Today we’d like to introduce you to Valeria Velasquez.
Hi Valeria, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Graduating high school and going right into college I thought I had my life all figured out. I planned to major in Education, thinking that it would not only make me happy but bring happiness to my family as well since I would’ve been a first generation college graduate. It doesn’t sound like a big deal, but coming from latino roots not a lot of us have the opportunity to get a college education. It’s straight to working after highschool.
Anyways, I finished early at a community college and enrolled into a university thinking I was doing the right thing like many other people do. It all came to a realization that I don’t have to fit into the norm and get a college degree to be successful at life.
Growing up I was taught how to hustle for what I want in life. My Dad spent majority of the time working many countless hours while I was a kid while my mom stayed home and raised me and my siblings. After a while, my mom got back into working as well. To see how hard they hustled all of my life in order to provide me and my siblings a better life is how I became the person I am today.
With many sleepless nights, I decided to pull the trigger and drop out of school. I was now the first generation college dropout. Pursuing Cosmetology never came across my mind, until my mom inspired me to try it out and if I didn’t end up liking it, there would always be something else for me.
Months and months later of being into Cosmetology school, I learned how to fall in love with it. It fascinated me and still does because not only do we play with hair all day, we are chemists, therapists, artists, photographers, content creators, receptionists, etc.
I’m 4 years in the game now, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything else. I love conversating with anyone who sits in my chair and getting to brighten their day up, I love the clientele I have built up because that bond is like none other, and I appreciate anyone I’ve ever worked with who has also paved the way for me to be where I am today.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
When I first started out in this industry, I helped build a salon up from nothing. It was the owner, me, and another individual who were all working together in order to achieve a dream that wasn’t my own. With that, I got to experience the business side of this industry at an early stage, and am super grateful that I did.
The first year of helping the owner build this salon, me and this other individual were worked like crazy in order for the salon to somewhat stand on it’s own. From being pushed to take 2 sometimes even 3 clients at the same time, it got to a point where the owner tried to make it competitive in between us for monetary benefit.
As my first time ever being at a salon, I look back now and realize that behavior like that is normalized in this industry. I was there for 3 years until I threw the towel in.
It wasn’t the smoothest road for me to take as someone new in this industry, but thankfully I paved the smoothest road out there for myself moving forward.
If you’re a stylist reading this and experiencing something very similar, you better put that hard hat on and pave your smooth road!
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Some people may know me as the hair guru. (definitely tooting my own horn LOL)
I specialize in layered haircutting, creative color such as lived-in balayages, reds/plums/purples, creative placements like calico’s, raccoon tails, colored halo’s, etc.
I am now venturing into the world of extensions. Specifically K-Tip (Keratin) extensions for all hair types, including all the waves, curls, and coils.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
Being at the right place at the right time.
To me, being in the right place at the right time is where preparation meets an open mind.
In my life, it means staying curious and saying ‘yes’ to new experiences that put me in the path of opportunity. In my career as a stylist, that ‘luck’ is actually the result of consistent hard work. Mastering my craft behind the chair so that when an opportunity arises, I’m not just there, I’m ready.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/hairguruval
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hairguruval
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/18RZiHCYc2/?mibextid=wwXIfr
