We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Challis Bruce. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Challis below.
Challis , we’re so excited for our community to get to know you and learn from your journey and the wisdom you’ve acquired over time. Let’s kick things off with a discussion on self-confidence and self-esteem. How did you develop yours?
Confidence and self esteem never came easy for me. Especially growing up down south in a Christian home, and simultaneously figuring out who I was. I struggled with my looks, and my sexuality. Also being jealous of my older brother who was the popular guy. The athlete, the masculine male figure who had all the girls. Who at times would also bully me along with everyone else. I struggled with making friends, both guys and girls. I was extremely skinny, with big ears and wore thick glasses. My peers called me Steve Urkel. Eventually my family separated when my mom suffered from drug issues and my grandmother stepped in and raised me for a while, just she and I! Though I wanted to wear the label/popular brands like everyone else, instead, she would buy me clothing from JCPenney, which I found out later cost more money! She never wanted me to look like anybody else. And for that reason is why I still choose style that separates me from other people! I discovered my self esteem and confidence from the ballroom scene around the age of 20. I began hairstyling and wardrobe styling for ballroom categories. Ballroom and house members would trust me with there entire look for their category. Once I realized that their style was in my hands, developed a higher level of self esteem of my own. My confidence became more prominent with also participating in the ballroom scene. The gay community can be very judgmental, so it was my very personal excuse to look as nice and different as possible, to be noticed and complimented often. I’ve always strived for better and self improvement. Anything that separated me from others. I’ve coined the term “individualist” meaning- a person who is independent, and self reliant and different! I have used my past hurt with being bullied, certain family issues, and relationship failures to build the man I am today. Because confidence in a major key element to success and thriving. As a salon owner, I practice spreading love and confidence with every client smile after their service. In doing so, I know my job is complete!
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I grew up in Darlington South Carolina, a small town in between Columbia and Myrtle Beach. My town consisted of two high schools, three grocery stores, five funeral homes and three banks. I would travel with family or church to major cities and get depressed upon returning home. As if my town was suffocating me. I always had bigger dreams for myself than what I saw growing up. Where marriages and success wasn’t prominent, and chose to drop out of high school, without a diploma, leave home at nineteen to follow my dreams and live my life! I then moved to Virginia Beach and worked in retail and practiced Cosmetology on the side. Virginia is where I fell in love with myself and hairstyling. Its been 24 years and it still brings joy to me despite the ups and downs that it brings to my career. I am a brother, a son, a godfather and a friend. I am a hairstylist/ barber and salon owner, the “Challis Aubre Salon” in Baltimore. I own “HizHair.com” a mens hair replacement line catering to clients suffering from hair loss due to male pattern hair loss, cancer chemotherapy, scalp trauma, and many levels of alopecia. I have done a local reality show called “District 410” featuring local artists and entrepreneurs in Baltimore! And now getting into more reality shows on major networks. I was also featured in “Voyage Baltimore Magazine” also featuring local artists and entrepreneurs. On the side, I do wardrobe styling and personal shopping. I own “SoleNLaces.com” which is a mens online shoe and accessory store
My future goals are to open a mens boutique with items from my online store catering to the men with individuality. I also have an ultimate goal of launching a mens hair restoration facility with a host menu of multiple services, anywhere from mens unit installations, micro scalp pigmentation, trichology consultations to help hair grow back and hair transplants, all while black owned and operated. Catering to men of color.
Hair restoration, even if only temporary, is a passion of mines, starting with my own personal journey of hair loss. I love the feeling of not only restoring hair, but the joy and most importantly confidence gained after completing the look of a client.
. In my spare time I enjoy dating and getting to know new people. Going to the movies and trying new restaurants. Traveling both domestic and internationally! Shopping and spending time with family and friends!
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
I learned that the journey to success could be a lonely one! People somehow conveniently move out of your way while you are establishing your career. And I learned to just let them. Secondly I learned that education is forever ongoing. You can never learn too much. The more you know, the further you go, and the higher you grow!
And third to create and establish a plan for your life. Write everything down and tackle each task one at a time!
Tell us what your ideal client would be like?
An ideal client would be someone who is openminded! A client who is open to trying something new! Most clients have an idea in their head that wouldn’t naturally fit their features! Its my job to give him or her a perfect blend of what they want and what they need. Each client should have the experience of a personalized style. Something made specifically for them. In my head, style is like a fingerprint. No two people should have the same style. Similar but never the same. Usually it works out better just letting the stylist establish the style for the client.
Contact Info:
- Website: Hizhair.com SoleNLaces.com
- Instagram: @_individualist. @hizhair @the_challis_aubre_salon
