We’re looking forward to introducing you to Laura Snyder. Check out our conversation below.
Hi Laura, thank you for taking the time to reflect back on your journey with us. I think our readers are in for a real treat. There is so much we can all learn from each other and so thank you again for opening up with us. Let’s get into it: What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
My family brings me so much joy outside of work. As someone who can tend towards workaholism, having 3 children ages 4 and under definitely helps me to stay grounded in what really matters. My youngest is only 6 months old, and seeing her face light up with her gummy smile and happy kicks when I walk in the door is matched only by hearing my other 2 yelling “mom!” as they run to greet me.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m a bridal hairstylist in central Indiana, and I also am a licensed marriage and family therapist. My primary role is as a stylist and business owner, but seeing a small caseload of therapy clients is a great way to remember what really matters. I also have found that a mental health counseling background is a handy ace up the sleeve during potentially stressful wedding mornings!
I started doing hair after feeling like a stylist had made me look awful for a high school dance, and I vowed then that I’d never let anyone else style my hair. In time, I realized I could be that person for others as well, and I’m so passionate about helping people realize a previous bad hairstyle says nothing about their actual beauty. I’ve been in the wedding industry for nearly a decade now, and watching the magic of a wedding morning, as all the parts that have been planned for months or years come together, is always exciting and incredible.
Okay, so here’s a deep one: What relationship most shaped how you see yourself?
My relationship with my mom gave me so much of my inner voice, for which I’m incredibly thankful. I now know that she was very intentional about not letting others label me as “shy” or “quiet” as a kid (even though I was), framing those always as ways I was feeling in the moment that were always open to change based on my comfort and readiness. She created opportunities for me to try new things and challenge myself but didn’t push me if I wasn’t open to it. She was also very mindful of not rushing me to be older or more mature than I was at any given age, allowing me to experience each stage as fully as possible. As a result, I feel confident, self-assured, able to trust my gut, able to advocate for myself, and I feel like I’m able to soak in each moment without feeling like I’ve missed something. That sets the stage for so many of the choices I’m able to make now.
My relationship with my husband really was the catalyst to break me out of my shy/quiet mould, though. He challenged me in ways no parent ever could, and his admiration and praise for my work meant (and still means) the world to me. In the 20 years that we’ve known each other, he’s helped me move from shy kid to confident adult, and he’s kept me laughing along the way.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
My younger self was a very “good girl,” and while that’s not been all bad, it created a very broad spectrum of what could be defined as failure, which didn’t serve me. I would like to tell my younger self that discontinuing something you don’t like, even if you *can* do it and even if others value that work, in favor of doing something you love, is not failure. I was so worried I would be seen as “lesser than” if I didn’t do all the things that I kept myself in positions I could have moved on from for longer than was necessary. Being reminded that deciding you don’t like something/don’t want to do it is a good enough reason to not do that thing when other options are available to you is something I wish I could have heard more often when I was younger. Just because you’re capable and can, doesn’t mean you should.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
I think the beauty industry struggles with a dichotomy between saying beauty is on the inside but then narrowly portraying specific elements of what’s deemed acceptable external beauty. Everyone gets their opinion on what is beautiful, but no one can say for another person that “this is most attractive for [your face shape, your body type, your coloring…]” It’s all subjective. What you like on you is best for you. There is no expert who knows you better than you know you, and anyone who claims to know you better than you is lying. I don’t care what their experience is. They know what they like on you better. But beauty is so much more than what 1 person (regardless of their status or profession) thinks.
I also think there’s a general perception that you need to be a social media influencer to be successful in the beauty industry. As someone who does not want to make reels (so I don’t) and doesn’t want to be showing my life in IG stories daily (so I don’t), I still have a booked bridal calendar and earn the money I want to for my business. I’m not being flown to Italy, I’m not in the most elite publications, and I don’t have tens of thousands of followers. You don’t need that for success.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. When do you feel most at peace?
I feel most at peace when I feel like I’m in balance. I want to feel a gut alignment with the time I’m working vs the time I’m with my family, with the time I have to relax vs the time I’m pushing myself, and the energy I’m devoting to each person in my chair vs the energy I pour into myself and my loved ones. When my internal state feels balanced with these, then I feel at peace.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://laurasnyderhair.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/laurasnyderhair
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/laurasnyderhair
- Other: https://pinterest.com/laurasnyderhair
Image Credits
Photo credits:
Headshot – Katherine Mei Photo
bride and 2 bridesmaids by brick wall – Katherine Mei Photo
Black and white glam waves – Holly Lea Photo
Black and white updo – Kaitlin Mendoza Photo
Bride and groom by lake – Jenny Haas Photo
Bride and groom on stairs – Julia Elise Photo
Bride putting on earring – Morgan Ruth Photo
Bride and mom getting dressed – Sarah Higgins Photo
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
