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Hi, guys London here! I began this entire journey with a study focus in business marketing. Aspiring to become some top notch shot calling beauty branding advertising guru, so I moved to New York, NY shortly after graduating college. I worked in the fashion industry for a couple years in public relations and also in the wholesale division. Side note, after working in wholesale for the high fashion industry, you’ll never want to pay full price for anything ever again!! Can we say rip off!! Anyway, back to my little story. It was fun and I met some pretty cool people in the industry but it wasn’t enough, it wasn’t what I enjoyed. God obviously had a different plan for my life. I loved beauty and the art of making people beautiful is what came easy to me.
I had it all planned out in my head, honestly I did. But what I failed to realize was what I have been doing naturally all my life was my true path. I cut my first bob at 16 yrs old! Whoa, mom really loved me, not knowing how it would turnout but still giving me a shot. I will be proud to say it came out great. Even as I sit and remember all the signs, I ignored them. I convinced myself that being a hair stylist was boring and monotonous never realizing that it was my calling.
After about 2 years I quit my job and went to cosmetology school full time at Aveda Soho in Manhattan. It was one of best times of my life. No matter what was going on in my life outside of school, when I walked through those doors each day I was so excited to learn. Not one day felt too long. I grasp the art very quickly. I love being there!
Still not truly honing in on the path that was set I went back to school for Esthiology, the study of skin. I thought to myself with a degree in marketing, a license in cosmetology and an additional beauty license in skin care, I was sure to be the complete package for some of these huge companies out there. Just three weeks out of school, I definitely needed to find something quick; money was running low and having no money and New York, will never be in the same sentence.
I found a spa management position on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. I was there for about two years. In the evening after work I would occasionally do hair out of my home and also traveled through the boroughs of NYC doing in home services. As my clientele grew, just by word of mouth I soon knew that if I just put a little more energy into this, I could work for myself! So I did. I quit my job, and took hair styling serious. Social media also played a huge role in building my clientele.
I personally have had natural hair all my life, so that was obviously my niche market. The care and manipulation of natural hair came with ease. Wanting to be perceived as more than a stylist, I began to think of myself as a personal healthy hair care coach. I not only worked with my clients and got the results, I taught them invaluable information that insured their success even when I was not there.
Here is where I finally figured out what people meant when they said “once you find your passion you will find your purpose and everything will fall into place”. Boy was that true. I was not only able to help transition others into making healthy hair a lifestyle, but was able to use this gift to uplift and encourage so many women and that means so much more to me.
i invite you to come along as a passenger on this journey with me as I simplify the perception of beauty through hair care. Go with me as I make beauty as effortless as breathing. Come with me.
-Love, Lon
Roosevelt Island Tram in NYC Photo by Vivienne Gucwa