Today we’d like to introduce you to Micaela Hair.
Hi Micaela , so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My journey started in 2016 at Paul Mitchell the School Orlando at just 18 years old where I completed 1600 hours of education and training.
I originally went in hopes to become a makeup artist but quickly grew a huge passion for hair. While in school I got to see women come and go for haircuts and color and I would watch the new found confidence on their face and in their body language after their hair was done and this brought me so much joy that I knew this was the route I needed to go!
About half way through my schooling I landed my first assisting job where I went on to continue assisting for the next 2.5 years. Each day I found so much excitement in meeting new clients and hearing their stories. I knew I was where I was meant to be industry wise but I also knew I wanted to do more with this. I wanted to create my own luxurious, safe environment that clients can come to to feel their best. So in 2019 I dove into becoming “my own boss” where I went and rented a chair at a salon to build my own client base which expanded and allowed me the opportunity to open up a salon suite in 2020-present day.
These past 8 years I’ve had the honor and privilege of helping so many women gain more confidence in their own ways! Being able to see this impact each day brings me so much joy and shows me a glimpse of what my future holds in this industry, I know this is just the beginning!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
No, it has definitely not been a smooth road.
I faced many challenges along the way, I was always the type to show up on time and give it my all but despite this I remember being told “I would never amount to anything more than an assistant because I wasn’t good enough to actually do hair”. I kept pushing and left to find a different salon that better suited me. At one point I was assisting at 2 salons at once to make ends meet, starting one in the morning, leaving midday to go to the next until late evening. I didn’t mind doing this because I wanted to pay my dues in the industry but I always knew I was meant for more than just washing hair and sweeping floors.
When late 2018 came around I had been let go of both salons within a few months of each other. After this my first instinct was to quit, my mind went straight to “well maybe those stylists were right. Maybe I’m just not meant for this industry”. But I quickly altered my mindset and reminded myself nothing worth having comes easy and the road to success is not a straight line.
This is where I put the petal to the medal as some would say and went full force into doing whatever it took to make it out on top. I didn’t have more than a handful of clients but I didn’t let that stop me. In January of 2019 I went and found a booth rent salon so I could have a bit more control over my day to day life. I used every dollar I had saved up to buy business cards, marketing corses, put out facebook and instagram ads, get certified in hair extensions, take every coloring class I could find or afford, and to get products to host model calls for free hair just to get my name out there. This went well for me for about 14 months and I felt like I was inching closer everyday to the success I so badly wanted. Until, yep we all know it, 2020 quarantine came around and I lost my job AGAIN.
The bad mindset crept in again, “maybe this industry is just not for me, maybe I just need a 9-5 with steady income”. Thankfully I have an amazing support system around me who helped me use that time to find My Salon Suites and give it one more go. Giving up to me was not an option!
The second quarantine lifted I hit the ground running and never looked back! I was determined to use all the turmoil of the ups and downs to launch me forward.
I stayed at the apopka My Salon Suites for about 3 years where I quickly outgrew my single suite space so the owner, Misty Lee and I went on to create a much larger room for me at her second location in Altamonte Springs.
I now have a beautiful & luxurious space going on 2 years there, a full book of wonderful clients, an amazing assistant, and a new opportunity to travel and educate which is something I have always dreamt of. I would not change any of the tough times for the world because ultimately they lead me to this exact moment!
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a hairdresser. I specialize in dimensional color and extensions.
I would say I am most known for my extension work and colors.
I am most proud of how far I have come as a professional while being able to build a brand that my clients can trust and a space they can feel seen and heard is huge for me and I never take that lightly!
I would say the thing that sets me apart is my education and constant want to keep growing and learning in the industry to be able to continue bringing my clients the best techniques.
This isn’t just a business to me, it’s a passion for me to make women look and feel beautiful every day.
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
I have always been a creative growing up, I was a competitive dancer from the time I could walk until my sophomore year of high school. I always loved doing hair and makeup on my friends for competitions or homecomings and proms.
Personality wise I have always been a Free spirit that’s a little stubborn when it came to knowing who I wanted to be and how successful I wanted to be and I never let anything stop me from doing what I wanted to do to make it there.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Micaelahair.glossgenius.com
- Instagram: https://Www.Instagram.com/hairbymicaelaaa
Image Credits
Kayla Christy photo
Kayla.Christyphoto on instagram
