We recently had the chance to connect with Ericka Nannette and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Ericka, 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 do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
The first 90 minutes of my day begin with me waking up and thanking God for allowing me and my son to wake up and spend another day together, It’s making sure I’m not rushing to get my son to daycare, but enjoying the little moments from brushing his hair to making his breakfast, singing a little song when we are sitting in traffic. Then, after finally dropping off my son at daycare, I make sure my mind and body are nourished which means treating myself to a small coffee and an avocado toast. Then I make my way to the hair salon and prepare myself to make somebody’s hair dreams come to life. I am very blessed to be able to do what I love for a living, so work doesn’t ever really feel like a job! Even if it’s just applying a root color and sitting together for 30 minutes to catch up on what’s new in my clients life. Hearing the good, the bad, and the ugly….and simply just being there for them makes a whole lot of a difference in someones day.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Ericka Nannette, and I am a hairdresser located in San Antonio Texas, I specialize in hair color, haircutting, and extensions. I’ve been doing hair since I was in high school, and never would have thought I would get the opportunities and experiences I’ve received from doing what I love. I consider myself an artist over all as I am a conduit and create art for others. I listen to their visions and bring that to life, In a way I feel like I am helping others when they sit in my chair to not only reach their hair goals but I also have been apart of peoples most beautiful moments, and also apart of their hardest times in life. What started off as a career that many would consider superficial, has evolved into realizing I have a deeper purpose in the path I am walking. As a woman servicing other woman it’s about making sure my clients have can relax and feel comfortable in my chair, it’s a safe space they can word vomit their worries and fears and not feel judged, even after leaving my chair I wish them a safe trip on that vacation they were so excited about, or congratulate them on their child’s graduation they were so proudly talking about! Life is too short to not make an impact and if someone sits in my chair I now see it’s for a reason! I love making a difference and being the reason someone’s bad day turns into a beautiful one.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
“I am who I am” was one thing I would constantly say, it was a take it or leave it mentality. Even as I got into my early 20s, my mentality was very much still wired to think these are the cards I was dealt, so I saw things very black and white. It wasn’t until my mom got diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic breast cancer that I got a taste of true fear and an understanding that we never truly know when our time has run out. I thought to myself “am I satisfied with the person I am, Do I like the way I think of myself or how I treat others” most importantly “when I’m gone what memories will I leave my son? Will I leave the impression I was ok with the bare minimum” I realized I control everything in my life. I have full control of how far I go, the connections I make, the influences I make in people’s days…..why can’t I change and be the person I really want to be? The example my son deserves.
Since then I try to remind myself life is short and we don’t know when we will leave this earth, I want to live everyday like it’s my last. We can’t control the cards we are dealt, but we can control our reactions to things. It’s never just black and white…there is so much grey area!
What have been the defining wounds of your life—and how have you healed them?
I don’t thing the deepest wounds ever heal, they scar up and you see them constantly…but are we gonna let those scars hold us back or will that be our motivation to push further. My entire life has been trial and error, from moving to new cities, dealing with life threatening illnesses, loosing everything and starting from scratch…I’m sure others have been through worse, all we can do is learn from them and move forward. Carrying traumas and pain is hard, the best thing I have done for myself is leave the past in the past and talk to someone about the things I needed to unpack and move on from. Expressing the traumas those wounds have caused will make things so much better for you, rather than to keep them bottled up and carry that weight.
So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
Anyone who truly knows me will say I care a lot about others, sometimes even to the point of putting my needs and wants to the side. Helping others is something that brings me pure joy, it gives me purpose. My friends understand how I make others feel is extremely important to me.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: When do you feel most at peace?
I feel the most at peace when me and my son are out running or walking a trail, enjoying nature and the animals. When we are disconnected from technology there is nothing blocking our connection as mother and son. He’s about to be three in a few months so these bitter sweet moments won’t last forever, I’m trying to soak them all in. It’s my true happy place!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://powerpuffcurls.square.site/?fbclid=PAZnRzaANmOM1leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABpxUgBbP2f0u5Hd0Zt-SB2wHB2SRFxpEegl2w0xxIloPad9bYVnpZqH-wT1Cu_aem_3oHyaY6VTL4OI3CRwTmtfw
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eri.does.hair?igsh=MTlvbGhiOGN5NWN5Mw%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
