Today we’d like to introduce you to Erika Garcia.
Erika, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Since I was a little girl, I’ve always loved everything beauty related. I was constantly playing in my sisters hair, makeup and nails. My mom cleaned a salon for years, and I would go with her to help clean and of course also play with their nail polish. Even though I had a passion for the beauty industry, I also dreamed of being a Veterinarian. In high school I was enrolled in college courses, so I continued my education at Texas State University. After my first year, I made the difficult decision to move back home because I was in an unhealthy relationship that was affecting both my well-being and my academic performance. I moved back into my parents house, got a job hosting at a restaurant and enrolled into cosmetology school in the fall of 2012. For an entire year, I went to school early in the morning until around 4pm, then headed straight to work often not getting home until late at night. At one point, I was juggling two jobs while attending school full time. After graduating cosmetology school, I got my first salon job at the Galvez Spa and transferred to serving tables at the same restaurant. After about one year, I realized I wasn’t yet confident in cutting and coloring hair, so I made the decision to seek more advanced training. I joined Toni & Guy, where I spent about three years training in extensive cutting education. Towards the end of my time there I began training in color but I ultimately decided to leave because the work environment had become toxic. At the end of 2017, I took a leap of faith and started my own business. I knew I still had a lot to learn, especially with color but I was determined to figure it out. I was taking color classes online and in person any chance I got. I continued serving tables while building my clientele and worked two jobs consistently until the beginning of 2020. Seven years after beginning my journey, I finally reached the point where my hair business could fully support me. Ironically, while the pandemic in 2020 caused me to close for two months, in a way it helped me grow because there were many people that did their own hair and needed corrective services. This was a turning point and marked the beginning of a much more stable chapter. Today, I’ve been in business for nearly 9 years, and choosing to go independent remains one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. It took years of hard work, patience, persistence, and countless long days, but it was absolutely worth it. If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that believing in yourself and taking a chance on your dreams can truly change your life.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. In reality, learning how to do hair was only one part of building my career. I also had to build and retain a clientele, learn how to run a business, market myself, manage finances and continue my education all while trying to make enough money to support myself. Going independent before I felt confident in color was a decision that required me to be extremely disciplined and committed to teaching myself. Although my initial goal when I changed salons was to become equally skilled in color and cutting, I realized that growth couldn’t come at the expense of my mental health. My decision to leave was ultimately due to an unhealthy work environment that I could no longer stay in. I had no idea if I was making a mistake but it was a chance I was willing to take. I’ll always remember that serving tables kept me afloat for a long time while I built a clientele that could support me. There were many days when I would work behind the chair and then go straight to the restaurant afterward, often changing clothes in my car between jobs. It took years before I was able to completely walk away from serving and depend solely on my business. Although it took time, I always kept the greater purpose in mind and believed that I would get where I wanted to be. Then, just as I had finally reached the point where I could leave the restaurant industry in early 2020, the pandemic happened and I was forced to close my business for two months. After working so hard to become completely self employed, having everything suddenly shut down was scary. Thankfully, my business came back stronger, but that experience taught me how quickly things can change and how important it is to be adaptable. There have been plenty of setbacks ,long days, and periods of uncertainty along the way, but every stage has taught me something. I’m a big believer that there is beauty in the struggle, and because of that I can truly appreciate where I am at today. Even now, I’m still learning, evolving and setting bigger goals for myself.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am an independent hair artist specializing in dimensional color, balayage, hair cutting, wedding hair, keratin treatments and extensions. Over the years I’ve intentionally built a very diverse skill set and I think that versatility is one of the things that sets me apart as a stylist. My early career gave me extensive experience in wedding styling and makeup, I later received advanced training in precision cutting, and after going independent, I pushed myself to develop my skills in color, keratin treatments and four different extension methods. Being well rounded allows me to look at the entire picture when creating a look for a client and understanding how everything will work together as a whole. I’m probably most known for dimensional, lived in color and creating hair that enhances someone’s natural features while still feeing like them. I always consider the client’s lifestyle, maintenance expectations and overall goals when creating a look. And if you’ve been in my chair over the last three years, one of my clients favorite parts of their appointment is my therapy French Bulldog, Roxy, who has the biggest heart and personality. She has completely stolen the show, and my clients genuinely look forward to seeing her at their appointments. I like to call it the hair and pet therapy combo. What I’m most proud of is the clientele and career I’ve built over the years. Many of my clients have been with me through different stages of my journey, and their continued support, referrals and trust have allowed me to make a living doing something I genuinely love. I’m also proud that after all these years, I still have the desire to learn, evolve, and challenge myself creatively.
How do you define success?
I define success as having the freedom to build a life doing something I genuinely love, while also having the time and freedom to enjoy life outside of work and prioritize my mental health. To me success is creating a life that feels fulfilling, balanced, and true to who I am.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://erikashairstudio-htx.netlify.app/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_hairbyerika_/
