Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to LaRissa Chapa. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
LaRissa, appreciate you joining us today. Do you take vacations? Why or why not?
Absolutely, travel is vital, especially when you’re in a service based industry. The recharge is needed when much of your work is energy spent physically touching other humans. It makes you better at your craft when you have down time, I love work travel as well. Change of scenery, education and time with friends/co workers is revitalizing and that energy is carried back into the salon. Many of my past co workers are life long friends with their own salons now, so its like 2 birds 1 stone when we meet up for education.
LaRissa, 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?
I never wanted to own a salon. I very much enjoyed being a commission stylist at a salon with the educational perks and benefits that went with it but after living in DC for a decade i was ready for a complete change. Sold my house, walked away from a full clientle and moved to Colorado with the intentions of working for a friend at her salon. Housing was tough then with weed being legalized and owning a bully breed dog, but we had housing in the Mtns with the option to long term rent so we shifted gears and focused on building a life there. Having no background in snow sports we really didn’t comprehend where we were living, for me just being in the trees and away from the city was all i needed. Not finding any salons that i felt a connection too or saw myself growing at, I spotted a For Lease sign and called about it. With the encouragement of my family/friends and having the cushion from selling my DC home I decided to go on my own and open Ilikeprettyhair. I was terrified, not knowing anyone and opening a business thats based on clientle didnt make sense on paper but i had a peace inside knowing my own work ethic and skills set within my craft that i could rebuild. So many people told me that Summit county isnt a full time area and most go to Dnvr to get their hair done, thats why there isnt a “go to” salon up there. For me it sounded like a an opportunity to create that and with a small town, whether good or bad, news travels fast and thankfully i had a thriving book within a few months. From the beginning it was important for me to be able to fully afford the space on my own, taking as much knowledge from my past salon experiences, I wanted to create an environment that i loved working in and had space to organically grow. Meaning i didnt want to rely on someone else to be there to make my business happen, if the vibe was off i could make the necessary decisions for the betterment of the shop without hesitation or financial fears. Today i have 3 other stylists with me, we’re a hybrid space, 2 rent chairs and the other we hired on while she was in school, shes finishing up training and will be a commission stylist. Having the right environment and people around you is vital for growth. Community over competition paired with empowering conversations creates and spreads positive energy in all aspects of life. Hearing people tell me they feel the shop is a safe space and they feel empowered when they leave is truly the best part. Pretty hair is the icing on the cake. Opening a business is scary and daunting, opening a service based one where you literally know no one is insanity but if i can do it, i hope it encourages others to take a leap! I didnt want to open a salon, without fully knowing i always respected what it took to run a successful salon and at the time i just wanted to do my work and go home. Now I nerd out on systems and ways to streamline my business, encourage and empowering others all while still loving and growing my craft.
Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?
At the end of the day, doing good work. Word of mouth is always the best referral but then i’d say social media for sure. If your building, showcase only the work your want to be doing and use your captions to speak to your ideal client. Cross marketing within your community is also a beautiful way to grow organically while supporting other local small businesses.
Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?
Leading by example and tending to the energy of the team like a garden. When do things need to be cut back to grow? When does there need to be a support stick added? When does it need to be be given extra nutrients? Taking a step back and looking at what is going to be the best for the whole as well as acknowledging individual roles is a delicate dance.
Contact Info:
- Website: Www.Ilikeprettyhair.com
- Instagram: @ilikeprettyhair
- Facebook: Ilikeprettyhair
- Other: Tik tok: @ilikeprettyhair