Today we’d like to introduce you to Alyssa Elliott.
Alyssa, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I’m A Southern California native who has had a passion for hair and beauty from a very young age. Throughout my childhood, I was constantly surrounded by art and creativity. My dad was a photographer and musician, and my mom a hairdresser; I couldn’t escape it.
While putting myself through college for Advertising I began styling hair for weddings as a side job. This is when I realized my true passion for hair. I loved creating unforgettable updos and making brides feel beautiful. I always felt so honored to be apart of their special day.
After getting my degree I decided to attend Toni&Guy Hairdressing Academy to further pursue my passion. After getting my Cosmetology license I began my career in Orange County. I genuinely enjoyed working in a salon behind the chair building lasting relationships with my clients. Later, I began specializing in men’s grooming with training from CREW and Oster professionals.
As of 2014, I relocated to Los Angeles; the city I truly love. Since I’ve been In LA I’ve been working primarily as a freelance hairstylist. I have a small creative space located in west LA where I take clients but I spend most of her time on set, and as a mobile stylist for men’s grooming. My clients are very busy with their lives and no one has time to sit in LA traffic, so I like to cater to their needs by being mobile and flexible with scheduling. I believe this to be the future for hairstylists. I’ve enjoyed every part of my 6+ years as a stylist, and I’m constantly looking to grow and collaborate with new like-minded artists. I work regularly with many different agencies, producers, photographers, and models creating concept driven work.
Has it been a smooth road?
Is there such thing as a smooth road to success? I think that’s a matter of opinion.
I’ve definitely had my struggles. There are so many different avenues to take as a hairstylist, so I think determining where I belonged in this industry has been the hardest thing for me. It was a lot of trial and error and took time and patience. I did a lot of jobs I didn’t necessarily love but knew the more I experienced within the industry the better rounded and educated I would become. I wanted to do something I loved creatively while also being able to be successful financially. I had to find an avenue to fit the lifestyle I wanted to live.
I also think every stylist struggles with competition. It’s something that will be a constant in any hairstylists career. This industry is very saturated with so much talent and creativity( Especially here in Los Angeles). So I had to stay ahead all while being humble, learning from other talented individuals and finding a way to stand out.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
It’s been such a whirlwind of moments but 2 stick out to me. The 1st is at the beginning of my career, I was fresh out of school getting my first job at a salon and the same month getting my work published in California Bride magazine. Even though it wasn’t a paid job I had a moment and realized I was actually making my dreams and aspirations a reality and accomplishing what I set out to do.
The 2nd was more recently in my career. I was sitting on a plane getting ready to land in Hawaii, and as I looked down at the island I thought after years of hard work and little or no pay I was finally getting paid the big bucks to travel to one of my favorite places to do what I love!
Every story has ups and downs. What were some of the downs others might not be aware of?
There was a lot of struggle. As a freelance hairstylist sometimes I don’t know when my next job is or when I’ll be paid for it. A lot of times I did certain jobs for exposure hoping that it would lead to paid work. Sometimes it did sometimes it didn’t. So needless to say there were months I ate a lot of PB&J sandwiches in order to make ends meet.
Is there something we can do as a city to improve the outlook for professionals like you?
It’s the perfect place for me and my career or for anyone who wants to seriously pursue this career!
LA like any big city it is a rough place to start because you are basically a tadpole in an ocean of big fish. It holds some of the most successful artists In the industry and there is endless opportunity. There is so much to offer here as long as you are willing to struggle a little, work hard, observe, ask questions and listen to others that have more experience. LA is basically a crash course but it’s not for the light hearted or for those who don’t want to work hard.
Contact Info:
- Website: littlelyss.com
- Phone: (424) 354-8123
- Email: alyssarelliotr@gmail.com
