Today we’d like to introduce you to Carissa Mendoza.
Carissa, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I always knew I would end up fitting into the hair world in some form or another. However, when I graduated high school, I also really wanted to experience college, so I attended Florida State University and got a degree in elementary education. After I graduated, I started working as a teacher, but it never felt right. I was really unhappy and kept thinking about doing hair. After four long years, I left my teaching position and enrolled in hair school. Finally, it felt like I was going down the right path. I worked as hard as I could to graduate as fast as possible. Once I graduated, I found an assistant position at a salon in Dallas. This led me to find a great mentor, Beau Bollinger. When Beau decided to break from the salon and set out to create his own business/brand, he asked me to go and pursue an apprenticeship with him. Since Beau only cuts hair, he was offering to help develop my cutting skills and teach me the business side of being an independent hairdresser, but I would need to take my color education into my own hands. However, it also meant that he needed someone to color his clients, and since color was where I felt my strength was, I knew I could find many outlets for education as well as train myself on new and upcoming trends. Moving on with Beau was the best decision, for the next two years, I learned under Beau three days a week and grew my own business as an independent stylist on the other days. Last January, Beau Bollinger opened his own salon, Hairstory Studio Dallas, and I made the move with him. I just finished my first year on my own as an independent hairdresser at Hairstory Studio Dallas, and could not be more excited for what the future will bring.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It may not have been a bumpy road, but it certainly was not easy. I knew after the first year of teaching that it was not for me, but it was difficult to leave a job that had benefits and provided stability. My mom had given me advice when I decided to pursue teaching that has stuck with me and applies to any job, “If you have to talk yourself into going to work each day it’s time to leave. It’s unfair to the children you are teaching, the people you work with or yourself.” I was not my best self when I loathed what I was doing every single day. The minute I started hair school, things felt right. It was still very hard and took a lot of discipline. I worked a full-time job while attending school full time. My next piece of advice is, if you really want something, do not let yourself get distracted by anything or anyone else. I have a very supportive family and husband (at the time, he was a very supportive boyfriend) that only lifted me up. These are the people I relied on and brought with me on my journey. You have to really think about the people you choose to surround yourself with, who are your true friends that really have your best interest in mind. It’s hard, but when you really think about it we all have people that do not bring a positive light into our lives and that can be the difference between our successes and our failures. This brings me to another piece of advice, seek out people who inspire you and/or you find interesting. These people will be the ones to influence you the most and help drive your success. My final piece of advice and probably the most important is always believe in yourself and stay true to who you are.
Please tell us more about your work, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
I love my job so much, it’s my hobby, my passion, and career all in one!! I am a hairdresser here in Dallas. I do both cut and color, specializing in hand-painted hair or balayage. The world of color in every form has always fascinated me. I love the history of color, the chemistry involved, and the influence it has in our lives. Then, you apply these principles to the world of hair and I fall in love with it all over. A cut and or color can transform the way someone looks, feels or even acts. I love collaborating with my clients to create a look that brings out their personality and makes them feel like their most authentic selves. This is what drives me to do what I do and grow in my craft daily. I am most proud of the connections I make with my clients. The skills and knowledge I continue to develop and execute provide my clients with customized cuts and colors to fit their lifestyle and personalities.
What’s the most important piece of advice you could give to a young woman just starting her career?
Find joy in what you do daily and never stop learning.
Contact Info:
- Address: Hairstory Studio Dallas
1906 N Henderson Ave
Dallas, TX 75206 - Website: https://www.hairstorydallas.com/carissa-mendoza/
- Phone: 6108646325 (text only)
- Email: carissahairdressing@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carissa.obrien/
Image Credit:
Bliss Kaufman, Beau Bollinger
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