Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Leeat Yopp. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Leeat, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

I have been a Licensed Cosmetologist for over 23yrs. I was the President of Metro Cosmetology Association, a non profit organization on Long Island NY; that taught continuing education to local Stylist and students. I opened my first salon when I was 21, and thought I was on top of the world. I shortly after got married, and started a family. While pregnant my father was diagnosed with cancer. When your pregnant you start to think about a lot of things in life you never did before, paired with understanding cancer, and being a spiritual person this is when things started to shift in my life. I started to learn more about ingredients. Specifically I realized a lot more people who had passed in my life, around me and in the industry had a common thread of cancer. Something that stuck out to me, my father was from Europe, and of all the friends and family over seas I had only heard of 1 person die of cancer in our circle. I know there are many factors, be it food, lifestyle, but the closest thing to me was the beauty industry. I started to look into the regulations on the beauty industry here in USA compared to over seas. I saw the regulations were way different when it came to ingredients, especially harmful chemicals that were cheap and were not good for our bodies. At this time, My child was 3, I was pregnant with my second, my dad had passed. I was burnt out and needed to recover and take somethings off my plate so my partner and I decided to close the salon and go work for someone else. This gave me more time with my family, and less over all work. This is when I found one of the first companies I becomes a affiliate with selling Clean Hair care products. Over the next few years, I decided I wanted to work for myself again, but this time by myself so I could choose products that were better for my clients and my self to be breathing on a regular. I winded up opening a suite, and found a color company from Italy, which stood up to the over 3000 ingredient ban list of Europe. In my own space I could also choose to only to use and sell clean ingredient products. I now offer a Clean Haircare line as well as Clean Kbeauty Skincare line in my suite along side my Europe imported color line. My clients have seen the difference, and I know it over all is better for both our health. Still to this day, I have seen so my peers sur come to cancer as it is so prevalent with all the products, chemical and just stuff in the air in a salon we breath in on a daily basis. I know for me this was a risk to go out on my own, to be able to stick to something that is very important to me. I love knowing I can can help a client feel and look their best with out compromising our health along the way.

Leeat, 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?

When I was in High School I wanted to attend Cosmetology School, but also had thoughts of going to college. I was guided to stay in High school and go to College as I did. As my freshmen year came to a end, I was doing great but not loving college. I had a weekend job at a salon and looked forward to working every weekend. When sat with my college advisor, I expressed my feelings about my school year, and then she asked me, “what do you do with your free time, what’s something you love?” I can still picture it today, I think I sat up straighter and just lit up talking about my job. How I loved being around people, how it didn’t feel like work, and her reply was “I think you know what you want to do but I cant tell you, you need to figure this one out.” Thats when I realized I loved working in the salon and maybe that dream of going to cosmetology school wasn’t gone. I always remember my parents telling me to “figure out what you love, If you love it you won’t work a day in your life.” That when I dropped out of College and enrolled for Cosmetology school. Once I had my license is when the real work started, as it take years of marketing yourself, and learning to grow a following. When your starting you have plenty of time, so I made sure to really learn about my clients, give them attention and a safe space to come and relax in my chair. One of the most rewarding parts of my job is being here for all the good, bad and ugly. Letting them have a space to share about there upcoming party, they diagnosis, there new job, there new partner, and so many things. I also love being able to ask questions learn so much about many topic and connect many people to each other, when they are in need. I am lucky to be able to be part of life’s big moments like prom, graduation, to weddings days, and then travel the same roads along side their kids now. But one of my biggest passions is sharing knowledge about our health, life styles, and all I’ve taken in and learned over my life time with my clients. Be it recommending hair and skin care products to sharing recipes, where to shop or grab a great meal. I love knowing that in good times and bad I can always be a safe space for them, to help in a healing way, and aid in them leaving in a better and more beautiful then when they arrived.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

I opened my Salon Suite in 2014. My children where young and I wanted to be around more for them as we only get a go at it once. So when I went on my own I didn’t have many boundaries. I didn’t stick to set hours or days per say and I realized I was always juggling to many things at once. I hired a business coach who had been a hairstylist prior and I knew she would understand me and the business. The first thing she told me to do was to create a set schedule, days, hours, and learn to say no. First action started with a online booking site. Take away my ability to feel bad and say yes always to my clients. This was not easy, but one of the best things I ever did. I saved hours by not have to text back and forth with clients all hours of the day and night. I also was teaching my clients the have full control over their booking when is convenient for them. The next best thing for myself, my family and my business was the hit of covid. I was forced to shut down. I was very happy I was already an affiliate and selling my haircare products (were available online) but I also needed the time to be able to help my children attend school online, my youngest being in Kindergarten not know how to use a computer. This really allowed me to be present, I was generating a income online with hair care sales, and when it was time for me to slowly reopen it was the push to implement my booking site 100%. When I reopened the salon I did it slow. Started with half a day, then full day, and also only seeing one client at a time, in my space. This helped me consolidate my salon hours and days, that work best for myself, my family and my clients. I am able to pre plan vacations, family events all on my schedule online which help my clients in prebooking their appointments and helps me be the best person I can be in each role I am.

How did you build your audience on social media?

One thing I have always shared with up and coming stylist, that I have mentored through the years is consistency. When it came to building a clientele behind the chair as well as on social media, a story I often reference to was one I saw happening to often in this industry. Often new stylist trying to build a clientele will have plenty of time available to work. They will work 5 days a week trying to get clients in there chair. After some time they will build a clientele, and start to see some money in there pocket. They will then start to want to take off days, hear and there, go on vacations, family events all which I agree are very valid. Often they will realize they now are busy at work and don’t have time to do all the things they want to. Or now are making more money that they can do things they couldn’t before, so they will drop their days down to three a week. Then when you work less days you may notice a drop in income and or clients, some may have left because you don’t offer the day that worked for them anymore. At this point many may decide now working less days and making less money they would rather add a day back in. Here is where the viscous cycle begins. When we want something we show up and put in extra effort and when we achieve it, we can often slack. When starting out I always recommend picking days that will work for you. Start out with a a day and be consistent. You will build that one day, people will learn that is when you will be there, or available. You will build on that day, with people who are also around and available on that day. Then when that becomes booked or easy, that’s when you increase to two days, and so on till you are where it works for you, not over committing, and being able to stay consistent. I have applied the same ideals to my social media. Figuring what I am able to provide, like free hair education, product knowledge and showing up consistently with it. Life can change and its ok to pivot but know it may come with change, and you may need to rebuild. Decide what it is you want to share, what you have to offer your audience and then show up as you consistently. Consistency creates boundaries and a clear expectation on both sides. I have found this to be successful in growing my social media account, my Haircare/ Skincare sales, as well as building my Salon clientele.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.Leeatsbeauty.com
• Instagram: @leeatsbeauty
• Facebook: Leeat Yopp
• Other: TikTok @Leeatsbeauty