We recently connected with Desirae Maldonado and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Desirae, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

In seventh grade, my family’s rich tradition in hairstyling inspired my desire to become a hairstylist. Growing up surrounded by aunts, uncles, and cousins who were passionate about various creative fields like makeup, nails, sewing, and jewelry, I naturally gravitated towards artistic expression. My early experiences involved styling my little cousins’ hair and doing hair and makeup for prom during high school. Throughout this journey, I always envisioned having my own salon and boutique, a space where I could bring my artistic designs to life. Last year, I fulfilled that dream by opening my salon in historic downtown Richmond, creating an environment that fosters creativity. This journey reflects a lifelong aspiration that has now become a reality.

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 a hairstylist and entrepreneur with 17 years of hairstyling experience and 11 years as a business owner. My journey began in seventh grade, inspired by a family of hairstylists, makeup artists, and designers. Last year, I fulfilled my childhood dream by opening my salon in historic downtown Richmond.

My salon offers high-quality haircuts and customized color services, emphasizing a holistic approach to client care. I value the strong connection with my clients, and my journey includes becoming a licensed trichologist to address scalp issues comprehensively. My number one goal is to get to the root cause and help clients, driven by personal experience. After facing my own health challenges and healing, especially when my hair was falling out, I became passionate about a holistic approach to hairstyling and overall well-being.

We use all organic hair products, sourced from Italy and packaged in eco-friendly glass bottles. Recently, I expanded my ventures to include an organic soap company, grounded soap co with my friend furthering my commitment to product quality and holistic care. Despite the challenges over the past 11 years, each experience has been a valuable lesson, contributing to the success of my salon and my dedication to providing a unique and inspiring creative space.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

My journey as a creative is rooted in the belief that creativity is inherent in everyone, transcending the boundaries of being a “non-creative.” I view each individual as a creator, reflecting the inherent creativity bestowed upon us as a birthright, a divine reflection of God’s creativity. The challenge for some may lie in understanding the deep emotional and cultural threads woven into my creative journey, from growing up in a family of artists to overcoming personal health challenges. These aspects highlight the interconnectedness of personal experiences and the creative process, reinforcing the idea that creativity is a universal and intrinsic part of the human experience.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

A crucial lesson I had to unlearn emerged during the opening of my salon. Despite my intuition and gut feeling, I hired a plumber I suspected wouldn’t perform well. Despite realizing a check error, I rewrote it, and the plumber never returned, leading to paying double. This costly mistake became a pivotal lesson in trusting my instincts.

This experience wasn’t just about financial consequences. The stress of opening my salon, coupled with hiring and firing challenges, took a toll on my health during the first year. It forced me to confront the complexities of managing a team, transitioning from a solo salon suite to being a salon owner. Although I faced hardships, including sickness and tough personnel decisions, these lessons were necessary steps toward finding my dream team and becoming an effective boss. This transformative journey, though challenging, enriched my understanding of leadership and resilience in the salon industry.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://desiraehair.com/
• Instagram: desiraehair
• Facebook: desirae hair
• Other: Link tree https://linktr.ee/desiraehair

Image Credits
Priscilla bosma photography