We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Marissa Rodriguez a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Marissa thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Being a business owner can be really hard sometimes. It’s rewarding, but most business owners we’ve spoken sometimes think about what it would have been like to have had a regular job instead. Have you ever wondered that yourself? Maybe you can talk to us about a time when you felt this way?
I absolutely love being a small business owner. But a studio salon is really the only kind of salon I ever want to own. I manage myself and my client base really well. I don’t think I have it in me to be in charge of hiring, firing, and managing other people in general.
I was at a birthday party recently and one of my friends was talking about how boring his job is. And I told him how often I think about how I’m so glad this hair thing hair thing worked out. I simply can’t imagine having to work a schedule appointed by someone else again. I can’t imagine having to follow a dress code. Truly, if I can’t show up to work with four nose rings, pink hair, and wearing my Docs, it ain’t for me. Self expression is very important to me. I think that’s part of the reason I enjoy doing hair so much. I get to be a part of helping people express themselves. Sometimes it’s a simple haircut. Sometimes it’s a rainbow. I enjoy every aspect of it.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I graduated cosmetology school and became licensed in 2011. I worked in the same salon from January 2012 to July 2022. After 10 1/2 years, I was finally ready to go out on my own. I had a lot of opinions of how I would run a business if I had one, what kind of boundaries I would set, and what policies I would put into place.
What I didn’t expect from opening my salon studio is where I’m at right now. I pride myself in having a salon that is a safe space for all walks of life. I don’t ever want anyone to feel uncomfortable because of their ethnicity, gender identity, spiritual beliefs, or anything. I am welcoming to everyone as long as you are kind and respectful. My clients who are on the spectrum get a much more intimate, comfortable experience than I was able to provide for them in a traditional salon setting, and I love that so much. Providing a comfortable and enjoyable experience for people who have any sort of neurodivergence is very important to me.
I have also reached the most artistic phase of my career, and I am just so in love with the work I do right now. I always say I decided to go to cosmetology because it was a more affordable option than art school and I’m such an artistic person. I feel like I have finally started to become the artist I was always meant to be. I get to do so many fun, creative colors- and I have some clients who sit down and say “do whatever you want!” I love that. I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of that. I don’t think I will ever get tired of having the power to give people a confidence boost. Creative color has definitely become a big passion of mine and it’s something I really look forward to growing more in. I still remember the first rainbow I ever did about 2 1/2 years ago. I remember being so excited but so exhausted. I am glad that I’m in full control of my schedule now so that I can just be excited about my art and not physically and mentally drained at the end of it.
I really prioritize providing my clients with the best possible experience, so I feel like giving them the best version of myself is really important. I don’t often feel like I’m at work. My clients and I are hanging out and laughing the whole time. Sometimes we cry together too, and I want them to know that that’s okay. My studio is a safe place for all of the emotions. Just know that I’m a big empath so I feel everything that you’re feeling. If you need to cry, let it out. I’ll be crying with you.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
Something I had to unlearn was the idea that you have to work 10-12 hour days to be successful. I am much more successful now that I work the least hours I ever have and take multiple vacations a year. A work life balance is something I’ve spent a long time learning and something that is a really big priority to me. I absolutely love what I do, but I don’t want it to be all that I do. I am a hairstylist. I am a color specialist. I am an artist. But that is not all that I am. I definitely try my best to leave my work at work. I’ve gotten a lot better at self care and making myself a priority, as well as my life in general outside of work.
Where do you think you get most of your clients from?
I get the most new clients from referrals. Friends, family, coworkers, etc. I have the best clients. I know that is a biased statement, but I really do! They send me a lot of referrals and I’m always thankful for each and every one. I also get a decent amount of new clients from Instagram. That is definitely the social media platform that I find to be most effective in reaching new clients.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://salon510.square.site/
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/marissadidmyhair
- Facebook: Salon 510