Today we’d like to introduce you to Amelia Smith.
Hi Amelia, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
As far back as I can remember I wanted to be in the beauty industry, I wanted to do hair for a career. Career-driven, I dreamed big, I was determined to open my salon, just needed some experience. In my earliest memory, around 4 or 5 years old, I would ask my dad to sit and be my client.
I went to work for hours with a comb and a cup of water, styling his hair. In 1999 I attended Fremont Academy of Cosmetology Educational Services (F.A.C.E.S), while there; I worked at an upscale salon as an apprentice to further my education. I wanted to be the best stylist I could be.
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?
The path to owning my salon was not an easy one. I opened my first salon in 2013; I had a staff of 10. During that time I hired a new esthetician Melissa Castillo Darrington ”Missy”. Little did I know she would be one of the most important people in the future. I worked on my clients, my husband would do payroll weekly and any sort of salon maintenance as I was teaching my apprentice program for Modern Beauty. It was a busy time in my life. I was determined to be successful.
In early 2017 my father fell ill, he was diagnosed with stage 4 bone cancer. I was balancing salon work and responsibilities, my home life with my husband, and I was one of my dad’s daily caregivers during his time with his chemo. I had to make the difficult decision to downsize. I was just going to rent a small studio while only working for myself, Missy decided she was going to follow. By then she was a booth renter and no longer my employee.
My husband had built 3 stylist stations and a room for Missy. We were a small booth rent studio, tucked away in an office complex; we referred to ourselves as Perrysburg’s best-kept secret. On May 28th of 2018, my father lost his battle with cancer. By then Missy had moved on to a new salon adventure and I continued to work at my salon.
COVID reared its ugly head in 2020. During COVID mandated shutdown of my Salon, it was difficult to care for my existing clientele. Being in a smaller work environment made it difficult to stay within the social distancing requirements and proved challenging. We had to work on opposite days of one and another, work on days off, and come in early, stay late kind of days/evenings. I opened back up after the 4 months long Covid, It wasn’t the same. Covid impacted all of us.
I decided to close Modern Beauty and work from home. The transition from salon to working from home also posed some difficulties. I enjoyed doing hair at home for convenience and comfort for my clients, however, I found myself combining work life with home life. I felt no sort of structure for the first time in the 24 years I have been doing hair. I missed it, the chaos, the camaraderie with the girls seeing other co-workers’ clientele.
The Salon world is a unique community of diverse, creative people. As the saying goes we are not all cut from the same cloth. We are a family, a salon family. I think many in this industry would agree. During some of the toughest times in my life and over the years of knowing each other Missy and I stayed in touch, trading services with each other we formed a close friendship. I have always admired her, in all aspects of her life.
From her hard dedicated work in her career to amazing wife, mother, grandmother, and friend. One day as we were doing each other’s hair and nails, we touched on the topic of owning salons. I thought I would never do it again. However the thought of having Missy as a partner, I couldn’t resist. To have a previous employee want to partner up was an HONOR, to say the least. She puts 110% into everything she does. We agreed, let’s do it!
In May of 2022, we signed our lease for Lu’Vina Beauty. We are currently in the process of the build-out, between my husband Kevin, Missy, me, and her family we are on our way to opening in the next month. We both are looking forward to building our salon family and our empire for Lu’Vina Beauty. We have plans for our Lash Line and boutique, opportunities for in-salon training, and much more. We don’t want to give away all our secrets yet.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
We are a full-service Salon located in Holland Ohio, the services we provide are Haircuts, Color, Foil, Lash and hair extensions, Facials and Skin care, Manicures and Pedicures, color, and regular acrylic and gel nails. Vivids and fashion Colors from master stylists. Massage, we have it all.
We pride ourselves on performing high-end services with a relaxing calm drama free atmosphere. Missy and my plans do not stop here, we are entrepreneurs that will take advantage of any opportunity.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/luvina.beauty?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LuVina-Beauty-104685925718792/
