We recently connected with Shannon Wiles Jessica Bowland and have shared our conversation below.
Shannon Wiles, appreciate you joining us today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.
In the midst of the pandemic, when uncertainty loomed and many salons and others businesses were struggling to survive, Shannon and I (Jessica) took a leap of faith and opened up Moxie Huntington Beach. Fueled by our passion for hair and a vision for a welcoming community, we transformed an old dilapidated supercuts into our dream salon. It was a super spontaneous decision (when Jessica was giving Shannon a haircut) that blossomed into a vibrant space for creativity and connection. From the very beginning, our mission was to create an inclusive space where hairstylists could thrive and feel supported. Once the lease was signed and we got to work. The whole place was gutted within a week ,it was so fun to see the space so blank and really envision our plan. Then a few weeks later we lost our contractor to a framing company. Thankfully Shannons parents knew some guys and they took over and kept things moving along! Just as we were on the brink of opening we faced and unexpected set back that left us feeling so defeated. The salon was broken into and all of our carefully curated retail product were stolen before we could even get them on the shelves. In the aftermath we worked closely with detectives to gather info but unfortunately it was a total loss. The irony of that situation was the day after the break in was the day I was meeting someone to install an alarm system, but its ok , because the thief came back the next night and was quickly startled away by the alarm and police response. While it was majorly violating and gave us a super uneasy feeling it also strengthened our resolve to create a safe, vibrant space that would not only withstand adversity but also thrive in the face of it.
Shannon Wiles, 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?
Jessica and Shannon have known each other since they were teens, in fact Shannon was the reason Jessica got her first assistant job at the salon she was a receptionist for. I (Jessica) was scraping my way through high school just to graduate and my mom was the one who suggested hair school to me so I signed up and never looked back! I absolutely loved it an it was probably the first time in my life where I felt like ‘this is what I should be doing.’ Shannon knew from a young age that she wanted to be a hairdresser and immersed herself in the industry as soon as she could. After graduating hair school Jessica and Shannon began their careers at the same salon and hustled to build clientele, even if they came in from the bar next door. Shannon and I are deeply committed to our craft, dedicating countless hours to perfecting our skills and staying current with trends and techniques. this discipline goes beyond just hairstyling; its about understanding how our work can empower people and enhance their confidence. Every client who sits in our chair is more than that; they’re an individual with a unique story and needs. We provide an array of services , haircuts, color services, blonding services, extensions, and texture services, all customized to each persons specific hair goals. Whether its a transformative haircut or a subtle color change, we aim to help people see the beauty in themselves that we see. We are so fortunate to have a talented team that collaborates , shares dead, and supports one another, resulting in an atmosphere of inspiration, growth, witty banter, and a lot of laughs!
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
We believe that hair is not just a reflection of style but a form of self expression that can profoundly affect your self esteem. We aim to build lasting relationships with our guests and make a positive difference for our community. Moxie Huntington Beach and our stylists have partnered with The Huntington Beach Youth Shelter and Colonized to Beet Cancer to provide hair and makeup services in support of local charity fundraising and back to school events.
Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?
In 2024 the resource market is GIANT! When we were getting started the industry, for us to take any extended classes we ether paid hundreds to thousands of dollars for classes or we just trusted with the stylist next to us did. Jessica was huge into Toni and Guy and Vidal Sassoon so she bought haircutting books to learn their ways, but those cost a small fortune too! In these times with instagram and many stylists having their own independent education, it is so easy to gain knowledge on a new technique or haircut. Our industry is so tightly knit and well connected and to have had that as a new stylist would have been incredible!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://moxie-hb.squarespace.com/culture
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moxie.huntingtonbeach/profilecard/?igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
- Yelp: https://yelp.to/IWEfsHNAfi
Image Credits
Marianna Jamadi