Today we’d like to introduce you to Danielle Lathan.
Danielle, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I have been doing hair since I was a kid. I wanted to learn barbering because I knew how to do everything except cut hair. I always had an eye for it and the sight of a bad haircut really got under my skin and would make me stare lol. The problem was, I never knew what I would do differently to fix it. I got started cutting hair in 2017 at EClips Barber College in St. Louis, MO. I studied my craft and fell in love with the trade. I moved to the Dallas area in February 2019, got licensed as a Texas Barber and the opportunities have been coming back to back. I will forever learn and grow as a barber, as well as expand what I do in the hair industry. The vision for 2020 has already been put into play, so stay tuned as I bring more to offer.
Great, 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?
It definitely has been tough. I started this journey in a city with minimal family support and a single parent. At one point, I lost everything except the burning fire for barber passion. I was away from my daughter a lot, that was difficult, mentally and emotionally draining for both of us. Relocating and starting over is never easy. I had to adjust to being away from everything that I knew and create a new normal, I had to search until I found the barbershop that fit me and the direction for my career, and starts overbuilding clientele. The work-family balance is always hard in the beginning. I had to learn to manage my time and know that I would inevitably be missing out on things, in both areas.
We’d love to hear more about your work.
I am a licensed Barber Stylist. I am known for the detailing and creativity I put into my work, the energy I give during the service and the overall experience. I am proud of the confidence I developed throughout 2019; relocating to another state and starting over and stepping out of my comfort zone and putting myself out there entering shows for the first time. I was a part of the Texas Hair Show in June and placed in the freestyle category. I also showcased in the Lavish Showcase 2019 this month (December) and I will be doing more moving forward.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
My Faith in God to provide and order my steps is what makes it possible. I had faith in me when very few did. Ambition, Passion and Perseverance are necessary. There will be naysayers, doubters, and slow days. There are times I have questioned myself. The UPS is rewarding and makes you feel like, “yes, this it!”, but you have to prepare for the down moments also and grind through them to get to your next reward, that’s entrepreneurship in general. All in all, it’s the love and passion for what I do that keeps me going and wanting to keep creating and improving.
Contact Info:
- Address: Famous The Barbershop
14817 Inwood Rd Addison, TX 75001 - Phone: 314-249-4777
- Instagram: @barber_danigirl
- Facebook: Barber Dani Girl
Image Credit:
Alex Mbanefo
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