Today we’d like to introduce you to Vandy V.
Hi Vandy, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
After earning 2 degrees and working in Accounting for more than 15 years, I found maintaining a healthy work/life balance was impossible without the ability to set boundaries for myself. For years I moonlighted as a hairstylist and taught myself natural hair and protective styling techniques as a getaway from every day 9 to 5.
In 2018 I decided to take a break from corporate life and focus on my side hustle full time. Little did I know, I would find not only a passion in what I do but discovered thousands of supportive followers who were on the same journey.
I built a salon in my home and my client load grew to a 100+ waitlist within a few months. I also transitioned my YouTube channel from makeup tutorials to teaching what I have learned through the series Braid School. The VLS Hair brand grew so fast, in 2021 I was able to move operations to a commercial Braiding Studio Located in Pflugerville Texas.
Through it all, being a military spouse and mother, none of this would be possible without the support of my family and friends.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
No road to entrepreneurship is easy. Self-discipline was the biggest obstacle in the beginning because only YOU can be held accountable for your successes and failures. When I decided to go full-time, I struggled for several months just to get up in the morning. To get on track, I set myself on a work schedule to get up and write down everything I was going to do that day. I even put a dry-erase board in my studio and wrote down all my appointments so my mind would be prepared for every interaction.
Once I was on a schedule, work-life was easy until my inbox kept alerting me. I started tracking a waitlist monthly just to see how much the demand was. Sure enough, I had way more demand than I had hands for, so I started looking for help which was a huge challenge because this business requires a consistent work ethic. I cycled through a few assistants until I found a few reliable hands. I added a 2nd chair to my home salon and I was able to service double the clientele.
As the demand kept growing, space was getting smaller, so I had to decide if I wanted to stop and be comfortable where I was or expand to a larger space. In 2020 I started a search for a larger space which took way longer than expected. Between landlords being unresponsive, price inflation and Covid shutdowns, finding a space seemed impossible.
In the middle of the search, My husband of 15 years was diagnosed with stage 4 advanced colon cancer. He was scheduled for multiple surgeries and intensive chemotherapy until further notice. Of course, I dropped everything including the search. There’s so much I can’t do without his support and now I had to support him. I still took clients but I suspended the search because I knew if I opened a salon, I would never be home. His health came first. Thankfully we were surrounded by so much support from friends and family. One day he came to me and told me to keep pushing forward.
My good friend who’s a realtor, finally found the best location possible and I moved the salon to the Pflugerville location May 2021. I was adamant about doing all of this without loans, so I paid cash for the entire build-out, plumbing and electrical. Covid and supply chain issues delayed completion for over a year, so I never really got the chance to host a grand opening. Nevertheless, the clients continued to support and we still have a waitlist.
On top of all of this, I still recorded, edited and posted content for the YouTube Channel weekly!
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
In addition to building the braiding business, I am a full-time content creator. All of my content is produced, written and edited by myself to keep the messaging cohesive and maintain its personal touch my viewers have come to appreciate. My audience enjoys my content for my creativity and how I can explain things in a clear and relatable way.
When I was a kid, I knew I had a love and skill for hair, I just didn’t have the tools or resources available to cultivate my talents. My target audience is essentially the kid in me.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
While most of my peers in this profession started young, I didn’t get started until much later in life. However, I attribute much of my success to my education and experience in the business. Finances are the heartbeat of every business, and I can analyze a financial statement in my sleep. My primary message is that it’s never too late to pursue your dreams. If you aren’t sure where to start, go with your gut, go with the thing that moves you, and surround yourself with people who support and respect you. Some of my best friends I met doing hair.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.vlshair.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vandyvanity/
- Facebook: https://www.instagram.com/vlshairatx/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBSsPD4V71KM4FvmDxVk9ww
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@braid_school
Image Credits
Feature Image: https://www.instagram.com/akdphoto/ All other images by myself
