Today we’d like to introduce you to Marissa Little.
Hi Marissa, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Growing up I never had a career choice that lasted long. There was a year of wanting to be an author, a year of wanting to be a history teacher, even a year of wanting to become a biomedical engineer. It honestly took me a long time to realize being a hairstylist was something I might enjoy. I had enjoyed styling my own hair and playing with friends and family’s hair.
It helped that I was graced with a mother that let me do anything and everything I dreamed of with my own hair, and has never steered me away from my hearts desire. So much so that my freshman year of high school my parents allowed me to get some purple highlights. That had led to me experimenting with vivid colors through high school and my late teens. There were many late nights in the bathroom laying garbage bags down because as much as my mom always loved the colors, she didn’t love them staining the floors. It became one of my favorite ways to express myself.
Enough that the last stylist I went to prior to moving from California to Texas asked me if I had ever considered going to cosmetology school. I told her I never had because I felt like I was too introverted to be able to talk to people the way hairstylists are known to. While I don’t remember exactly what she said to reassure me in the moment, I do remember thinking; huh, maybe that could be something I could do.
Fast forward a few months, I had moved to Texas and begun the search for a job. The first interview I had was for an insurance company, it seemed like a great company, but while I waited to hear back from them I got an interview for a front desk position at a hair salon. I went in for this interview and was called back for a shadowing day to see how things worked for this business. I got the job and quickly fell in love with the atmosphere at the front desk and for the welcoming stylists. It didn’t take long for me to realize that in that type of environment I could definitely do hair, and enjoy it.
Lavish Salon and the friends I have made there have been there for me through everything. Through being waitlisted due to Covid, apprenticing before and after finishing cosmetology school, and years of building my clientele. The journey with them has been incredible, and I don’t think I could’ve dreamed up a better storyline for myself.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It definitely has not been a smooth road, but I’m thankful to have a team that I can lean on. Early on I wasted a lot of time overthinking and overcomplicating my work. I’m continuously working to learn techniques to improve my skills and timing. It was also a struggle to say no to clients in the beginning, I always wanted to make them happy by giving them what they wanted. But being able to communicate what would ensure the health of their hair while getting to their goal in the long term creates a beautiful foundation for your relationship with your clients. And though it hasn’t been smooth, I’ve had so much support from my Mom, Dad, Brother, and Sister-in-law. I don’t know how I would’ve made it through without their love and support.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m a sucker for so much when it comes to hair. I love doing any and all color: reds, brunettes, and blondes. I’ll always have a soft spot for vivid colors. I also love cutting hair, I love getting to do a big chop when someone’s ready for a big change. But I think I’ll always love the styling process the most. There’s nothing quite like doing a bouncy blowout or something tousled and messy to reveal the end result. It’s also my favorite moment for my clients, to see the joy in their vision coming to life.
At this point in my career I’m most proud of myself for taking this chance on myself. There have been plenty of moments when I didn’t feel cut out for this career, but I’m thankful that I’ve kept pushing myself to be the stylist I want to be. I’m always open to new techniques and lessons I can learn through other amazing stylists.
I try to give my clients the experience they need while they’re in my chair. Whether they need to relax and recharge or chat about life since our last appointment. As an introvert myself, I’ll always let my client lead that part of their experience. My goal is for my clients to feel comfortable and welcome in my chair while they get the pampering they deserve.
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
That it’s about so much more than hair. Whether our clients are having a rough day or a wonderful day, we get the privilege to move through it with them. We can lift their spirits, or wash away their stress. More often than not our clients just want a safe space to be heard and seen. And we get the added benefit of them leaving feeling beautiful and refreshed. I can’t imagine a better feeling than that.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://lavish.aurasalonware.com/login
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/little_looks_by_marissa?igsh=bWZxZTB6OG95c2po
