Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley Barwick.
Hi Ashley, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I moved around a lot as a kid, but I graduated from a very small town about 45 minutes from our salon. A year after graduating, I decided I needed to figure out what my next step was. I was living in Carrollton at the time, and there was a Toni & Guy Hairdressing Academy 10 miles from my home; as soon as I saw the school, I just knew that I would be attending in the near future. After I graduated, I worked for Toni & Guy for 3 years, where I had the best education and leadership that I could have asked for. While working for the company, I met my now husband, Carlos Garcia. He and I decided to open our own private salon when the location that we were working for closed down. We have now had a salon suite, Ashley Danielle Salon, for 10 years at Mattison Avenue in Allen. We have been married for 7 years, we have 2 amazing babies together, and we are so proud of the balance we have been able to create with it all.
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?
Our travels have been fairly smooth along the way, apart from our first year in business. The first year is the hardest; we miscalculated the overhead, underestimated the amount of business we needed for profit, and totally misjudged how difficult being in business for yourself truly can be. I am fortunate that I have always had my best friend, Andrea Gibson, as a mentor. Any time I have had any questions about business, she has always been eager to assist. This year, however, has brought on new challenges because of the economic climate that we are currently dealing with. Inflation is high, causing clients to cancel their appointments or stretch their appointments out longer than they used to. Our clients are the absolute best, so we try and give back when we can: giveaways, client referral discounts, offering lower maintenance/less costly options.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
At Ashley Danielle Salon, we are a departmentalized salon, so I do all of the chemical services, i.e., haircoloring, perms, chemical treatments, and my husband, Carlos, does all of the hair cutting and styling. I also specialize in tied-in weft extensions, and he performs Brazilian Blowouts as well. We are very proud of our customer service and satisfaction. We want to make our clients feel the most comfortable while in our salon and the most confident when they leave. Our goal is to have our clients look good and feel stunning!
How do you define success?
Success to me is measured in the balance between work and home life. We cater to our clients while we are at work while cherishing our family when we are not; hair is my passion, but my family is my spirit. Success in our business would be defined as a steady flow of clients that we connect with on a level deeper than a color or cut. Talking with my clients and learning about their lives is, to me, more important than me replicating a picture that they saw online or in a magazine. With family, success is defined by the amount of time spent and love shown. Our family is, by far, my greatest success!
Pricing:
- Highlights: $150-$380
- Haircuts: $60
- Extensions: $750-$1200
- Color Correction: $150/hour
Contact Info:
- Website: www.ashleydaniellesalon.co
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/ashleybarwick?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AshleyDanielleSalon?mibextid=LQQJ4d
Image Credits
Chelsea Batson Photography
