Today we’d like to introduce you to Kimberly Quezada.
Hi Kimberly, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself
I started my hairstylist journey in high school, that’s where I went to a career center and I got my cosmetology license. I never planned to become a hairstylist until my dad gave my sister and I that idea. He told us to get our cosmetologist license in high school so we could work as hairstylist once we graduated and pay our way through college that way, we wouldn’t need to get loans. My parents immigrated to the USA in the lates 80s/early 90s from Mexico, and they never finished high school so they had a rough time starting out here. They always worked hard for us and wanted the best for us, and that’s how my dad figured he could potentially help us in the future — by sending us to a career school.
Going to a career center rather than a cosmetology school after high school is a lot more affordable.
That was my dad’s plan, but I never knew what I wanted to do ‘once I grew up’. I never wanted to be a doctor, lawyer, or engineer (what my dad saw as an actual career). Nothing ever called my attention, but ever since I can remember I always liked getting into my mom’s makeup or trying different hairstyles. I think that’s where my love for the beauty industry started.
I graduated high school in 2016 and I followed my dad’s plan to work as a hairstylist and go to college. I worked in a hair salon for 3 years while going to a university to get my business management degree. I chose business management because I figured it would help me in the beauty industry in some way. I was a part-time hairstylist and full-time college student. I truly believe that college isn’t for everyone, and there’s many opportunities without needing a college degree.
After that hair salon, I went to another one for half a year and then I went to a barbershop and worked there for another half year While I was at that barbershop is when Covid hit and we had to close for almost 2 months — I was also still in college through all of this. When we finally opened again, I realized I wasn’t doing what truly made me happy and what I really wanted to be doing was hair color. That’s when I decided to trust myself and finally do something that I had always wanted, and make myself happy.
Thanks to a little push and help from my husband, I decided to open up my own studio, the beginning of kq styles! This was on June 21, 2020, only about a month after salons and barbershops had opened up again. For a few years, my husband would tell me to stop working for other people and get my own studio. I was always scared that I wouldn’t make it on my own, but he assured me he had my back and would help me in anything I needed. I decided to open my own studio having zero clients for hair color, since I had just been doing men haircuts, I didn’t have a large audience or people I could reach on Instagram. I only had about 200 followers, most which were men haircuts. I was also really nervous that nobody would come to me, or people just wouldn’t be getting their hair done since it was right after the shutdown. I was even scared that I’d have to get a second job to just be able to cover my rent, or even that everything would shut down again and I’d have nothing. There was so many restrictions like; taking people’s temperatures, only one guest would be allowed in the room, masks were required, I had to have them fill out waivers, deeply sanitizing after every appointment, and on top of that everyone was still on edge about Covid.
I just kept my faith in God that everything would be good and I hoped for the best. I worked hard every day to make myself available to any time anybody would want an appointment, I offered discounts, and even free services. I just wanted to be successful in doing what I love. Now, almost 2 years later, I am doing what I love and, thanks to God, I have a clientele that supports me and makes me love my job more and more every day.
Every day I learn more, grow, and become better at my art. I still have a lot to learn and grow from here but I am proud of myself for taking that first step and following my dreams. I’m still trying to finish college, but hopefully, I’ll be finished by the end of this year. I love what I do. I love the look in my clients’ face when they look in the mirror and they love what they see. It makes me happy knowing I can make others happy and feel beautiful.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Covid – opening my own business right after the shutdown, and not knowing what was going to happen. College – working and going to college is really challenging. You have to have a lot of self-discipline and time management to go to school, work, and get your homework done. I had moved out of my parents’ house and I was managing my own business. Since I’ve always paid for my college career out of pocket, I’ve had to make sure to manage my money well too. I have to make sure my bills are getting paid, I have my business expenses paid and my college tuition, as well as my own expenses.
My dad – he believes in the stigma that being a hairstylist ‘isn’t a real career’ or that hairstylist don’t make a lot of money. He’s always seen cosmetology as a stepping stone to where I should be in life, but the beauty industry is what I love and makes me happy. He’s always looked out for the best in me, so that can be tricky to try to please him and make him happy when he doesn’t see or realize my successes.
Myself – I have always been my hardest critic and sometimes I don’t give myself enough credit for what I have accomplished.
Having zero clients when I went on my way was scary, I didn’t know where I would end up or if anybody would ever even find out about me.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a professional hairstylist as well as a business owner. I have been a hairstylist for the past 6 years and a business owner for the past 2. I specialize in hair color and own my salon studio. Anything that has to do with hair color I love and I love how different ever color and every head of hair is. I love doing blondes, brunettes, balayage, lived-in colors, and just doing any color. Whether it’s a big change or small change, it makes a difference and I love seeing my clients happy and feeling their best.
It’s important for me to keep the integrity of the hair, and make sure when I am finished every one of my client’s hairs is still healthy and strong. Making sure my client’s hair is shiny, and soft at the end of each service is what makes me proud of myself. It’s important for my client’s hair not only to look good but feel good too. I will always take my time and not rush any process so I can get the best outcome.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
The best advice I can give is to never judge another hairstylist’s work or talk bad on someone else. The sun shines for everyone. Appreciate others work, compliment other professionals and there will be people there to help you in whatever you need.
Contact Info:
- Email: kq.styles614@gmail.com
- Website: Kimberlyquezada.glossgenius.com
- Instagram: kq.styles
Image Credits
Everlasting Imagery
