Today we’d like to introduce you to Brandi Montes.
Hi Brandi, I’m so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work life, how can you bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I started as a receptionist 2010 at a well-known salon in Melbourne, FL. My friend is in high school- her mom owned it and got me an interview to work the front desk. I worked there until I finished high school in 2011, and all the girls convinced me to go to hair school. So, I enrolled in a local cosmetology program while working part-time at the salon. Unfortunately, the school I chose was not for me. So I continued to work full-time. When the girls convinced me to try another school, I enrolled in The Salon Professional Academy in Melbourne. I quickly learned that I enjoyed the entire industry, especially doing hair. I assisted at the salon alongside many talented women. I’ll always be grateful for taking me under their wing.
I learned how to give each client a luxurious experience thanks to that salon’s atmosphere. I have worked in many salons in my county. I have learned everything I know about hair and a salon atmosphere because of many incredible women. I learned what works, what doesn’t work, how to treat your clients to make them love coming to see you, and how to give the best possible results you can. I built my clientele at Ulta Beauty 2015-2017. I credit my success to the one person who treated me like a stylist and not just another employee. My manager, Mona, saw how much I wanted this, and she taught me everything I know about doing hair and formulating. When I left Ulta, I became an independent stylist and booth rented at another salon in Melbourne. I also worked part-time at Salon Centric, where I met my now business partner and learned everything I could about every brand sold.
I networked with the customers and other stylists in the area. I jumped from salon to salon- trying to find my “tribe.” Finally, after being so tired of it- I decided it was finally time for my salon home. My business partner, Dallas, looked at me one night and said, “I don’t wanna work for anyone but myself anymore.” And from then on, Golden Hour Salon & Spa was born. We have been open for almost a year, and it was the most complex and best decision I’ve ever made. We are thriving, and all of my hard work has paid off. All the free hair I did to build my clientele, all the loyal clients I’ve met along the way, and the group of women by my side make every day more and more successful. We have created a culture that I’ve been searching for since 2010. I wouldn’t change a thing about my journey.
We all face challenges, but would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
No, it has not been a smooth road by any means. I don’t think any journey in this industry is. Daily obstacles are being a business owner. Besides how hard it was to build my clientele as a baby stylist, navigating opening a new salon has been the biggest challenge. I remember Dallas and I saying, “Our marriages are not going to survive this renovation,” which is a joke because our husbands broke their backs, creating this beautiful space for us. The space we fell in love with was completely gutted, and we built walls, did flooring, installed new plumbing, painted and painted and painted. I don’t know how we’ll ever thank them for putting up with that difficult manual labor and us saying, “No, no, no, I need that moved over a half inch more. Never mind, move it back.” They were troopers. The internet makes opening a salon seem like a fun time, but between the permits, licensing, decision-making, lease signing, contracts, DBPR, taxes, etc.- it is no picnic. And we have yet to be open a year. We are truly still finding our way. Every day is a bumpy road, but we’re doing it. And we’re doing it our way.
I appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Golden Hour Salon and Spa?
Golden Hour Salon and Spa is a full-service salon offering hair services, skincare, tanning, and nails. It is coming soon! We have three extension specialists (Tiffany, Jade & Bri), 6 blonding specialists, 6 dimensional color specialists, and one stylist (Kenia) specializing in textured and curly hair. Dallas is our esthetician and tanning specialist. I specialize in blonding and live in color. We also have a professional photographer for our branding, Lydia Mincey! What sets us apart from other salons is the personable experience you’ll receive with each stylist. We have a stylist for any human being. We are a safe space for everyone to come in, express themselves, receive luxurious and elevated services, and escape from everyday life to laugh and relax. I am so proud of my team. I truly have the best woman by my side. For your services, you’ll receive top-shelf products like Amika, K18, Olaplex, Dermalogica, Murad, etc. We also offer package pricing so each service is tailored to your needs, and you will receive all the goods in each appointment.
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
I always had an interest in the beauty industry from a young age. I started getting my hair professionally colored when I was 12. I was a little ginger baby when I was born, but over the years, my hair got lighter and lighter, but my skin remained that of a natural redhead. I was taunted by other kids my age, asking, “Why did my skin look like that.” And other parents mocked my mom, saying, “Have you put any sunscreen on your daughter?” All because no one could understand why my hair didn’t match my skin. So I begged my mom to let me color my hair red, and she agreed. She took me to JCPenney’s salon, and from that moment on, the confidence it gave me to finally look and feel like myself was life-changing. And I decided very young that I wanted to give that feeling to other people.
Contact Info:
- Website: goldenhoursalonandspa.glossgenius.com
- Instagram: goldenhoursalonandspa
- Facebook: Golden Hour Salon and Spa
Image Credits
All professional photos were taken by Lydia Mincey Photography
