We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Katie Viana. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Katie below.

Alright, Katie thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Risking taking is a huge part of most people’s story but too often society overlooks those risks and only focuses on where you are today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – it could be a big risk or a small one – but walk us through the backstory.

My name is Katie Viana and I’m a hairstylist based out of Webster, Texas. The risks I’ve taken during my career have been big. For example when I first started doing hair I immediately got put onto the service floor at Ulta Beauty and from there started doing hair. I had no prior experience besides school and had to learn a lot in a short period of time. From there I got education and experience behind the chair and gained clientele. Only less than a year later I left and took a risk and jumped into a new salon a day before Christmas and immediately took clients Christmas Eve. It was a huge risk as many people know Christmas is the busiest time of the year but it felt like it was perfect timing. Being in one salon one day and a brand new one the next was scary. I didn’t know anyone nor did I know if my clients were going to follow me as this salon was more luxury, therefore higher pricing. I can honestly say I have the best clients in the world because despite this price jump and how soon I moved locations almost everyone followed me with no hesitation.
About 10 months later I took the biggest risk opening up my own business. This wasn’t a decision I wanted to make so soon, but due to personal circumstances I had no choice if I wanted to continue working. If it wasn’t for those circumstances I wouldn’t be where I am now. I felt like it pushed me to be on my own and finally bet on myself. I wouldn’t change a single moment of it. It was a huge risk as I started from ground zero with just me and my clients. Again, I have the best clients in the world and the ones I’ve gained over the past two years continue to follow and support me throughout my journey and I couldn’t be more blessed. I have the biggest support system as friends and family have helped significantly along the way. One of my biggest supporters was my grandmother who passed away this past year as she always believed in me every step of the way. I keep items from her that were passed down to me in my suite in memory of her.
Being a business owner at 23 years old is something I could only dream of as I went to school for business prior to cosmetology. This career is a risk within itself as there is no certainty. It’s not a 9-5 that I have a guaranteed paycheck at the end. It’s 100% my own doing and that’s the scariest but most thrilling part. Growing up I had self esteem issues and a lot of anxiety. Now looking back I wouldn’t recognize the old me. I believe in myself and my business and let faith take its course. I couldn’t imagine doing anything else career wise. My career is just getting started and I cannot wait to see what 2025 has in store for me.

Katie, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Again, my name is Katie and I am a hairstylist/business owner of Hair By Katie V LLC and I am based out of Webster, Texas. I got into the hair industry in 2021. Prior to that I was in business school as I wasn’t 100% sure what I wanted to do career wise. I did two years at a community college and COVID hit and online learning wasn’t for me. I went with cosmetology due to the fact that growing up I was always told to try it based off of my love for makeup. From day one I fell in love with the industry. I went to school and complete my hours and from there passed my written and practical state board. I immediately started working on the salon floor at Ulta beauty and from there went to another salon. This past year in November is when I opened up my own business.
I provide all kinds of services as I believe diversity is a huge factor in this industry. I do everything from hair extensions(k tip, weft, tape in), to color services, to men/women/kids haircuts. I am also certified in curly hair as well. I do color corrections and those services take me anywhere from 6-8 hours. Usually within those services I’m removing box dye or unwanted tones to achieve a more seamless look for the client. What sets me apart is my ability to understand and communicate with my clients in achieving their goals and being realistic with them. I will always walk my clients through the process no matter how big or small the service so they feel at ease throughout the service. I love to connect with my clients on a personal level as I think this is one of the most important things when gaining a clients loyalty and trust. My clients are the reason my business keeps going so my relationship with them is extremely important. I try to provide the best possible experience for my clients as I offer complimentary snacks and drinks. I want my clients to leave happy and feeling like their best self. If there’s ever any issues I make it no problem to adjust anything a client is not 100% satisfied with as I cannot take those things personal. I am most proud of how far I’ve came within the last 2 years of my career. I couldn’t imagine being where I am now at 23 years old. I have learned so much from other business professionals and take every opportunity I can. I take education very seriously and seek it out whenever I can as I will never think I know everything. This career has allowed me to grow as a personal and become much more confident within myself.

I want Hair by Katie V to be globally recognized one day. This brand and my business means the absolute world to me. I want to see myself thrive and be successful in this industry and hopefully one day fall into servicing people all over and teaching education to the future generation of hairstylist. Being only 2 years into the industry I have a long way to go but I don’t doubt I’ll get there one day and hopefully get to become a brand ambassador for hair companies.

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

The most effective way I found of growing my clientele was starting off at a place like Ulta where there’s a ton of opportunities for walk in appointments and online booking. Most of the clients I have now I have retained from there. Consistency and honesty is key to maintaining a relationship with my clients. I get a lot of referrals and gain new clients, as they can be family members/friends of current clients. Also having a social media presence is a key factor when wanting to grow a clientele. I post all my work because you never know what could catch a potential clients attention. Whether my photos get 5 or 100 likes I still post to maintain a presence for any potential future client. Instagram is my biggest source for gaining clients as they can see my previous work, find promos, see reviews, and keep up to date with my availability. They can also direct message me for any questions they may have before booking.

How do you keep in touch with clients and foster brand loyalty?

I use a website called gloss genius that makes it a breeze for clients (current and new) to book their next appointment. From there I can also send out appointment reminders, marketing text and emails, and keep up to date with my business. Gloss genius is an app I use to create my website and upload my services and pricing. During holidays or upcoming promos I use a tool they offer that will send out a big marketing text/email to every client so whether they have social media or not they can stay up to date. During holidays or big events I will use this marketing tool to thank my clients for their loyalty and remind them that they are important to me and the business. They are not just a number to me. I want to make each experience I have with a client personable.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://hairbykatiev.glossgenius.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hair_bykatiev?igsh=MTZxMnJ0bm1qcnIy&utm_source=qr
• Other: Tik tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hair_bykatiev?_t=ZP-8t6F3vU2d2M&_r=1

Image Credits

Photo studio McLeod
Katie V