t say I get much business from there. It’s good ol’ word of mouth and the support of other beauty pros that recommend me as well, that keep me busy. When you’re consistent and do quality work, people notice. I even have clients who fly in from out of state every three months for their hair. People don’t play about their hair, and neither do I!

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

I wouldn’t say you need to “un-learn” anything, but to break the rules creatively, you first have to know them. With hair color and cutting, you can’t just wing it. You need a solid grasp of color theory, angles, and the science behind hair. Once you have that foundation, that’s when the real fun begins. You can start experimenting and spicing things up.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.ArdeoHair.com
• Instagram: @CiaraDidit
• Other: Linktree: https://linktr.ee/ciaramonet