Conversations with Javi Garcia

Today we’d like to introduce you to Javi Garcia

Hi Javi, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I was 35 years old living in West Hollywood. I had a pretty good job with a top producing real estate team on the Sunset Strip. I was making good money, I really didn’t have much to complain about. I was grateful for all I had in my life and where I was at that point. But, I wasn’t fulfilled. I always thought I was “too old” to start over again and change careers. I had been doing real estate on and off for so long, it’s what I knew, but it wasn’t necessarily what I loved. I became unhappy, I felt lost and confused, what would I even do? “Suck it up” I told myself, “You’re doing fine”.
Then, while on a “self discovery”, trip, or at least that’s what I call it now; That was definitely not the intention of it at the time. Mind you it was just for the weekend to Palm Springs. I had an epiphany. I wanted to do hair! Did I ever show any interest in hair? Not really. Just in high school when I would style my friends hair for the school dances, or when I was a little kid box dying my moms hair. My sister will tell you how I would chase her around the house to let me do her hair over and over. She now laughs at the headaches she would get from the tight pony tails I would give her. That was as much interest as I showed for it. I’ll tell you this much though, I always noticed a good set of highlights on a woman, or at least what I thought was “good”.
As soon as I got back to West Hollywood from my “self discovery” trip, I texted a couple of my hairstylists friends letting them know about the career change I wanted to do. One of them invited me over to his salon to watch him work on his clients. It was definitely something I could see myself doing. I started researching schools, talking to other stylists to get their input on the best way of going about becoming one.
Then the time came where I had to make the decision, “Am I doing this or not?”. I knew if I did this I had to go all in, there was no “what if”s”, “let me think about it”, or “I’ll see how I feel about it in a few months”. So I did it! I quit my real estate job, enrolled in Cosmetology School at Santa Monica City College, and got a job as a receptionist at a salon in Beverly Hills. All this happened within a months time. I was not playing around. I was so scared, but way more excited of what was to come.
The more time went on, and the more I worked at the salon, while being surrounded by so many different stylists I knew this was it for me. I had found what I wanted to do with my life.
After I finished cosmetology school and I got my license, it was time to start looking for a job as an assistant. Assisting, or training, is the common road most stylists here take after completing cosmetology school.
Hitting the jackpot is not always literally winning the Lotto, or at least I don’t think so. But when I tell you I feel I hit the jackpot when I landed my first assisting job, I truly mean it. My boss at the time, Drea Henty, owner of Bomane in Beverly Hills, is one of the top colorists and hair extensionists in this town. Man did I learn so much from her. After about a year and half of being at my first assistant job, I was fortunate enough to land another assisting job with another top colorist, Matt Rez, a literal hair color genius. I almost can’t describe how lucky I feel to have been able to work along side these people and learn from them. It’s definitely been a journey.

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?
Oh man, where do I start? A smooth road you ask, not at all! A few months into cosmetology school, Covid hit. Luckily my school was able to adapt to a home program right away so there was no delay per se. But I wasn’t able to take my cosmetology license exam for months after completing the program. Not to mention the financial aspect of it, since I was only working at the salon as a receptionist and salons were pretty much shut down a big portion of Covid, I had very little income coming in. I can say I learned to how to stretch a dollar pretty thin.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a Color and Hair Extension Specialist. I specialize in two methods, keratin and tape-in extensions. I also specialize in brunettes. Me having long brunette hair I think attracts a lot of brunette clients. Brunettes are not easy to do let me tell you. It’s a fine, fine line between taking a brunette too light, where they feel blonde, and giving them enough dimension, but not where the hair goes brassy.
I’m most proud of the commitment and hard work I’ve put into this career in such a small amount of time. Aside from training some of the top colorists in the industry, I’ve invested so much time and money into outside education. This career has really brought out a discipline in me that I did not know I was capable of. It’s been quite a bit of lonely road. But with that has also came some incredible people as clients that have trusted me with their hair and continue to support me. And not only that, I have met some incredible stylists that have been extremely supportive of my career all along. It feels nice to know you have people rooting for you.

We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
Discipline has really been the biggest lesson from Covid. As I mentioned I was just a few months into cosmetology school when Covid hit and people started dropping like flies from the program. Very few of us actually stuck it through and finished. It was extremely hard to push myself to learn how to do a hair cut over zoom without a teacher actually watching you and giving you feedback. But anything is possible if you stay focused.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.javihairgarcia.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/javihairgarcia/

Image Credits
Abby Cox