We were lucky to catch up with Sophia Cochran recently and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Sophia with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?
My work ethic truly comes from my mom, she was a stay at home mom for the first few years of me and my brother’s lives and even then she always had side hustles, such as working as a Dove Chocolatier. Then toward the end of elementary school she got a job at a remote company first as a writer but was quickly moved up to Human Resources. Watching the way she handles her job and her drive to do the best she can has always been inspiring. There’s never a time that I remember her not being able to make it work and I’ll forever admire her for working her butt off to ensure my brother and I could do anything we wanted to do (within reason of course).
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?
I’m the owner of Indie Haven Studio: inclusivity, transparency and sustainability are at the core of our beliefs as a business. I specialize in gender-neutral cuts, razor cuts, vivids and color corrections. This truly sets us apart, as we’re one of MAYBE three LGBTQIA+ and holistic salons in our conservative little city.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
I was in rehab for 8 months at 17 years old and I can say with confidence that I would not be the person I am today without having gone. First, the resilience that I learned being discriminated against for being LGBTQIA+ as well as the other residents. The resilience that I learned being locked away for 7 months, unable to regularly talk to the people I love the most, my family. This time taught me a lot about myself and how I handle situations. Again, I would not be the person I am today, let alone hairstylist. I think it’s genuinely important to find yourself and your values before going head first into business ownership. Your “why” is so important and it can be easy to let that get lost if you don’t stay true to them.
We’ve all got limited resources, time, energy, focus etc – so if you had to choose between going all in on your strengths or working on areas where you aren’t as strong, what would you choose?
I believe especially as a hairstylist, being well-rounded is crucial. Education is one of the most important parts of our job, as things are always changing, new trends, etc. Being well-rounded may give you tools that you didn’t even realize were important. Being well-rounded and knowing how to do a bit of everything doesn’t mean you have to offer it to your clients, however I think it’s important to soak up as much education as you can.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://mysite.vagaro.com/indiehavenstudio
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/indiehavenstudio?igsh=MWowN3R2anNtZ2lmZg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
Image Credits
MadCas Photography
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
