We recently connected with Lynn Garza and have shared our conversation below.
Lynn, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today How did you get your first job in the field that you practice in today?
My first job after cosmetology schools was in an Aveda salon. It was a small salon with only 8 stylists. Aveda, if you’re not familiar with the brand, is a very niche Ayurvedic product line. I had to to retrain myself from basically everything I learned in school during my apprenticeship. I worked for an amazing woman who was trying to elevate the salon industry to be respected in the business community and profitable. She believed in us and had a larger vision. I was 22 years old and had no idea at the time how much the core practices both technically and business wise would follow me throughout my career. I’m forever grateful for the opportunity to have worked with her. Her name is Myra English and to this day still owns a reputable Aveda Salon in Defiance Ohio.
Lynn, 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’ve been working in the beauty industry in some capacity for 21 years this year! I always had dreams of being a make up artist, but in 2003 in small town USA that just didn’t seem feasible so I decided to get my cosmetology license and began doing hair. Fast forward 10 years and through the birth of social media I have found that the trajectory of my career completely changed. Not only do I do hair behind the chair, providing services such as cut, color, balayage, gray blending and special occasion styling. In 2009 I trained with a company called Temptu and started doing airbrush make up for weddings. In the beginning it was slow and there wasn’t a lot of work available. However through the birth of social media I think it completely changed the Bridal Beauty industry. Bridal is a large part of my business today here in metro Detroit. Two years ago, I relocated after remarrying to the Detroit area, and I found myself really enjoying working in the Bridal industry, providing make up and special occasion styling and I love it! I love being a part of someones special day. I still enjoy being behind the chair as well. Throughout the week I work in a salon on Woodward Avenue called Fern And Dales salón in Ferndale.
Putting training and knowledge aside, what else do you think really matters in terms of succeeding in your field?
I think it’s so important to be able to connect with the person in your chair. Learning how to develop really good social and communication skills is crucial. The consultation process should be in-depth and you should really be able to feel comfortable asking a lot of questions and really listening to the client.
Have you ever had to pivot?
I have actually just gone through a major pivot in the last two years. I remarried and moved two hours away. I left my business in Ohio to start all over in a new market. It’s been very challenging, but I’ve also learned a lot about myself along the way. The journey of starting over in a new market means that you have to prove yourself all over again. Which can be frustrating, but I have met a lot of amazing people and I have found that it’s not as difficult as I had built it up in my mind to be. It’s also giving me a chance to re-create myself and reevaluate what I want this next part of my career to look like. I’ve had a lot of fun trying different things that I hadn’t done before and honing in on specific areas like Bridal work and specializing.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.lynngarzabeauty.com/
- Instagram: Lynngarza_beauty
- Facebook: Lynn Garza Beauty
- Other: https://www.fernanddales.com/