Today we’d like to introduce you to Ariel Peterson
Hi Ariel, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
For as long as I can remember I have wanted to be a hairdresser. Maybe it began the first time I
cut Barbie’s hair, or my sister’s. Throughout school, the dream never changed, and I enrolled in
Brown Aveda after graduation. As excited as I was to learn the craft, the real lessons were
waiting for me at the first salon. It was in those lessons that my passion for this industry, and my
passion for helping people look and feel their best evolved into more than I could have imagined.
I am grateful to be doing what I love for work every day, and even more grateful for the clients
that have trusted me along the way. Many of them encouraged me through any doubt and have
followed me on the path of becoming an independent stylist. Within my first week of renting a
chair in 2021 at Bombshell Cleveland in the Gordon Square neighborhood, I knew it was going to be
one of the best moves of my career, but I never stopped dreaming of a space I could make my
own.
I have built my whole clientele in this alluring little neighborhood I call home, Ohio City, so I had
no hesitation in making one more move to come back. Being a loft owner at Salon Lofts is a
huge milestone for my career and has been exciting for everyone that has helped me along the
way to see the new space become a reality. I’ve always sort of had a vision of the kind of salon I
wanted to work in. I think a salon should always make you feel like, “Oh I know this place is
going to make me look good”, not only by the looks walking out the door but also by the way the guests are treated and how the staff and space presents itself.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I felt confident in my career until 2020. Undoubtably it was a very discouraging period for
everyone, one that lasted long after the world was clear to re-open, and having my own salon
space felt like the farthest possibility. But I kept showing up for the people that showed up for
me.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I offer a variety of hair coloring and cutting services. When I first came into the industry, ombre
and balayage were the emerging trends, so I focused my effort towards mastering those
techniques. In turn, I have built a clientele largely based on dimensional, lived in hair color and
blonding. As I grew, I began to genuinely appreciate the diversity of styles that made up my total
client base, so it is hard to definitively claim a specialty. And there will always be new trends to
explore.
Any big plans?
Ariel Peterson Hair at Salon Lofts Ohio City, feels like a huge career milestone. Being a loft
owner has inspired my creativity, and I know I am not even close to being finished growing as a
stylist, or as a professional. There will be a day that I will have a salon of my own, with chairs
available for others to realize their own passions or dreams for this business, much like I had
before now. Until then, I am thrilled to be here among the many talented beauty specialists at
Salon Lofts, and I cannot wait to see what the future holds.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://salonlofts.com/ariel_peterson
- Instagram: arielpetersonhair
