We recently connected with Lauren Funchion and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Lauren, thanks for joining us today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

As the founder of Beauty with Funchion in 2017, she has created multiple careers into her dream. As a stylist behind the chair for over 10 years & also founder of the online beauty platform Beauty With Funchion hair salon she started. In both businesses, Lauren pursues her mission of developing beauty and wellness for the whole person. Not just looking at things on the outside, but taking notice of how we feel on the inside as well. A healthy inside will show outwards  becoming a more nourished self.

My goal in my space and career is to create an authentic safe, creative space. Where you can come as you are and walk away with something great. A huge aspect to my mission is to also try to help people understand that our internal health & beauty are just as important as external health & beauty. Most times those two go hand in hand.
Our insides are so connected. I help people not only look their best but feel their best by intertwine a good product and vitamin regimen.

Lauren, 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?

ABOUT MYSLEF/ HOW I GOT STARTED

– It feels like I was born into the hair industry. I came from a family of hair dressers. My mom was a hairdresser who worked at my aunts salon growing up. I would go into the salon with her when I was little and pretend to play hair or make up stylist. I fell in love with all of it. The whole beauty industry. I would make my pre-school friends let me do their hair with scrunchies. When I got older I would style all my friends hair for homecomings & proms.
Luckily I always knew I was going to be doing hair when I grew up, so a month after high school graduation I went to hair school.

WHAT TYPES OF SERVICES/ CREATIVE WORK OFFERED
It took me 10 years of trying pretty much anything to figure out what my niche really was, which ended up being a couple of things.
I settled into services that really motivated + inspired my clients & I. My career has really flourished finding the right specialties after practicing & learning from lifes lessons.

I love providing deluxe personalized hair coloring, cutting, & styling services. As well as premier bridal & photoshoot services. For the last 5 years I’ve been traveling around the U.S. with Schwarzkopf Professional educating salons on new trends & techniques in the hair industry.
This year I was able to participate in New York Fashion week & New York bridal fashion week, which has been a dream come true. I think that tops my styling events for the time. It’s surreal really.

WHAT SETS ME APART
I want to say my Authenticity with people? … having patience & keeping space for them as well to be who they are when they’re with me. As well as my attention to detail & drive to never stop learning. The industry is constantly changing and I want to soak up all the info and experiences I can. I get excited to bring everything back to my clients & sprinkle it into my work.

WHAT MAKES ME MOST PROUD
My work, all the hardships I’ve had to grow through, & how I make people feel safe, heard, + beautiful. I’m a care taker by nature as well as an artist. So to find a career I can be both in is pretty splendid.

I love when people work with me they know they can relax, they’re in great hands. It’s always a great time!

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

Truly I think it’s just my personal mark with people, trust, detail with my clients & word of mouth. People that come into my salon and sit in my chair know what they’re getting into. A lot of my new clients or work perspectives come from my current clients & other artists I’ve already worked with. People like to know that someone they know & trust has come received a great service from me. I put my everything into my work & creating an authentic safe space where creativity can flow. Every person that sits in my chair or works with me receives the same consistent treatment & attention.

Social media is a great tool these days for discovery, absolutely. It can be overwhelming as well though. I try not to put too much thought into socials. Typically i’ll use online media or Instagram as my portfolio so clients & users can see my ideas plus get to know my work, or grab inspiration pictures from.

One of my biggest compliments is when clients say they have it all with me. They know when they’re with me they’re taken care of-getting top notch service, a special type of attention/detail & leaving happy. Which I love to do.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

– In the salon, seeing the change in people during our time together. Meeting them where they’re at that day and coming up with a plan thats going to make our insides and outsides feel better. While having that trust and respect with my clients that they can come in and just “be”. I love having my clients whether were in the salon or at a wedding or fashion show. Having that connection, listening, feeling heard, and they leave with beautiful hair and a renewal. t’s amazing.

-In my education classes, shoots, weddings or events? Getting amazing opportunities in general, to do things I’ve dreamed of & meeting amazingly talented people who fill your cup up.

I’d be lying if i didn’t say looking back from year to year and also seeing how far I’ve come from a little stylist behind the chair to doing NYFW, having my own business, and being able to travel the country educating other salons. It’s wildly rewarding to see where your path takes you after some perspective & years of hard work. Especially when they were times I never thought my career would work out or I was in the wrong industry because I wasn’t where I wanted to be.

Contact Info:

• Website: Www.Beautywithfuchion.com
• Instagram: @Beautywithfunchion

Image Credits
@mattericksonphotography @emollineauxphotography @beautywithfunchion @chelsiedawnphoto @nytimes @jennapowersphoto