Community Highlights: Meet Waleska Quevedo Fernandes of Oddly Creative Salon

Today we’d like to introduce you to Waleska Quevedo Fernandes. 

Hi Waleska, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers?
I moved from Brazil to the States in 2016 when I was 26 years old, with $500 in my pocket and lots of dream mixed with fear. All I knew was that I wanted to learn English and step out of my comfort zone which I literally did when left my country. I came from a family of entrepreneurs, that’s all I’ve known and done in Brazil since a very young age. 

When I moved to the country I felt as I had lost all my knowledge but that wasn’t true, it was just the feeling of starting from zero. 

I lived in Connecticut for 3 years and started working in this hair salon in Greenwich by chance since no other company would hire me obviously due to my English, but I’m sure nothing happens by chance. I didn’t realize but that was the beginning of what I was going to become later on. I never thought about doing hair although once I immersed in the beauty industry, I knew that was my purpose in life, not only intensify people beauty but make an impact on their lives. I worked my way up from cleaning lady to assistant then finally Artist. I met my husband in the salon actually, and after living in Connecticut for few years we decided moving to somewhere warmer than up north. 

That was when we decided to visit his best friend in Clearwater Florida and we felt in love with Florida right away no doubt. In less the one month we moved to Tampa Fl first, not too long after that Lakeland and that’s where we felt like home. 

You can find me downtown Lakeland on south Florida Ave, I would love to get to know you in person, about your story. 

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Definitely not, but I always think if it’s easy it’s not challenging and I love to challenge myself, with that comes growth. Definitely the language barrier, English just didn’t make sense for me at the time. 

But later on, when I moved to Florida, I again had to start from zero, that was super challenging but, this time I was wiser and could handle difficult situations better. 

We’ve been impressed with Oddly creative salon, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Oddly creative salon was created by my husband Cohco few years ago. I remember telling him how we should have our own business and I think I awoke that little seed in his head, then few years later Oddly creative salon was born. My husband and I met in the salon, working together. We have the same passion for what we do but in different ways. He is a stylist so he sculptures the hair and I’m a colorist I enhance and paint the shape he has created. That’s what sets us apart in my opinion, we are authentic, tremendously connected personally and professionally, completing each other and that shows in the results we deliver for our clients. Also, our energy is very contagious and our clients feed their soul with that. For us excellent experience during the time people spend with us is priority. We’ve worked in many salons throughout the country and learned a lot from each of them. 

Ok let’s talk about me now. After graduating from cosmetology school, I specialized in color and sewing extensions. Those are my babies. I invest a lot in myself through courses to make sure I provide the best and newest trends to my clients. My motto is beautiful hair is healthy hair. I’ve turned many color clients down due to compromised hair fiber after doing my strand test. So as a hair doctor, I set a capillary chronogram in order to get the fiber back to life. Also, I only work with brands I trust such as L’Oréal professional, Bellami pro, Redken, and so on. Check me out on Instagram and Facebook to see some of my work. 

We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
I used to lay down on the bed after coming back from school and just contemplate the sky, how that was so peaceful and magical the white clouds with that cristal blue slowly rotating. Also, rainy days when my mom used to make homemade milkshake with mini donuts for me and my little brother. 

Contact Info:

• Website: https://oddlycreativesalon.com/
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/oddlycreative_salon?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/waleska.quevedofernandes
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCoBjou3QQgEunyC3b4RBThg
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/oddly-creative-salon-lakeland
• Other: https://instagram.com/waleskaquevedo?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

Image Credits
Corey Harris
Marco Antonio de Biaggi