Today we’d like to introduce you to Leah Webb.
Hi Leah, 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?
“Get an education and be Independent.” That was a mantra throughout my life that my Mother & Grandmother drummed into my head. As far back as I can remember, I was told to value having a skill, an education and my own money.
I was what they call a latchkey kid growing up with a single working Mom, with two very bossy sisters in a diverse working class neighborhood on an island in the middle of nowhere. Being in that environment, I saw first hand that creative ideas, ingenuity, hard work and the drive it took to make ends meet. My Mom was a teacher & educator in the public school system and if we wanted extra money, we had to work. I wanted my own money, and the small business hustle was born.
I started making my own money early on, I collected cans and bottles for recycling money, babysitting, washed cars, lawn service and house cleaning and house painting gigs all before I was 15 and able to actually get a job legally.
I went to college, graduated with a business degree from the University of North Texas and worked three part-time jobs before I found a full-time job. I worked 12 years for other people before I decided to go beauty school. I knew early on that I wanted my own business and I knew it would not be easy. Nothing worth having ever is, my Grandmother always said.
She was another strong independent women in my life who believed in being self-made.
Hairdressing and Toni & Guy Academy changed my life, it gave me an incredible education, work ethic, creative growth and opened doors for me to so many amazing opportunities and experiences in the beauty industry. My career has afforded me to work with musicians, celebrities, fashion week, magazine shoots, television and film work, teaching others and my first love working with clients behind the chair. I have owned two salons in my career, sold one two years ago, been an educator and mentor to other stylists and I continue to love what I do to this day. It is suffice to say that starting and owning any small business is not for the faint of heart. It is incredibly hard work made to look easy if done right, but nonetheless worth all the blood, sweat and tears. I can’t imagine not being my own boss. It is in my DNA, so much that I am always looking for that next side hustle.
I am currently the proud owner of a small boutique salon in the busy exciting Seaholm district in downtown Austin called Salon 1150. Me and the incredible staff I work with will celebrate our 3rd year in business in October 2021. Covid threw us all a curveball but we made it through. I credit my husband and partner in life, my family & friends, staff and our clients for our survival as a small business. It has been quite the ride and I look forward to what the future holds for me and all the brave small business owners out there. I am grateful and I am still here.
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?
Some of my biggest challenges were not what I thought they would be. You literally can learn how to do anything, get information, education and find other professionals to help you with your business. When I started out in 2010, opening my first salon, I did have the large task of the small business loan obstacle to overcome…. since you have to have lots of money or equity or an investor to get the money to start a business. I had none of that when I started out 11 years ago, so I put up my biggest asset for a loan, my house. That was scary since I had two small kids and a husband building his own small business at the time. To say we were crazy to take this big leap of faith was an understatement. But we did the damn thing.
Another challenge as a small business owner is that all the responsibility lands on you and your shoulders at the end of the day and that can be really heavy at times. I never worked so hard in my life.
And people are the toughest challenge because I learned that no matter what you do, you can’t make everyone happy. And as a small business owner, you will work harder than any employee you have if you’re doing right. I have had some of the most important learning moments, biggest heartbreaks and the most joyous moments with the people that have worked for me.
Also, I have learned that change is a constant and inevitable, if you can’t roll with it, you won’t make it.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a hair painter at my core, I specialize in modern lived in hair color and color correction services. I dry cut all my haircuts for a low maintenance and easy grow out. My work as an educator and hairdresser has been published in various publications and magazines (Allure, Woman’s Journal, Men’s Health, La Grazia, Elle, Austin Monthly and more) I am most proud of how I am ever-evolving and growing as a professional hairdresser. I believe that education is lifelong and there is always something to learn and staying motivated and inspired is crucial to being successful. I specialize in woman’s hairdressing and I am an advocate for healthy happy hair. I believe in giving back, so when I can, I teach a class at local hair schools and offer to share real-life experience and creative skills to up and coming hairdressers.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
Doing hair is more than just doing hair…. It is a skill and a science. Get serious about your education and customer service skills. if you want to grow as a successful hairdresser, for those just starting out as newbies in the hairdressing world, Apprenticeship is crucial. You have no real-world experience so assisting is very important. Try and find a hair salon that offers an ongoing in-house advanced education program that resonates with you. Interview different salons, they want a good fit, just like you do.
Also, have a side hustle for a while or a savings because you will not make the big bucks starting out. Learn from those who have come before you, take it in and know that there is more to hairdressing than hair. It is about people and how we make them feel when they sit in our chairs.
Contact Info:
- Email: lwebbatx@gmail.com
- Website: www.salon1150.com
- Instagram: Instagram.com/leahwebbcolor
- Facebook: Leahwebbcolor
Image Credits
Photos by James Webb
