Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Victoria Fernandez. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alright, Victoria 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?
When I started working at the salon, it was a whole new world for me. Transitioning from weekend weddings, production sets, and a medical spa, despite my four years in the beauty industry and cosmetology school, meant starting from the bottom. A few months before graduating, I took an assistant stylist position at a prominent Miami salon, driven by my strong work ethic and eagerness to learn. Earning slightly above minimum wage, along with tips, I worked tirelessly to cover my bills, avoiding a second job to focus entirely on my career. As the salon’s assistant, I focused on doing my best while also I treating it as my own, grateful for the chance to learn from the best stylists in Miami.
A turning point came when my friend Savanna, a senior colorist at the same salon, contemplated opening her own space. I offered support, drawing on my med spa experience for salon logistics. Months later, she took the leap, and I joined her team. The early days were a steep learning curve, but we trusted the process. Starting from scratch as a stylist in Savanna’s salon was difficult, but I balanced assisting her with building my clientele. Comfortable with cutting and styling in the beginning, I utilized social media, Miami connections, and even did free model work for content. I was determined to do whatever was needed to build my clientele.
As with anything new challenges persisted, and doubts about my skills arose, but Savanna’s advice, “if you didn’t like the result, ask yourself what you could do differently next time,” became my mantra. By the second year, my clientele was steady, and progress was evident. However, a forced salon relocation disrupted our routine, requiring a month of working from different salons. This abrupt change, though initially unsettling, turned out to be the best thing for my growth. It instilled confidence, revealing that I had learned enough to manage my own clientele without relying on the familiar support of working alongside Savanna.
Returning to the new location brought newfound confidence and perspective. Now in our third year at Savanna Marie Salon, I work four days a week, maintain a full clientele, attract new clients regularly, teach classes, and collaborate with an amazing team of women. This job has allowed me to achieve personal dreams, providing both professional fulfillment and personal freedom. I look forward to continued growth and opportunities this industry has to offer in the future.
Victoria, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
What began as a childhood passion evolved into a full-time career—a journey I never anticipated. As a child, I loved everything beauty-related. I would beg my mother to style my hair and buy me lip glosses from Victoria’s Secret. I grew up going to the salon all the time; my grandmother was a hairstylist, and I would watch her cut and color everyone’s hair. My favorite thing to do when I visited her was to skim through all the hair books, picking out my favorite haircuts and colors. Little did I know, I would follow in her footsteps.
After I graduated high school, I knew I wanted to pursue a career in the beauty industry. I agreed to go to college, which I wasn’t thrilled about, but I would work as much as I could. I attempted just about every field that the industry has to offer. I worked on weekends doing hair and makeup for weddings for my friend Vanessa’s bridal company and also for individual clients. I also took up a freelance makeup artist position for MAC Cosmetics and had the opportunity to learn about retail and customer service. After a couple of years of doing this and not feeling fulfilled, I knew I wanted more, but being a full-time student limited my options. I began to do my research and came across The Wall Group, a talent company that showcased incredible artists. As I was going through all the portfolios, I began to imagine what it would be like to be on set for an editorial shoot and work with models. Once again, I questioned myself about how I would ever get there, but my curiosity did not stop me.
Since I worked in the bridal industry and with women who were much older than me, I began to ask some of them if they knew how I could get into production. To my surprise, one of them had experience in the field as a fashion stylist and hair and makeup artist assistant. She would refer me the next time someone reached out to her to assist for a shoot. After a couple of months, I received a text from my friend telling me that someone was looking for a hair and makeup assistant for a photoshoot; I immediately said yes. I remember being so nervous, not knowing what to expect or what to do. That day I met my friend Rochelle, who happened to be the lead hair and makeup artist and one of the coolest women I had yet to meet. All I will say is that after that first day working together, I became her go-to hair and makeup assistant, and I loved every moment of it. It was then that I took my styling technique to a whole new level.
After a couple of years of doing this, I still felt unfulfilled. I didn’t enjoy what I was going to school for and became resentful because I couldn’t focus all of my energy on my career in the beauty industry. I felt so lost and confused. I couldn’t take up a job with a production agency because I needed something that was flexible with school; I felt so burnt out from weddings and could not stand the hours of a retail job. My friend Rochelle had stopped doing hair and makeup to become an esthetician, so I followed her and took up a job as the receptionist for the med spa she worked at while finishing school and still taking on weekend hair and makeup jobs. This only made my confusion even worse. I felt like I was taking a step back from what I wanted to do. At this point, Rochelle and I had become really good friends and would spend a lot of time together outside of work. She introduced me one day to her cousin Savanna, who happened to be an incredibly talented hairstylist in Miami. We instantly hit it off, and I had the opportunity to see a new, luxurious side to the salon industry.
During my time at the med spa, I began to question what I wanted to do with my life. I couldn’t help but feel stuck and saw no hope. I thought about switching my major and going to nursing school so I could eventually do injectables or maybe becoming an esthetician like Rochelle, but I wasn’t too convinced. It had never occurred to me to go to cosmetology school until one day Rochelle sat me down and bluntly told me that I needed to go to school for hair and work with her cousin Savanna since I already had so much experience styling hair, was creative, and had the connections in the industry. I couldn’t believe it had not occurred to me to do that. At that moment, I thought to myself that I had nothing to lose, and anything would be better than how I was currently feeling. That same day, I signed up to tour a cosmetology school that happened to be 15 minutes from my house.
From that moment on, my life completely changed. I decided to take a leap of faith, drop out of college with 1 year left to graduate, and signed up for cosmetology school. I went to school full time while continuing to work at the med spa and weddings on the weekend. It was a hard and long year, but I knew that it would soon pay off. A few months before graduating school, I quit the med spa and took on an assistant stylist position at the salon that my friend Savanna worked at. It felt so good to have only one job that I could give my full attention to. I was a sponge, trying to absorb as much as I could from all the talented stylists at the salon. Although it was an intense, high-paced environment, I loved what I was learning and seeing the stylist I could eventually become.
Fast forward a year later, my friend Savanna had the idea of opening up her own salon, and I fully supported it. In a matter of 19 days, I helped her open Savanna Marie Salon. We had no idea how or if it would work, but we trusted ourselves and our vision. Savanna is one of the hardest working, intelligent, and talented women that I have ever met, so I had no doubt that it would not work out. Meanwhile, I was a brand new stylist trying to find my confidence in something so new and building a clientele. I tried to apply everything I had learned at the previous salon and from what Savanna taught me. There were many moments when I doubted myself and thought I had made a mistake and was never going to be good, but I always kept on trying. I’m so grateful I had Savanna as my mentor guiding me throughout the process and pushing me to be better every day.
It has now been three years since we opened the salon. I have a full clientele and a life I would never have imagined. I have the freedom and flexibility to be the artist that I always wanted to be. I plan on continuing to expand as an artist and look forward to new opportunities the industry has to offer. I am currently working on my Beauty Brunches, where I teach women how to style their own hair for any occasion while enjoying an afternoon with girlfriends. Although I love when my clients visit me at the salon, I also think it is important for them to know how to do their own styling, whether it be for a special occasion or for a simple date night.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
The most rewarding aspect of being an artist, for me, is the ability to connect with a diverse array of people. The beauty industry has afforded me the chance to meet incredible artists, women, and like-minded individuals. Whether it’s the mentors who have guided me, the colleagues I’ve collaborated with, or the women who trust me with their beauty transformations, forging genuine human connections is invaluable. Engaging in profound conversations about life, sharing ideas, or simply exchanging stories about our day-to-day experiences is something I deeply cherish. This industry has opened doors to connect with individuals from various cultures, lifestyles, and perspectives. I find joy in living vicariously through other people’s experiences and honoring their unique journeys. These connections have provided me with valuable life perspectives that I can apply to enhance my craft. Thanks to these meaningful relationships, I can relate to the women in my chair, making their salon experience more than just a hair appointment—it becomes a shared moment of connection and understanding.
We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?
My social media journey has been an evolving process, particularly during my rebrand when I transitioned from makeup and styling to hair cutting and coloring. Upon deciding to pursue a career in the beauty industry, I created a dedicated account exclusively for showcasing my craft. Although I’m still working on growing my following, I’m pleased to note that a significant portion of my clientele has been acquired through Instagram.
Upon joining a salon, I prioritized generating content. Even when styling clients for other stylists I assisted, I made a conscious effort to document the process. Balancing this with a growing workload behind the chair proved challenging, but I committed to capturing client photos several times a week, setting goals to post daily for accountability. Seeking inspiration from other stylists’ pages, I analyzed elements such as style, layout, and videos, integrating them into my unique approach.
A key strategy involved never turning down opportunities, even if it meant doing “free” work. Whether it was for a model, influencer, or an appealing individual, I offered my services in exchange for content. Rather than viewing it as free, I saw it as an investment, gaining valuable exposure that would contribute to the long-term growth of my business. While maintaining a professional social media platform was a priority, I discovered the effectiveness of adding a personal touch. Integrating videos of tutorials and occasionally sharing snippets of my life resonated well with followers. People appreciate knowing the artist behind the craft, and this personal connection has significantly contributed to the positive feedback and growth of my social media presence.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: Beautyvhmu
Image Credits
Profile photo with black background : Meagan Reily