Today we’d like to introduce you to Kyla Page.
Hi Kyla, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory
I started off my career when I was 16 years old. In my sophomore year of high school, I began attending Steele Accelerated High School in Roanoke and went into the cosmetology academy that was built into Steele. Initially, I applied for the cosmetology program just for fun (if anything, I had planned on possibly doing nails because I was decent at it. Back then I wasn’t even able to do a French braid to save my life). Towards the end of my sophomore year, there were fliers put up around the school saying that a salon in Roanoke was hiring for a receptionist, and my mom and I had already been clients there for several years so I felt I should give it a try.
I was hired practically on the spot, and immediately fell in love with the people and the environment that I was in. By my senior year of high school, I knew for sure that I wanted to be a hairstylist, and immediately after graduating pursued my career further. I was a receptionist at the salon in Roanoke for three years and decided to booth rent at a salon in Southlake. There was where I met my friend Erica, who immediately took me in as her “little sister”. She started mentoring me for both work and life, and helped me grow into having more of a passion for doing hair rather than just a job. A couple of years later she approached me about opening a salon alongside her. Now at 22 years old, I have already been in the hair industry for six years and am a part of opening the very first L’anza Healing Center in DFW with some of the best team members and amazing support.
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?
I’d say the majority of my career has been fairly smooth. Of course, there have been some bumps along the way, but those bumps have helped me grow into the person I am today and is helping me mentor and lead my team. One thing that is true is that I never give up. Once I have a task, I am determined to achieve it even if it takes time. Something I have had to learn on my own is being patient in the process of growth. After leaving cosmetology school, I was in shock of how much there was still to learn being behind the chair, and I feel like becoming a booth renting stylist so early on in my career was such an eye-opener for me in realizing that being a hairstylist is not only about doing hair, but being a business owner and your own brand.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
My specialties are in color (balayage, highlighting, vivids, you name it!) and hand-tied extensions. I feel like these are the things that bring out the artistic side of me because I custom make every technique and color formula per guest. Something that sets me apart from most hairstylists is that I like to educate my clients as to why I’m doing what I’m doing, and any process we need to take to achieve our goal. I always want my guests to feel confident in me and my work, and to always feel comfortable enough to ask me any questions. I’m most proud of the confidence I have in myself now. I grew up always second-guessing my worth and used to be very critical of my work, but I have put in the time and effort to grow and practice my skill to where I am always self-assured when people leave my chair.
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
I don’t like getting outside my comfort zone, but in the hair or beauty industry it’s something you have to do in order to grow. I am currently at my 3rd salon in six years, and leaving my very first salon after being there for three years and only being 19 was the hardest thing for me to do. One thing I would advise someone starting in the cosmetology industry is when an exciting and new opportunity comes up, don’t ever hesitate to jump on it. There are going to be times where it is very uncomfortable. Always look for a leader and salon that you know is up to date in trends and has the type of clientele that you want in your chair.
It may take a couple tries to find where you should be, and that is okay. I met my current salon owner at the second salon I was at after booth renting for a year. She approached me after knowing each other for a year about opening a salon alongside her, and at first I was hesitant only because I was comfortable being my own boss. But I knew with this new opportunity, I would get a team to work with, continued education and so many other amazing opportunities. Now I am a part of opening the very first L’anza Healing Center in DFW and the first salon to open up in Westlake, TX!
Contact Info:
- Email: hairbykyla.page@gmail.com
- Website: Sofiaelainesalon.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/hairbykyla_page
- Facebook: facebook.com/hairbykylapage
