We were lucky to catch up with Yadira Romero recently and have shared our conversation below.

Yadira , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Do you have a hero? What have you learned from them?

My two heroes would be my mother Ruth and my brother Julio.

Firstly, my mom because she is the most resilient, kind, hardworking, loving person I have ever had the opportunity to have in my life. She came here to the U.S with my dad from Belize to provide a better quality of life for my brothers and I. She has always made sure to show me to be polite, to have respect and to be forgiving even when I didn’t want to be. She has also always encouraged me to follow my heart whatever that meant at the moment, she has been my number one cheerleader even when I felt like a failure.

My second hero is my brother Julio, he has ALWAYS been my inspiration since I was a child. I have probably only told him this once in my life, but what I do want him to know is that I admire the father he is to my beautiful and brilliant nieces, I appreciate his work ethic, his artistic side,and his straightforwardness. I am inspired and proud of his many successes in life including being a 4-time Emmy winner! He is the only Belizean to have accomplished winning this prestigious award, so it makes me so proud of him.

I have taken pieces of both my mom and brother and carried them into my artistry and work ethic as a Bridal hair and makeup artist. Even when I feel like I did just OK I think to myself that it is fine to feel that way and to forgive myself but never ever get comfortable or complacent. Life is about evolving; we must be able to change with the times and remember that change isn’t easy but if we are accepting towards it, life flows so much easier.

Yadira , 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 am a Los Angeles based licensed cosmetologist and have been in the beauty industry for 18 years. I currently only specialize in natural glam for brides and events. To get into more detail I do my best to accentuate the natural beauty of my clients in order for them to feel most comfortable in their own skin. I believe what sets me apart is that I listen to and curate a look specifically for my client. This takes patience, practice and communication. I believe to achieve your goals is to have excellent customer service for one, listen and efficiently communicate with your client; this includes asking what their desired look is, being realistic about the outcome and also always having a couple of reference photos that are ideal for the client. All of these things take time including finding your niche in the beauty industry. No matter how saturated this industry is, continue to stay true to yourself because there will never be anyone like YOU. I also want to say that there are enough clients for everyone, being kind goes a long way, no need to feel like artists are your competition.

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

Although I have been a cosmetologist for quite some time, I also have other skill sets. I have been a project manager, EDI Specialist, as well as in MIS (technical services). I have been busy in the wedding industry for the past 5 years but to be honest it did slow down for not only myself but a lot of my industry friends/ colleagues. Although I am still working on weddings, I currently am back in the tech industry full time fixing one integration error at a time. I have always had multiple skill setsto fall back on, this is thanks to my family that always showed me that there are endless opportunities and never settle. I am so lucky to have this in my professional profile on top of doing what I love so much. I honestly want to say to whomever is reading this that sometimes life throws curveballs at you, it’s ok! Just do what you need to do to stay afloat but never give up on your artistry even if it isn’t as busy as you want it to be at a particular moment. Give yourself grace, and take the slow moments to freshen up your skills .Remember ” YOU GOT THIS!”

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

For me I believe that referrals are the best and most effective way to bring in clientele. Even though I have a following on social media I have to say it has maybe only brought me a handful of clients. This is why it is extremely important to have a customer service background, because if you have a poor attitude towards everything instead of being able to take constructive criticism you will not get far in the industry. I have met one too many arrogant and rude stylists that literally have left a sour impression on me and to be honest why would anyone want to work with an individual (whether you are a client or another stylist) like that. Always be kind!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.yadiraromero.com
• Instagram: @hairandmakeupbyyadira
• Other: email for inquiries: romero.yaya@gmail.com

Image Credits
@madefrommoonlight @robbienegrinphotography