We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Courtney Villasenor a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Courtney, appreciate you joining us today. Are you able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen?
My passion has always been hair. Once I figured out that I wanted to pursue being a hair stylist, that was it. I started working full time behind the chair about a year after graduating from cosmetology school. I started at chain salon with hourly pay because they offered training and as fresh stylist that felt like a great option for me at the time. But as a creative, I did not thrive well in that type of structure. I couldn’t do hair the way that I wanted, and I eventually realized that I had to make a change for myself. From there I was able to gain enough clientele to start my journey as a full-time self-employed hair stylist. The hair industry has evolved so much in the 11 years that I’ve been a part of it. Hair stylists no longer have to be a one-size-fits all type of stylist. Starting slow is okay, go be an assistant, work part time, figure out what type of services really make you excited about going to work every day. Don’t be afraid to have boundaries for yourself. There are so many options now on what type of career path you can take. As creatives we are all different and that’s what makes hairstylists so unique.
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
My Name is Courtney Villasenor, I am a full-time hair color and extension specialist in Austin, TX. I’ve been doing hair for about 11 years now and I still love it. I’ve never really thrived in a super structured environment. I love having the freedom to be my own boss and being able to create a structure that works for me. Despite what people may think, being a hair stylist can be very physically and mentally draining. I am not just a hair stylist. There are so many aspects to this career. I’ve learned that it’s so important to take care of yourself so that you can take care of your clients. I love being able to create a look for my guests and seeing their confidence radiate the room! I’m extremely lucky to work alongside with my best friend and together we have created our own little mini-salon oasis. Together we like to create an amazing salon experience, we filled our space with plants and crystals to keep the good vibes flowing. We offer a full line of non-toxic, cruelty free, luxury hair products to take home. As well as a refill program for our products in order to eliminate plastic waste. In the salon you can catch us vibing to our music while creating some amazing hair!
What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?
Instagram has been the best source of new clients for me. It’s like your own free website, business card, and portfolio all in one. Instagram allows you to display everything your potential clientele needs to know about you and your business. It’s also very easily accessible. When I have new referrals inquire about an appointment, I always direct them to my Instagram to make sure the looks they are wanting fits my creative style.
Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?
Sydni and I met each other about 4 years ago. She originally applied at the salon for an assistant position fresh out of beauty school. From the beginning, our work ethics were very similar, she was driven and a fast learner. She was the first and only assistant I’ve had. I guess you can say she set the standards pretty high. We instantly started learning from each other and decided to become a team. We opened our own mini-salon suite together in the summer of 2020 and instantly both our businesses started thriving. We are continuing to grow together, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for us!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @courtneyv_hair
Image Credits
Ericka Dixion Darian Moore