Meet Natalie & Naomi Vasquez

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Natalie & Naomi Vasquez. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Natalie & Naomi below.

Natalie & Naomi , thank you so much for taking the time to share your lessons learned with us and we’re sure your wisdom will help many. So, one question that comes up often and that we’re hoping you can shed some light on is keeping creativity alive over long stretches – how do you keep your creativity alive?

Hi! We’re Natalie, 26, and Naomi, 24, co-owners of VasXSalon in Upland, CA. We launched our salon over two years ago, driven by our passion for hairstyling and helping our clients achieve their hair goals.

To keep our creativity thriving, we stay updated on current trends by exploring social media platforms and observing what’s popular in our industry. We also find inspiration at music festivals, where we love seeing how people express their individuality through their outfits and styles. Additionally, we pay close attention to our clients’ requests during consultations and appointments.

Creativity can stem from many sources, and we cherish the fact that we get to explore it not only for our own enjoyment but also through our experiences with our clients while running our business.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

Hi, I’m Natalie and I am 26 years old I have been a licensed cosmetologist focused on Hair styling services including Hair Extension’s and Eyelash extensions for over 8 years and I am Naomi 24 years old and I was 21 years old when I became a licensed cosmetologist and we decided to open our first business together called VasXSalon in Upland, CA. In over 2 years that we have opened we went from a 5 person semi private suite salon layout to now an open floor plan where we are able to have 10 stylist’s be part of our team. We have grown our clientele from 20 clients when we first opened in October of 2022 to now over 1500 clients that have visited our salon in a little over 2 years.

At VasXSalon, we are dedicated to transforming our clients’ hair dreams into reality. As co-owners, we take pride in offering a wide range of services, including our Signature Layered Haircut, VasXSalon Signature Blowout, hair extensions, and vibrant coloring techniques like balayage and vivid colors. Our goal is to create a personalized experience for each client, ensuring they leave feeling confident and beautiful.

What Makes Us Special
What excites us most about our work is the opportunity to be creative every day. Each client brings their unique vision, and we love collaborating with them to bring that vision to life. We thrive on staying ahead of trends, drawing inspiration from social media, music festivals, and the latest styles. This dynamic environment keeps our creativity alive and allows us to continuously evolve our craft.

New Developments
We’re thrilled to announce that we offer high-quality 100% Human Hair Tape-In Extensions “VasXExtensions”, available in lengths from 16” to 26”, perfect for those looking to enhance their look instantly. Additionally, we are committed to providing top-notch products, which is why we have partnered with luxury hair styling lines such as Kevin Murphy hair product lines for retail sale and immediate purchase in our salon.

Stay tuned for upcoming events and promotions as we continue to grow and expand our offerings. We can’t wait to share more exciting news with you soon! Thank you for being a part of our journey at VasXSalon.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

1. Our passion for creativity, our love for hairstyling fuels our motivation and drives us to continuously improve our skills.

Advice: Cultivate your passion by experimenting with different styles and techniques. Don’t be afraid to make changes to your space, we feel that if we had not decided to remodel and expand our location we wouldn’t have grown from it being a team of 5 to now having 10 amazing stylist’s being a part of our team. Attend workshops, follow trends, and never hesitate to express your creativity.

2. Strong Communication Skills: Establishing relationships with our clients and understanding their needs has been vital to our success. For instance, if a client leaves the salon unhappy with their haircut or color, it’s essential to listen to their concerns and address the situation as best as we can. We believe in taking accountability, validating their feelings, and making the necessary adjustments so they leave satisfied—just as we would want to be treated in a similar situation, ensuring they don’t feel dismissed.

Advice: Practice active listening and ask open-ended questions during consultations, take into consideration their inspiration pictures they have provided us. This will help you connect with clients and better understand their desires.

3. Adaptability: The beauty industry is constantly evolving, and our ability to embrace new trends and technologies has been key to our relevance. We actively invest in our marketing efforts, both by following and creating trends. Platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and other social media channels have been crucial in attracting the majority of our clientele. We conduct thorough research and analyze insights and analytics to determine what strategies are effective. Additionally, we prioritize asking our clients how they discovered us—whether through referrals from friends, social media posts, Google searches, or Yelp reviews.
As times have changed, traditional television has taken a backseat; our generation increasingly relies on online streaming and social media platforms to find their new hairstylist. Therefore, we strive to stay ahead of trends and consistently share engaging content.

Advice: Stay informed about industry changes and be open to learning. Embrace feedback and be willing to pivot your approach when necessary.

For those just starting their journey- Seek Education: Take courses or attend seminars to enhance your technical skills and industry knowledge follow other social media profiles and see what they are doing and what is working for them.

Network: Connect with other professionals in the field to share experiences and learn from one another.

Stay Inspired: Follow industry leaders on social media, read blogs, and watch tutorials to keep your creativity flowing.

Embrace your journey with enthusiasm, and remember that growth comes from both successes and challenges!

Alright so to wrap up, who deserves credit for helping you overcome challenges or build some of the essential skills you’ve needed?

Throughout our journey at VasXSalon, many individuals have been instrumental in helping us navigate challenges and develop the essential skills necessary for success. Experienced hairstylists and salon owners have provided invaluable guidance, sharing their knowledge and insights about the industry. Their advice on technical skills and client management has significantly contributed to our growth. We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to our mentor, Jessica Lampkin of @evolveeffect. She played a pivotal role in guiding us as we opened our salon at such a young age and has continued to support us throughout our journey. We are truly grateful for her willingness to share her experiences and provide constructive feedback. Our family and friends have also been our biggest cheerleaders, encouraging us during difficult times and celebrating our successes. Their belief in our vision has motivated us to overcome challenges, and their unwavering support has given us the confidence to pursue our dreams. Last but not least, we want to acknowledge our incredible team that have joined us over the past two years, we wouldn’t be where we are today without each of you. Collaborating with our talented team at VasXSalon has created a creative and supportive environment, allowing us to learn from one another, share ideas, and tackle challenges together. We appreciate the diverse skills and perspectives our team brings, which enriches our overall service and creativity. We recognize that success is rarely achieved alone; the combined support of mentors, loved ones, and our team has been essential in shaping our path at VasXSalon, and we are deeply grateful for their contributions to our growth and success.

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