Life and Work with Marisol Valenzuela

Today we’d like to introduce you to Marisol Valenzuela.

Marisol, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
It all began in 2013 while I was in high school. I attended high school during the day and cosmetology school during the night. I did this for two full school years. It was intense being a teenager with homework but also juggling a career. I never had any interest in hair. I was informed about cosmetology school through an ad and I said “Why not? Why not try it!” I went into school absolutely not knowing anything! I could barely do my own hair. I grew a passion for hair as I kept learning new things along the way. I absolutely love doing hair now. Soon after, I graduated in 2015, I began as a receptionist in a corporate salon as I waited to be licensed. I began assisting after a couple of months and did that for a full year. I learned the in and outs of a salon environment and finally felt comfortable to take my own clients. I have been behind the chair for four years now part-time as I finished going to school for my bachelors. I graduated with my BA in business April of this year and I am ready to show the world what is next!

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?
No way! I always say nothing worth in life comes easy. It has been tough, really tough. The hair industry is really competitive. You have to figure out what makes yourself stand out and how you can market yourself differently than all the other licensed cosmetologist. The one thing I always keep in mind is to never stop learning and never get too comfortable. Growing a clientele wasn’t easy. It takes time and patience. Not only is there obstacles in my career, but also in my life. As I mentioned earlier, I attended a university as I was working behind the chair. Being a full-time college student takes a lot of time. I always made sure that I had time for both without affecting either or. I just had to remind myself that I was working on my career to eventually merge both my education in business with my cosmetology business. My advice for young women is to keep pushing. In today’s society, women are acquiring positions that were not available to them before. We need to strive to break those barriers that are set in place. We shouldn’t stop reaching for the stars simply because we are “women.” THE FUTURE IS FEMALE. Keep going and keep proving the world who you are.

Please tell us about Solbeautyy.
Everything that has to do with hair, I do! I specialize in haircuts, hairstyles, blow dry, color corrections, balayage, ombre, highlights, perms, braids, color, creative colors and more. I work on all hair types: straight, wavy, curly or kinky. All types can be thin, medium or thick. I have done it all. The most common service I do is blonding. I have fixed it all. I work on hair that has been extremely damaged to virgin hair. It’s all fascinating to me. I love when someone says, “Wow, I should’ve just come here in the first place!” Doing color is overall my favorite. I am most known for all the foils I put in my client’s hair! I nearly use up a whole foil box on one set of hair! Haha. I love being able to change someone’s appearance, mood, and confidence in a matter of one simple appointment. Solbeauty is what I call my work. It is connecting myself to my clients. It is about building relationships and seeing them blossom with hair. I enjoy doing what I do every day because I get to meet amazing people who are worth continuing this career. Without my clients, I would not be here. It’s not just about hair. It’s about the overall client experience and I make sure every day, I make myself completely available to help a customer feel the best and look their best while sitting in my chair!

Are there any apps, books, podcasts or other resources that you’ve benefited from using?
There are so many resources I use that help me do my best in life. The greatest resources I have are my fellow colleagues. Alondra Molina, a cosmetologist at Willow & Root, has been a big inspiration and friend in this industry. Her amazing work with hair motivates me to learn new things and always makes me think outside the box. Veronica Peraza, a business owner of Veronica & Co., is a boss lady! Her work ethic and dedication to her career is truly amazing! She has grown her business tremendously and she hasn’t even been in business for a year yet! It’s truly inspiring! She’s my definition of a true female boss! Alongside Veronica is Joseph Mireles, also at Veronica & Co. Joey is an amazing hairstylist with a one of a kind personality! Who wouldn’t want to be in his chair??! Then, there is China Coleman, a fellow coworker at Instyle Salon. She is best known for her haircuts and blow-drys. I always watch and take notes! These four stylists are great resources for myself. I never feel in competition with them. They help me grow and learn new things. There are a few books that have given meaningful advice that I use to help shape my career. Those books are: The 7 Habits of Effective People, Good to Great, The Lean Startup, How to Win Friends and Influence People, etc. I highly recommend picking these up!

Pricing:

• Haircut $30
• Haircut & Blowdry $40
• Hairstyle $50+
• Single Process $65+
• Single Process w/ Haircut $85+
• Partial Foil $70+
• Foil $100+
• Dimensional Color $120+
• Balayage $160+
• Ombré $180+
• Babylight $150+
• Creative Color $100+
• Corrective Color $140+

Contact Info:

• Phone: 6028100507
• Email: marisolvalenzuela19@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/solbeautyy/

Image Credit:
@solbeautyy

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