Life & Work with Mandisa Duperval of West Hollywood

Today we’d like to introduce you to Mandisa Duperval.

Hi Mandisa, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I began my journey as a hairstylist in 2015. Early on, a mentor encouraged me to get my cosmetology license so I could stay competitive in an ever-evolving industry—and it turned out to be one of the best decisions I’ve made. While living in Connecticut, I had the opportunity to learn from incredibly talented stylists who taught me how to work with textured hair, which became a foundational part of my skill set.

Driven to grow, I eventually packed up my car and made the move from Connecticut to Nevada with a friend to pursue an assistant position at a prestigious salon. There, I immersed myself in advanced techniques—color, blonding, and precision cutting. It was during this time that my passion for hair truly took off and became something I deeply love.

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?
Not at all. I moved to LA three months before the strike. I had completely walked away from doing hair in the salon when I left Nevada, Then the fires came… being a hairstylist is such a great career, because there are sooooo many avenues to venture into. While set work dried up, the salon life was calling me back.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m really proud of the fact that I’m able to do every service offered in my salon. It gives me the ability to advise, mentor, and help out if anything comes up. The services I really love are transformations. Blonding, silk press, color correction, and precision haircuts; anything that gives you a completely different look. Being able to be versatile, truly makes me the backbone of this business.

Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
My mentors have been salon owners and other business owners, and marketing experts. They offer financial advice, team management, things that only a business owner can understand. Running a salon sits at that awkward intersection of creative work, people management, and tight-margin business operations—so advice from people who’ve actually carried all three at once tends to hit differently.

What your mentors are giving you—encouragement, shared experiences, hiring and retention insight, and day-to-day operational judgment—is the stuff that doesn’t show up in cosmetology training. However, things like cash flow timing, handling no-shows, commission structures, burnout in stylists, and keeping a consistent client experience… those I’ve learned the hard way.

Pricing:

• Pricing should be based on SKILL set, education level, and demand.
• Pricing differs from location to location. A hairstylist in LA may charge more than a hairstylist in Utah because the cost of living differs.
• Pricing in entablement has to differ from an at home hairstylist.
• A license holds hairstylist to a higher standard. It means we invested in our education and we have to answer to the state.

Contact Info:

• Email: rafahluxuryhair@gmail.com
• Instagram: rafahluxuryhair
• Facebook: rafahluxuryhair
• Yelp: rafahluxuryhair