Today we’d like to introduce you to Vilma Lopez.
Hi Vilma, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Since I was a teenager, I knew I wanted to have my own business. So, when I was in high school, I took an IB program that focused on marketing and business. In college, I got a degree in Interior design at the University of Puerto Rico. After graduating, I went straight to work in my field, but I felt that I needed to do more than what I was doing in the companies I was working with. I decided to move to the United States to learn English so I can rise up the companies’ ladder and get better opportunities and expand my clientele. After arriving in the United States, the first thing I did was put all of my life savings into my enrollment to a university-level ESL program. I did not want to just learn how to speak English, I needed to write and read at the professional level if I wanted to run my own business’s administrative tasks such as paperwork. I am a person who likes to do the best work I can possibly do, no matter how difficult it seems at first.
When I finished my ESL course, I decided to further challenge myself into taking high-level English courses, and during that time is when I fell in love with Texas and decided to stay. But that meant that now I needed to find a way to support myself, and thus came the motivation and my first step into the beauty profession. I started doing hair in the salon next to my apartment where I learned all the basics about hair, from a biological standpoint, and the foundations of being a hairstylist. I was also able to practice working with English speakers in a non-academic setting, which helped me learn and understand my courses in a way I wouldn’t have otherwise. This salon is also where the passion for styling hair bloomed in me. I began working hourly, then I became a part-time worker, then full-time, then overtime, all the way to being booked for weeks to months ahead of time with a lengthy waiting list.
I soon married a military man and then started traveling with him to the different military bases which was another blessing in disguise since it allowed me to work and learn the intricacies of hair textures from other countries, all while learning about the different cultures and the new languages. This gave me the opportunity to work in Europe, specifically in Germany, where I could learn all the latest fashion hairstyles in Europe before the techniques would make it to America.
After a while, I myself moved back to America and continued my business life as a manager in W. I Salon as a manager, where the owner of this salon “adopted me” (figuratively speaking) and taught me everything I needed to know about the hair salon business. Our location in Pflugerville became his most profitable salon before he sold his two businesses. Since he sold his two businesses, I decided to work in hair as an independent stylist, and I did that for some time. After a while, I had the opportunity to buy a salon from a friend who was selling the location and thus blossomed Fairlady Salon.
It has been 16 years and counting since I’ve been the owner of Fairlady salon and I truly believe all of the different paths I have taken in my life has helped me in every step of being a business owner and also experienced worker i.e., marketing, interior design, English degree, cosmetology, and not to mention the certifications I was able to obtain over the years through frequent exam taking and qualification seminars.
I want to say that the most important thing that kept me going on my journey and that allowed me the motivation to continuing pursuing my journey is my faith and utmost trust in God. Without Him, nothing I have told you would have happened.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
My road has been a little rough since I came to the United States. My first roadblock was when I needed to pay out-of-state tuition to go to the university-level ESL course. The second roadblock was the financial issues I had after my divorce. The third roadblock is the one I live with every day: my Spanish accent. It is sometimes difficult to ask people to look past the accent to the person I am inside.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Fairlady Salon?
Our salon is a hidden gem in Pflugerville, Texas. We have been voted best salon in Pflugerville for three years in a row. The salon is also certified as a Redken 5th avenue salon, a very prestigious honor based on expertise, technique, and service. But one of the salon’s most favorite things to do is to donate our time and services to the community, for example, the year we gave free haircuts as a back-to-school special alongside another organization that was donating free school supplies and backpacks.
Fairlady Salon specializes in services including but not limited to a simple trim to the most complex Balayage, but we also closely follow the current trends, whatever they may be, to ensure our clients only the very best in service and final product. The salon is known for our expertise and extensive knowledge of hair, from a biological standpoint all the way up to the client’s preferences on where to part the hair. We here at Fairlady Salon take great care to continue our education on every new service that may be arising, maybe a new hair cutting technique or a better way to construct hair color formulas for each individual client, anything new that we did not know before, we make sure we find a way to know. Not to mention how exciting these continuing education classes are as a team bonding moment!
Most importantly, Fairlady Salon is a place where you can find the same high quality of service of city-style looks but with down-home prices!
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
As a business owner, I am happiest seeing a satisfied client leave my business. My passion is lifting people’s spirits through beauty. It is such an amazing feeling to see a person smiling with newfound confidence after me and my stylists are able to meet the client’s request.
As a single mom, I am happiest seeing every achievement in my daughter’s life. It makes me so proud to see her fight through a difficult time and persevere because it reminds me of every time I had to do the same.
As a Christian, I am happiest knowing there is a better place for those who believe in him and that God is the reason for the many opportunities and successes I have gained throughout the years.
Contact Info:
- Email: vilmalopez1999@yahoo.com
- Website: www.Fairladysalon.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/fairladysalon
