It’s hard to believe it is January 1,2020. As 2019 came to a close, I did something I like to do every year- a year in review. This time I even did a decade in review! As I teetered between reviewing the last 365 days and the last 10 years I kept getting hung up on the last four. Yep, you guessed it, since I've opened the salon. In case you haven't guessed yet- January 2020 blog is coming to you from me-Liza. Don't worry, Ashley our blogger extraordinaire is making her appearance here today and is back with something new starting February. But more about that in a minute.
LG Howard & Company has been a true labor of love for me. I often call it my baby because although separate from who I am, it is very much a part of me. From the moment I signed the lease I have been all in. Starting with 3 months of a build-out that held many surprises. Including finding money under the first tile I popped off the floor!
Unfortunately, that’s all the money that was found.
Doing the buildout stretched me to learn about things I never thought I would. If you need help dry-walling, let me know, I’m your girl. Little did I know that was just the beginning. Despite that I had been doing hair for almost 9 years when we opened our doors, I still had a long road ahead of me. Over the course of those 9 years doing hair I worked at a lot of salons. I was a bit of a vagabond if you will and Florida was my 5th state to live in, in five years. Every salon I was at I would think either “yes! this is the environment I want to create in my own salon some day.” or “okay, mental note-NEVER do that.” Each salon I was at was successful in their own right and in no way a “bad” place. However, I knew what kinds of salons inspired their teams and had an environment of love and family. And so became my biggest endeavor.
There are moments I feel we have grown slower that what others expected or even what I expected. But through our growing pains I kept my eyes on one target. The culture I wanted to create. While some salons would hire any stylist who would walk through their doors, or at least the ones with loads of experience and guests in tow. I would not. You cant take pee out of the pool. Meaning once you allow a toxicity into your culture- its not as easy as letting that person go to clean it back up. Unless a stylist has a servants heart, a willingness to learn and grow, and the desire to uplift others- they are not my tribe.
I have a lot of guests who I have been seeing since we opened. They often comment what a remarkable team I have. How “lucky” I am too have such a great group of girls. But luck has nothing to do with it. I have been intentional about who I let on my team or in my pool.
We are a family. We have each others backs. We celebrate each others victories and we grieve each others loses. They inspire me everyday to be better and I am blessed to know each of them. Which brings me to the purpose of our 2020 blog. I know when you come into the salon you are greeted by multiple smiling faces. You may even know each persons name. But I want to truly invite you into our family.
Each month we are going to dedicate our blog to interviewing a different member of the team. It will be a mix of both personal and professional questions. If you are already a guest of LG Howard it will give you context to some of our silliness. If you're a new guest, maybe it will help you to chose the right stylist for you. Either way, we hope you enjoy! We are kicking off January with none other the the girl behind the blog- ASHLEY!
THE INTERVIEW
Q: First, tell me a little bit about who Ashley is?
A:I am 35 years old and a mother of two. I was born and raised in Port Charlotte Florida and lived here until 2011. After spending three years in the frozen state of New York, my family and I decided to move back to sunny Southwest Florida.
Q: What is one of your favorite childhood memories?
A: Oh gosh I have a lot of childhood memories. I think my best memories are of my friends and I putting on music and we would make up dances, and then either put on a performance for our family or friends. Also just all the time I spent outside. I lived in a great neighborhood with lots of kids and we would always be riding our bikes between the houses climbing trees and making forts in the woods.
Q: What are your hobbies now?
A: My hobbies now are pretty tame compared to when I was younger. I used to enjoy extreme sports like skateboarding, and wake skating. These days I spend my free time painting, mainly with acrylics. I also study theology and comparative religious practices. It’s always been a topic of interest for me that I’ve studied since my teens. Knowledge is like water for me. I can’t get enough.
Q: If you could have lunch with anyone, alive or deceased, who would it be?
A: Wow! Alive or deceased? Can I have two? I would love to see my grandmother again. She was like a best friend to me, and had the best advice, stories etc. I miss our conversations. The second would be the current Dalai Llama. I’ve read several books by him, and his knowledge mixed with his humor is a conversation I’d feel blessed to have.
Q:What is your favorite book or movie and why?
A: My favorite book is kind of lame, but I would say “The Giver” by Lowis Lowry. I read it for the first time in the 5th grade and probably 20 times since then. It was the first time I questioned society and the motives within. It had a profound effect on my ideals, and beliefs. If you haven’t read it, I encourage you to check it out. Not the movie though, they never get the movies right!
Q:What is a little known fun fact about you that you think your guests would be surprised to hear?
A:Fun fact, I’m kind of a hypochondriac! I’m probably dying from three unknown diseases right now!! Lol see knowledge can be good and bad!
Q: When did you first know you wanted to be a hairstylist? Did you pursue it right away?What made you want to become a stylist?
A: Being a hairstylist honestly always was the right fit for me. I’ve always loved doing hair since my mom had me do her highlights at our kitchen table when I was around 13 or 14. I would do all kinds of crazy stuff to my own hair and my friends. It didn’t “click” until I was 29 and didn’t really want to be an insurance agent anymore. My mom and husband both looked at me and asked “why don’t you do hair?” I thought to myself, why don’t I? That was it, I enrolled the following day and thank my lucky stars I finally found my passion!
Q: When you first became a stylist what was the thing that surprised you the most?
A:What surprised me the most was how much room for expression there was. I had total freedom to create. There were rules to follow but some rules are made to be broken.
Q:Now a stylist, what is your favorite thing about the industry?
A: There isn’t one thing in this industry that is my favorite. It’s the whole package. It’s exciting and fun, it’s outside of the box and a little badass!
Q: What made you choose LG Howard & Company?
A: I chose LG Howard because of the vibe. I don’t do well in environments with drama and ego’s. Everyone was supportive and fun. Like a family! The energy is so important in a workplace for me and I knew I found my home here.
Q:What is one thing you wish all of your guests knew?
A: I wish all my guests knew how important them and their hair are to me. If what I’m doing isn’t making you smile and feel amazing every time you style your hair then I’m not happy! That’s my goal to make every person in love with their hair.
~Liza