We recently connected with Rochelle Sunglao and have shared our conversation below.

Rochelle, appreciate you joining us today. Looking back at internships and apprenticeships can be interesting, because there is so much variety in people’s experiences – and often those experiences inform our own leadership style. Do you have an interesting story from that stage of your career that you can share with us?

I started my hair career as a salon assistant. I learned a lot in that first year, especially in terms of how I wanted to work and give customer service. At that point, I had a schedule where I assisted a particular stylist 3 days a week. Her work flow was super challenging. There were times when we juggled up to 5 clients at a time. It was so wild! I really was pushed physically because when I was on the clock with her, I never stopped. She took minimal breaks, didn’t eat, and was the epitome of “hustle culture”. She made a good amount of money, but it was at the cost of not taking great care of herself. I realized that I wanted to service my clients in a more relaxed way. Not only would it help me better connect with clients, but allow me to give them the best version of myself while they spent time with me. I respect that she worked so hard, but she never turned down a service. It opened up the door for clients to walk over her sometimes. I knew I wanted to cultivate client relationships that were based on respect. I think realizing that really early on in my career has allowed me to not get burnt out.

Rochelle, 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 doing hair in San Diego for over 15 years. It’s a really special kind of career. My clients have become friends and chosen family. There’s a loyalty that they have given me because I truly care about them. I use our time together to not only give them a great service, but check in on life. We’ve celebrated, grieved, and laughed so hard together. As a hairstylist, I’m not special as far as technical skill. There are so many talented people in this field, and San Diego is in no short supply. I think what makes time with me special is that I like to meet people where they are. I prioritize their comfort, they receive solid haircare education, and I like a collaborative approach to achieving the hair of their dreams. I’m always thinking about 7 different changes we can make to keep their style fresh, and that thoughtfulness affirms the care I have for them. My emphasis on a healthy and happy relationship for both parties makes it easy for us to communicate. I mean having a hairstylist is like having a romantic relationship. You need to continually nurture trust and communication. When you don’t see eye to eye, that’s always where things can go sideways. Coming back to the basis of respect and hearing someone out can really foster a positive relationship. That’s what I strive to give every service.

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

Of all the pivots in life, dropping out of college at SDSU holds the most impact. Making that decision and throwing myself into hair school was the catalyst to get me to this point in my career. Being super honest with myself and taking the chance to create a life by design has given me a lot of personal and professional satisfaction.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarding part of my career is the opportunity for constant growth. Like any other craft, the daily practice is what helps you stay solid. The thing that always makes me excited about hair is that we always have things to learn. Products have changed and are allowing us to achieve really gorgeous results for all hair textures. The natural hair movement has encourage me to be more proficient with caring for all hair types. There’s always so much for me to learn, and by virtue of that I can always grow my skill set or business acumen.

Contact Info:

• Website: mayari-hair.square.site
• Instagram: mayari.hair
• Other: TikTok @mayari.hair

Image Credits
Rochelle Sunglao