We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Vanessa Andrade a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Vanessa thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Are you able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen?

I didn’t always feel confident in choosing hair styling as a profession. My father always imagined me in an office in a career where he thought I’d make good money and didn’t think hair would be a good fit. I did not want to disappoint him but I chose a salon life. The main struggle with confidence was not so much about not having a corporate job, it was that I knew I did not want to become a salon/business owner so I spent the first few years doubting myself and my capability of being successful. But it was only until I truly learned to love my work that I started seeing the big picture, which is: You don’t have to be a salon owner to make more money, and if you love what you do and train and learn new things all the time, the right clients and the money follows.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I grew up in a hair salon. My mother owned two back in Ecuador where I was born. When I grew up my mom suggested that I should do hair since she knows my personality and my creativity and I decided to give it a try, discovering that I had a talent for it.
But when I truly started loving my work was when I did different kinds of trainings and not necessarily related to hair. I took management courses, personal development and relationship skills classes that allowed me to build rapport with clients. I took sales trainings and I worked in different salon environments that built my experience. And lastly, I have learned so much about personal finance and taxes so I can grow my income and retirement without feeling like I must own a business to have a financially independent future.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

When I was new at hairstyling, meaning when I graduated cosmetology school I applied for work at a very prestigious salon thinking that I wanted my career to start high. Not realizing that I needed experience and network. One day, a really wise hairstylist who was older than me, and had lots of experience, adviced me to leave and look for a salon where there is high volume and lower prices so I can truly learn and build up speed; he said that would be my real school and I would know when I’m confident and ready to work in any salon of my desire. I did not want to work in a lower end salon, but I did, and it was the best lesson of my entire career. Later on that wise hairstylist became my boss at his own salon and I we worked together for 11 years until him and his wife, who also became a great teacher for me, retired. They became family and I will forever be thankful for their support throughout the years. They made me the hairstylist I am today.

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

During the pandemic, I started going to my clients’ homes. I had to travel with my supplies in a suitcase, I was my own receptionist booking and keeping with appointments, I did bookkeeping and accounting, and I learned to be self employed. For the first time, I added an important layer to my business and my entire financial situation changed for the best. By the time salons re-opened I became a booth renter and even though I kept myself in the same industry, I became a different business model.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://VanessaDcHair.com
• Instagram: Vanessa.DC.Hair
• Facebook: Vanessa.DC.Hair
• Yelp: Vanessa.DC.Hair
• Other: TikTok: Vanessa.DC.Hair

Image Credits

Daniel Stiles (instagram: Stilestyle)