Meet Vanessa Toro

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Vanessa Toro a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Vanessa , appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?

First of all I got my resilience from my dad. He taught me unconditional love and sacrifice. As I child I saw him work months of sleepless nights to give me and my siblings the best life he could give us. I also have to thank god and my great support team. Ever since I was a little girl, life’s thrown a lot at me. I’ve gone through childhood sexual abuse, racism, bullying in school, physical abuse, PCOS, betrayal, heartbreak, nearly fatal car accidents, almost dying, you name it. I’ve been underestimated more times than I can count. Even as a kid in sports, I was small, but I had twice the heart and twice the drive. I went on to make MVPs in games and play roller derby both in Miami and now in Orlando, where I learned how to take all that pain and pressure and turn it into power. Derby gave me a place to crash into the world head-on and still get back up. I’ve also fallen from ten foot concrete bowls at the skateparks and honestly that’s kind of a metaphor for my life. I fall, I bleed, I get back up stronger.

I’ve spent years doing physical and mental therapy, learning how to heal and protect my peace. These days, I don’t entertain unhealed energy or negativity. I make space only for people who bring love and genuineness. When someone shows me who they are, I believe them and I let go. No hesitation.

Working at Scandalous Artistry has been one of the biggest blessings in my life. Meeting and learning from Nikki Scandalous. She’s my mentor, my friend and meeting her changed everything. We were friends before we worked together, and she’s one of the people who truly saw me for who I am. After years of being treated like a salon slave, just cleaning, fetching, never really being taught, Nikki has given me the space to grow. To learn. To shine and become who I really am. And now, I finally feel like I’m where I belong! It’s the best environment I could ask for, coming from 16 other salons I’ve worked at that gave me trauma through toxic
people and organized scrutiny.

I’ve faced misogyny in barber school too. Male dominated industry who didn’t take me seriously because I’m a woman, because I didn’t fit their idea of what a barber should look like. But I taught myself. I cut hair in homeless shelters for free just to practice. I did whatever it took to keep my dream alive, and I’ll keep doing it because this is my passion and my purpose.

At the end of the day, resilience to me isn’t just surviving. It’s a spiritual journey, it’s transforming. It’s knowing that no matter who doubted me, who hurt me, or what I lost. I still wake up ready to give my all. I may not have it all figured out, but I’m still rolling forward, building my business, helping people feel like their most authentic selves, and creating beauty out of chaos.

Because that’s what life’s really about. It’s not what you own or not how you look. It’s about the love, the art, and the light you leave behind.

Xoxo

-Vanessa Toro @RockNRollsHair

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

Honestly, roller skating and music have been completely life-saving for me. I got into skating about six years ago, and it changed everything — it gave me freedom, peace, and this wild sense of flying that I can’t even describe. It’s empowering, it’s addictive, and it feels like pure joy and power rolled into one.

When I skate, I feel unstoppable — like I can conquer anything. And that’s exactly what I want my clients to feel when they sit in my chair. I want them to walk out feeling like rock stars, like they can take on the world. Because I believe that they can.

Music, especially rock and roll, has always been my heartbeat. I grew up with it. It raised me when the world felt too heavy. I’ve always gone to shows just to be near that energy — the sound, the lyrics, the way it hits your soul. It’s therapy, it’s connection, it’s rebellion, and it’s freedom.

I also write poetry, and I think that ties into everything I do — whether it’s cutting hair, skating, or creating something new — it’s all art. I love art in every form: seeing it, hearing it, feeling it. It keeps me alive. It’s what fuels everything I create, everything I stand for, and everything my brand represents.

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?

Honestly, roller skating and music have been completely life saving for me. I got into skating about six years ago, and it changed everything it gave me freedom, peace, and this wild sense of flying that I can’t even describe. It’s empowering, it’s addictive, and it feels like pure joy and power rolled into one.

When I skate, I feel unstoppable like I can conquer anything. And that’s exactly what I want my clients to feel when they sit in my chair. I want them to walk out feeling like rock stars, like they can take on the world. Because I believe that they can.

Music, especially rock and roll, has always been my heartbeat. I grew up with it. It raised me when the world felt too heavy. I’ve always gone to shows just to be near that energy the sound, the lyrics, the way it hits your soul. It’s therapy, it’s connection, it’s rebellion, and it’s freedom.

I also write poetry, and I think that ties into everything I do whether it’s cutting hair, skating, or creating something new it’s all art. I love art in every form: seeing it, hearing it, feeling it. It keeps me alive. It’s what fuels everything I create, everything I stand for, and everything my brand represents.

What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?

When I feel overwhelmed I am starting to have more faith in God and the universe knowing that it will provide everything I need in divine timing and everything will work out in the end.

Contact Info:

• Website: Www.ScandalousArtistry
• Instagram: @rocknrollshair
• Facebook: https://Www.facebook.com/Bullseye.Bettie
• Youtube: https://Www.youtube.com/madebyvanessabullseye
• Other: Tik tok @rocknrollshair

Image Credits

All photos Taken by: @nikkiscandalous