Meet Izzy Terzo

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Izzy Terzo. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Izzy below.

Hi Izzy, so happy to have you with us today and there is so much we want to ask you about. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others developed certain skills or qualities that we are struggling with can be helpful. Along those lines, we’d love to hear from you about how you developed your ability to take risk?

Taking a risk is taking a chance on yourself. Risk is Hope, Determination, and Believing in your ability to succeed past said “risks”. To succeed in risk is to operate without fear. As an individual I am able to differentiate fearful associations that follow along with the word “risk”. I feel that we live in an environment where everything feels as if it’s a risk. Everything is so public the privacy of our progress no longer exists if you have social media. To live in fear & risk is to believe that you lack. I developed my ability to take a chance on myself because I don’t have negative associations with the act of risk. Mindset is everything.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

My name is Izzy (The Hair Witch) I am 25 years old located in LI/NY. In less than One year I can proudly say I have a thriving business as a salon owner. I specialize in custom color services, such as lived in balayages, vivid color, and color correction services as well as extension installations! Now that I have subtly boasted I will have you know these accomplishments are not without strife. The Hair industry is responsible for creating some of the most unjust leaders and abusive employers that refuse to break the cycle. For this I toil, in my struggle, given unreasonable standards I plan on breaking the cycle between abusive Employee/Employer relationships in the Beauty industry.

For those who do not know young Cosmetologist are quickly discouraged entering a salon environment. In this renowned dissatisfaction about 20-40% of cosmologist let their license lapse.
With that being said I was most certainly not spared starting out as an assistant in a 30 chair salon in 2019.

A salon assistant typically washes hair and is responsible for washing dishes,cleaning, keeping up with timed chemical services as well as demands of the stylist amongst many more things. Now, imagine this responsibility on a 19 year old with very slim to no knowledge of the cut throat environment I just entered. I was quickly made to learn the tasks of being an assistant without training. Although I was in beauty school, unfortunately you are not taught the ins and outs of salon culture.

Thankfully I was able to pick up on this in the midst of covid lockdown as well as a delay in getting my official license. It’s hard to admit but in that current situation I felt required to step on toes. I worked my way into becoming close with some of if not the top stylist in that salon who then eventually left to open their own salon. This is where the cycle repeats. I was hired at 21 as a full time stylist behind the chair.

In the beginning everything was great, I eventually realized the hierarchy in a salon environment still applies even if you’ve made it past being an assistant. Not only did I learn a hierarchy applies so does jealously, fear, and the mistake of mixing business with pleasure. Not everyone is meant to be a leader.

My former boss was a stylist that inspired me and almost saved me. Unfortunately that friendship ceased to exist once the power of being self employed set in for them. It became passive aggressive, unjust in a few different ways for example; my coworkers and I were required to work unpaid while my employer was on business trips in Europe. We were expected to wait until this individual was back to receive our paychecks.There were times they were away from the salon for three weeks at a time (therefore three weeks unpaid). The kicker was watching this person purchase luxury items in Europe while we were not being paid. Realizing that I was actively apart of a vicious cycle I had to plan an escape.

At 23 I came to terms with the fact that I refuse to work under someone let alone give 50% of my sales in a space where I felt undervalued amongst many other things. A few more events occurred leading up to this moment. Believe it or not I actually had to go back to therapy as well as needing medication. I suffer from severe depression and anxiety but this environment brought out a version of myself that I loathed. I hated being in my own skin, it was made clear and apparent that I was unable to express myself in the way I needed as an artist. During this time I mostly saved my money and struggled with a pessimistic mindset as well as an eating disorder.

At 24 I vowed a rebirth for myself, my body , my mind. This included creating a work environment where I can mentally and financially thrive. If I am not okay I cannot preform in a way my clients deserve. I had to make this right. I decided to take the next step in putting a down payment for a salon suite down the block from the current salon i was working at, at the time. Word spread spread quickly within a week of me setting up my next steps to success my former boss found out and fired me. Not only did they fire me they fired everyone associated with me in that salon.
The salon suite I reserved was still under construction when his happened, I had absolutely nothing ready. I was forced to start a business in a matter of seven days. Thankfully my current landlord was able to temporarily put me in a different location while my salon was under construction.

February 27th 2024 THE HAIR WITCH INC is fully in business. I was absolutely amazed by the support I received from my clientele. I still owe them my heart and soul till this day. Four months after this I was officially able to relocate back to the original location I left a deposit for. My clientele continued to grown and thrive. Six months after my move to my official spot I was able to expand my space due to a High influx of clientele. I run my business completely on my own when it comes scheduling and marketing. On busy days my co-artist is my second pair of hands!

I couldn’t be more greatful for this journey even in the way it was mishandled. I can wholeheartedly admit my success is my former bosses success as well. There are things I now understand as a business owner that I wouldn’t have as a stylist or an assistant. This is where it comes full circle! I will never forget the parts of me that got me to my where I am today I will honor those in myself and others.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Being a cosmologist is not so black and white. What I mean by this is it is hard to list certain skills and qualities that will allow a person to evolve into the artist they want to be. I believe it is the artists choice to evolve into the way they see fit.

To answer this more clearly I believe there is only one word to help those early on in their journey and that is “authenticity”. Do not try to be something or someone that you aren’t.

A skill i learned in being a successful artist is to simply be the artist you are meant to be. I understand there are folks who might not be so sure of themselves. I believe it’s a good thing to not be 100% sure. It leaves those room in the beauty industry to try different things and understand what works best for them to be successful.

Looking back over the past 12 months or so, what do you think has been your biggest area of improvement or growth?

My biggest area of growth within the past 12 months is truly understanding self motivation. At the end of the day you are the only person who can get you from point A to B.
I am impressed with the power of mindset. Self motivation seems to have helped me concur mental instability. Having the freedom to express myself in the way I need in my career has changed everything for me.
It can be Grueling but now I understand the only person I’m competing with is myself.

Compete with yourself and you will no longer be challenged by those who are insecure.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: Thehairwitcch

Image Credits

@jennyjaserphotography – Instagram