Today we’d like to introduce you to Yaila Scott
Hi Yaila, 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?
My name is Yaila (YAY-la)! I am a wife and mother of 3 littles.
I have had an passion/ obsession with hair since the age of five or six; when my mama would do my hair or take me to our stylist. I would watch what they were doing and how they were doing my hair (torture and all), but I still loved it. So, I worked hard to get my 1st mannequin head when I was 7. I was washing towels, dusting, sweeping, and mopping for weeks (ok, it was really just two weeks… hey I was 7 !!!) Just to get this mannequin head so that I could play in her hair. I FINALLY got the mannequin head. I curled her hair ONE TIME! I washed it with HOT water! & This is when I learned that reading is fundamental, at the ripe old age of seven, because right there in black and white, it stated “do not wash hair in hot water”. This made me want to do hair even more.
I basically started having living and willing participants in middle school. The classroom was my studio. I would use Sharpie highlighters, (the ones with the window to view the contents) to color my clients hair. They knew if they placed themselves in the colorists (school desk) chair in front of me, educating was about to begin. Which has lead to my ongoing color obsession. I didn’t realize until I was much older, that most people don’t even like hair, let alone want to deal with it on an everyday basis.
In high school, I asked my dad to get me to school early, because I knew that there would be a line of ladies waiting to be styled with this new CHI flatiron, that I borrowed from my friend to get their hair bone straight each morning. This is when I learned that the right tools and the right products matter a lot and can make a world of difference in any outcome.
I visited a stylist to have my hair colored and this stylist destroyed my hair so severely, that my hair was literally coming out in clumps, due to the bleach that was left on my hair for my color process. After this experience my mind was made up, I had to do hair. I wanted to be different. I had two years of great intentions of going to nursing school, but dropped out, and went to cosmetology school instead (my Daddy was not happy with me at all). I went on to get my cosmetology license and received an offer for my dream job as a colorist at this prestigious salon! In the interim I had told my dad that I would still go to nursing school. So, I enlisted in the Navy as an Air Traffic Controller, for nearly six years, with plans to go to nursing school there (I still did hair in the mean time). By the end of my time in the Navy, I had made the final decision that I would not be going to nursing school and would instead open my own salon. All of this occurred in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic.
I opened my first salon in East Dallas, at The Village Salons, (shout out to Jolie, for helping me with so much), with minimal funds (no loans). All I had was hope dreams and lots of prayers. I only had my mama and a friend as my 1st clients. The 1st 2 years I made ZERO profit! My savings was depleted. I was negative in all my accounts, my credit cards were all maxed! All I simply knew was that I had to get started somewhere and at sometime. It was now or never at this point. While working full time then going to the salon after work. My clientele began to pick up. I made the decision to move closer to my home, where I located a place at Emerald Salon and Suites, where I have been for almost two years now. Now I can educate my clients on healthy hair and how to maintain it, even with chemical processes, themselves. Knowledge is truly powerful as I continue to educate myself in new and current processes, by attending seminars and others classes to add to my continuing education. Thanks goes to God and my day ones, because I wouldn’t be here without them.
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?
Truly, the road has been far from smooth with lots of work/ home life balancing is a struggle
I had to learn to say No!
Learning the business world.
Realizing my worth and knowing that it’s ok for me to make a living doing what I love to do and I don’t have to feel guilty was a struggle.
Working for an employer who doesn’t care about you in the least and stresses you out, just to do it, was a struggle for me.
Social media is a huge obstacle for me. Anyone that knows me, know that I completely dislike social media, but need it for my business.
Learning that everyone IS NOT your client, no matter how beautifully you do their hair. Everyone isn’t meant for you and all money isn’t good money.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I specialize in growing hair. My clients tell me all of the time I have growing hands! I just think its the attention to details! I love, love, love all hair. I provide all services whether for natural hair, curls or straight. I offer Brazilian blowouts and low heat silk presses; for my clients who want to protect their curls. I do more locs than anything. So, I guess I am know for all locs! My clients locs are soft, moisturized and not heavy at all no matter the length. Hair baths are a must! I am most proud of any color I do. I love “healthy” color! I try very hard for my clients not to get basic color like add some dimension please!
I feel what sets me apart from others is the luxurious setting is one on one in my salon. Its just you and I. My salon space is a bright, cheerful and an energizing, while also being very relaxing and chill, speak easy type of place. I use upscale products that I believe in whole heartedly which are vegan, sulfate, phosphate and paraben free also not tested on animals. I actually listen and care about my clients hair and scalp, I do offer 30 minute luxuriating, deep exfoliating shampoos (we call hair baths), with all services. Should my potential clients have any scalp issues, i.e… dry scalp, dandruff, Seborrheic dermatitis. I offer treatments for the scalp and I also offer treatments for repair of dry damaged hair, hair regrowth, moisture, hydration, curls, gray, and mature hair. I do not want any of my clients to ever feel uncomfortable in my chair. I don’t rush my clients in and out. My clients are not a number to me. I take my time to give you what you want and build a relationship with each of my clients. I think my clients should know and understand that I can be extremely meticulous when it comes to hair therapy. No ones hair therapy session will ever be rushed by me. Each session is never the same. Each session will be hair dependent. Each time you sit in my chair, I will review and conversate with you about your hair and scalp condition, each time that we are together. So, you as the client will always know what’s going on with your hair and your scalp and we together will devise a plan to get you to your hair goals and keep you on track.
The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
Yes… Keep God 1st! HANG IN THERE. Everything is temporary. Don’t beat yourself up over things that YOU cannot control. Stay positive and keep it pushing.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yailajs/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yaila.didit
Image Credits
Yaila Scott-Webb
