We were lucky to catch up with Denise Larell recently and have shared our conversation below.
Denise, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What was it like going from idea to execution? Can you share some of the backstory and some of the major steps or milestones?
Since I could remember I’ve always loved hair. I remember getting mannequins for Christmas and being stuck to the doll’s head like glue. It didn’t matter where I was when I had my mannequin’s head, my only focus was that. I still remember so vividly how I would talk in third person to her and sit her in the corner when I’m done her hair, then go back to get her out of the corner a week later to do her hair and talk to her again lol. I started doing hair when I was around 9-10years old. Growing up in poverty with a single mom of 4, we didn’t have the means to get my hair done. Although we were less fortunate, I didn’t want to look like it. I took matters into my hands and started to do my own hair. It went from myself, family, friends, until one day I posted a picture of my work on social media and it soared from there, literally. At the time, I was 16 years old doing hair in my mom’s dining room. I’ll never forget the time where I made my first $1,000 at 16 years old during back to school season. During this durational period, I was financially taking care of myself. That specific year is where I purchased everything that I needed for school. Returned to school after summer and worked after. I’m sure by now you can resonate with the transition in my life. Something that was fun and my natural born talent quickly turned into a survival skill. This is where I started my journey. Fast forward to age 23, I was renting a salon suite. I’ve reached the peak of burn out and frustration. I wanted more! I needed a business plan, structure, and overall gain more knowledge and help. I knew that guidance and mentorship was needed so I proceeded to find a business coach. This 8 week course changed my entire perspective on business. I learned that I wasn’t running a business, I was just doing hair. By the time the course was over, I’ve completely revamped my brand. My name before my brand name now was “Cosmo Moca”. A name that I made up in high school, cosmo standing for hair and Moca standing for my skin complexion lol. That no longer suited me. I wanted to have a luxury brand that people could trust, I wanted to stop “doing hair” and start offering professional hair experiences. I transitioned into just that. I changed my name to Denise Larell(which is my biological name) and centered everything in my brand around my mission that I had for my business. Things went well, then during Covid-19 I moved into my first salon home(Denise Larell Hair Studio). Where I’ve transitioned within my brand/industry again as a Luxury Extension Specialist. Being a salon owner has helped me grow tremendously, aside from business it has truly shaped myself in the area of personal development. I’m wholeheartedly dedicated to my commitment to growth and I say that because I feel that personal development is the vital key to having/running a business.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
My name is Denise Larell and I’m a 27 year old salon owner/hair stylist. I’m a luxury extension specialist and an educator. The problems that I solve for my clients are them literally having no worries while they are in my presence. I mean that In the way of my polished work, my vibe/aura, the ambiance in my work space, offering them mental relaxation, etc. What sets me aside from others would be: My integrity, drive/ambition, my specializations(texture matching for luxury extensions, my techniques) being relatable, transparent, catering to the client’s needs, professional, etc.
I’m most proud of myself. Cliché but in all honestly it takes a lot to be me. A woman wearing many hats but rarely complains is so underrated. It’s hard to stay consistent, run a business, bring ideas to fruition, and manage other aspects of your life. So I don’t like to pinpoint too much in specific, I’m just proud of me overall. Proud that I believe in me and I don’t give up. Proud that I’m living my dreams. Proud that I’m authentically doing/living for me
Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?
What helped me build my reputation within my market was consistency, precision, and integrity.
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
A lesson that I had to unlearn was that you can’t do everything on your own, you need a team. You need help from trusted individuals and it’s okay.
For so long I would overwork myself, have little to no boundaries with my work life, and work in a circle. Now I work smarter and not harder. I reach out for help as needed and I’ve implemented systems and boundaries for my business
Contact Info:
- Website: www.deniselarellhairstudio.com
- Instagram: DeniseLarell
- Other: TikTok: DeniseLarell7