Today we’d like to introduce you to Kayla Rivera
Hi Kayla, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Growing up I saw how hard both my parents worked but still struggled financially. Although they became better off than their families financially it still wasn’t enough. My dad worked as a carpenter for most of his life and my mom worked dead end jobs and they were always working. There were important events in my life personally they missed out because they felt like they had no other option but to work. Even though they did their best, I didn’t want to follow in their footsteps. I decided to finish high school half a year early and I started cosmetology school the following semester. I was the first one to finish high school in my family and attend a secondary school. I was so excited to attend cosmetology school but 1200 hours felt like forever. At the time I had 4 stepsons and I was pregnant with my first daughter, but that has now completely grown to 4 stepsons and 3 daughters. It was hard to continue the motivation to finish school while dealing with a pending eviction, no lights, no water and surviving off very little food, but we had faith everything will work out. When I graduated cosmetology school, I had this dream to own my own salon one day. I decided to start working in corporate salons and I worked for corporate for 10+ years for pennies and terrible management. It was the same mundane work every single day and I felt like I wasn’t challenging myself and it made me question if I made the right decision. It was difficult to make ends meet and my husband and I hustled but it really started feeling like when I was growing up and watching my parents spend their time for money, something I already decided I didn’t want to do. I then decided to go back to school once again but this time to get my medical coding certificate. It was so much harder to go back to school this time. Juggling being a mom, wife, and a student was exhausting but I kept with it and graduated from school, Shortly after I was working as a medical coder. I did that for 4 years and decided it was no longer for me and I missed cutting hair, so again I went to work for another corporate salon but the dream of owning my own salon one day never went away. But my family counted on me to make money, it was just safer to go back to the salon, there at least was a consistent check, One day I reconnected with a friend of mine that worked at one of the salons I was previously employed and I started telling her that I wish I could just work for myself and leave corporate for good. At the time she just opened her own salon, so she started encouraging me to follow my dream of working for myself. She had a chair that became available to rent shortly after our conversation, I decided I am not going to get anywhere if I continue going on the path I was going and decided to take the leap. My husband and my friend Brittney were my biggest cheerleaders. I established Headquarters Salon with the intent to have my own salon and to grow it into a large salon/barbershop with top tier leadership and a tremendously supportive, growth oriented talented team. I am still in the growth stage of my business but I am striving to reach my goal. And if all that wasn’t enough, in the beginning stages of opening up my own business, I was also working at a medical office part time to at least have the security of a consistent check while building my salon business on the side. After a year, that medical billing job became another opportunity to open a second company. Am I crazy?! I did it so I could work remotely and be there for my kids as needed. So I am also the owner of Integrity Billing Services, focusing on billing services for medical providers. There are so many fears, tears, sacrifices and disappointments with having a business let alone 2, it’s not a walk in the park. But I do this for my kids, my family, and to help my community. I wanted to create companies that provide exceptional services and create jobs for those who seek to be valued, appreciated and supported by their leadership teams. I am still in the building process of both of these companies but I am on my way there.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It was definitely not a smooth road at all. We basically had to rely solely on my husbands income for a while and even with me working in a medical office on the side, majority of my checks went into investing in my salon business. In the midst of it all trying to learn how to be a business owner, marketing, taxes was difficult. I really had to step out of my comfort zone and invest money into doing events and putting myself out there because I no longer had a huge corporate salon doing everything for me. There were also so many days where I just wanted throw in the towel. It felt like my business was failing and I went into a slump mentally. It’s definitely a rollercoaster of emotions.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
I established Headquarters Salon in 2022, I am located in Altamonte Springs within Mane+ Monstera Hair Co. I specialize in haircuts in particular clipper cuts. What sets me apart from others is that I take absolute pride in my work and I do my best to create a comforting, warm, safe ,and welcoming environment. I created this business to give anyone that walks into a space where they can relax, have an amazing haircut experience and feel amazing after they leave. Everyone loves getting the shampoo with their haircut because while they receive a relaxing scalp massage, a hot steam towel , a great cut and a amazing shoulder massage afterwards.
What makes you happy?
It makes me happy to see my family happy. I have just always been the type of person that gets joy from other’s happiness.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://kaylarivera1.glossgenius.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/headquarters_altamonte
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61563084566733
