We were lucky to catch up with Natalia Lapchenkova recently and have shared our conversation below.

Natalia, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today So, let’s imagine that you were advising someone who wanted to start something similar to you and they asked you what you would do differently in the startup-process knowing what you know now. How would you respond?

If I Had to Start Over as a Hairstylist Today
When I first became a hairstylist, I was determined to succeed—no matter what. I started my career in 2006 at PR at Partners, cutting, coloring, and styling hair. From the very beginning, I felt something special when I was styling. Whether I was on stage, doing photo shoots, or creating wedding hair, that part of my craft made me feel alive, confident, and inspired.
Looking back, I now see how naturally that niche—styling—stood out for me. It grew on its own, just by the power of what I loved and what I was good at. But at the time, I was afraid. I didn’t believe I could build a successful career by doing only what I loved. That fear held me back for 10 years.
I was doing everything “right,” but nothing felt quite good enough. Now, with years of experience behind me, here’s what I would do differently if I had to start all over again—knowing everything I know now.
1. Own Your Strength and Build Around It
The first thing I would do is take a close look at my true strength and build my business around it. Decide what direction you want to grow in, hone your skills, and then go for it. Focus your energy, training, and time into becoming the best in that space. When you pour your heart into your strongest skill, success comes faster—and with more joy.
For me, that strength has always been hairstyling—especially styling for weddings, shoots, and events. I’m a creative stylist, and you can clearly see that in my portfolio. It took me time to truly recognize that this gift was more than just a skill—it was the core of my business. Once I leaned into it, everything started to shift. Confidence followed clarity. If you already know where you shine, don’t wait—build around it, and let it lead you.

2. Be Loud About What You Do
Here’s a hard truth: the best business isn’t always the one with the most talent. It’s the one that talks the loudest. For a long time, I thought my work would speak for itself. I believed my talent and attention to detail were enough to bring clients in through word-of-mouth. But we live in a world ruled by social media, and in business, visibility is everything.
If I had to start over, I would show up louder and more consistently on social media. I would share my journey, my process, and my passion—even if it felt uncomfortable at first. Too many talented people hide behind perfectionism or fear, and that keeps their businesses small. The more people know you exist, the more they’ll want to work with you. Don’t be quiet. Tell the world what you do.
3. Master Communication
Skill will get you in the door, but how you make people feel will keep them coming back. In hairstyling—and in most businesses—your communication is your most powerful tool. One of the biggest mistakes I see is lack of effective, two-way communication with your client.
I invested a lot of time, money, and energy into learning how to communicate better. I took classes, practiced daily, and made it my mission to deliver joy and satisfaction to every client. I recommend you invest just as much (or even more) in your communication skills as you do in your technical training. It’s not just about what you do—it’s about making sure the connection clicks into place.
4. Work On Your Business, Not Just In It
It’s easy to get busy doing the work and forget to build the actual business. But if you don’t spend time shaping and growing your business, you’ll stay stuck in the same cycle—tired, overwhelmed, and burned out.
Make time to plan, set goals, build systems, and reflect on what’s working. Without this, we become joyless in our craft, and that leads to frustration and disappointment. The difference between being self-employed and being a business owner is huge. Choose which one you want to be, and build your actions around that choice.

If I could go back and do it all again, I would trust myself more. I would believe that doing what I love could lead to something amazing. And I would be louder, more focused, and more intentional every step of the way.
The good news? You don’t need to start over to apply these lessons. You can choose to shift today. You can build something powerful, joyful, and fully you—starting now.

Natalia, 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?

Hi, I’m Natalia, the founder of Beauty By NataliaL. I’m a professional hairstylist with almost two decades of experience, specializing in hairstyling for weddings, editorial shoots, and special events. I’ve poured my passion and creativity into every client —and my mission is simple: to make people feel confident and beautiful.
My journey into the beauty industry started from a deep love for transformation—not just the external kind, but the emotional shift that happens when someone sits in your chair and sees themselves differently. I fell in love with the energy exchange that happens when you use your craft to uplift someone’s spirit.
At Beauty By NataliaL, I offer more than just hairstyling. I create an experience—whether it’s a bride walking down the isle, a business woman preparing for a photoshoot that represents her brand, or a group of best friends enjoying a gala event. My services are personalized and full of warmth.
What sets me apart is that I don’t follow trends—I follow energy. I study the energy of my client, their features, and the mood of the moment. I don’t just “do hair”–. I bring a calm, grounded energy into every space I work in, and my goal is always to make the beauty process feel luxurious and empowering.
One of the things I’m most proud of is the trust I’ve built with my clients. Many of them trust me to deliver beautiful looks during the most important times of their lives. I honor that trust by showing up not just as a stylist, but as a supporter. I’m also proud of how far I’ve come as a businesswoman—I’ve built this brand with my own two hands.
If you’re new here, I want you to know that Beauty By NataliaL is about more than hair. It’s about connection, energy, and showing up as your most radiant self—no matter what the day holds. No matter what event awaits you, I’m here to help you shine from the inside out.

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

After working at a professional salon for 11 years, I started to feel like I wasn’t tapping my full potential. My work product was still strong—but inside, I had this heavy feeling. I needed to make a change.
Many of my clients had mentioned to me that I inspired them and their kind words gave me the little push I needed. In 2016, I made the big leap—I left my job at the salon, became a certified life coach, and trained as a yoga instructor. That decision changed how I saw everything and everyone around me. I was still working as a hair dresser, but coaching became my full-time work. I led monthly yoga retreats and my life felt full. I thought I had finally found my path.
But then, in the summer of 2024, I completely burned out. I was overwhelmed, tired all the time, anxious, and even depressed. I wanted to quit everything. I felt lost.
In September of that year, I knew I had to pivot, but at the same time, I realized I wanted to do something that felt comfortable – hairstyling– but from a different direction. I decided to go ‘all in’ and become a wedding hairstylist.
That choice changed everything.
In just a year and a half, I’ve built a business doing what I love most. I’m now building a team, and my dream is to grow into a full wedding beauty agency. Funny enough, I thought hairstyling was part of my past—but it became my happy place, my inspiration and my future.
Sometimes, life leads us away from something so we can come back to it with fresh eyes and a stronger heart.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

For me, the most rewarding part is the ability to change how someone feels—right in that moment. As hairstylists, we have the power to shift someone’s mood, boost their confidence, and help them feel unstoppable, all at once.
In the end, it’s about connection. We often know so much about our clients’ lives, and they trust us with their stories. We get to make them feel seen, heard, and truly cared for.
I will never stop feeling that there’s something so special about being part of the most important days in their lives—weddings, celebrations, new chapters. We become part of their memories forever. That’s the real gift of this work, and I feel lucky to do it every day.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Natalial.com
• Instagram: @beautybynatalial

Image Credits

https://www.adrianaephotography.com/linkinbio?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAadj7ATy1WcEnzF7HgTL8BRo20kiLOr8zUeYPFAzL5_mUmNtGvdqydEyvTsXdw_aem_xNsnf2nlAkyFK7PHjEZthQ

Nelli Gordox
https://www.instagram.com/nelligordox/