Today we’d like to introduce you to Brandon Bal-Lance
Hi Brandon, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
If you told little me that one day I’d be a Creative Director, salon owner, and National Educator for Schwarzkopf Professional and Alterna, I’d probably be too busy styling my Barbies’ hair to hear you. I was that kid—obsessed with beauty, mixing colognes, playing with makeup, and figuring out how to make hair look expensive. My mom never held me back—she let me run wild with creativity, which shaped everything I do today.
My career started at the lowest of the low—a salon where I lasted exactly one week before realizing I was meant for more. I left and joined the #1 salon in the Bay Area, training under a top Chinese hair designer with salons in both the U.S. and China. There, I mastered precision cutting, dark-to-light transformations, and digital perms. Within two years, I went from assistant to artist to training the entire team.
Education has always been my foundation. I completed seven weeks of Vidal Sassoon cutting courses, advanced color training, vivid color classes with Butterfly Loft and Pulp Riot, and styling with celebrity hairstylist John Raymond. I even trained with Lady Gaga’s colorist to refine my blonding techniques.
At 24, I opened my first salon, Bella Bal-Lance Salon, with my husband, Larry Bal-Lance, now a Lead Educator for Schwarzkopf Professional. My mom became General Manager, making it a true family business. That salon evolved into Bal-Lance Salon, now Saratoga’s #1 luxury salon—a place where artistry, innovation, and transformation come together.
Beyond the salon, I’ve built a strong presence in social media, working with @SchwarzkopfUSA for four years and collaborating with top beauty influencers since 2018. I’ve worked backstage at New York Fashion Week, trained stylists nationwide, and continued pushing the industry forward.
Los Angeles has always been a creative force for me—the fashion, the culture, the reinvention. My career has been built on passion, hustle, and a refusal to stay in a box. And honestly? I’m just getting started.
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?
A smooth road? Not even close. Every step of my career has been a challenge, but those challenges built me.
My first salon job lasted one week before I realized I needed better. The next salon I found wasn’t much of an upgrade—it was small, poorly run, and nothing like the high-end spaces I had dreamed of working in. But instead of leaving, I saw potential. I worked one-on-one with the owners, helping to redesign, remodel, and elevate the entire salon.
I started as an assistant, learning, growing, and pushing to make that space better. By year two, I moved up to Senior Artist and became the salon’s ONLY educator, creating the training programs and leading the team. By year three, we became the #1 salon in the Bay Area.
But I wanted more. After four years, I took a leap and opened my own salon at 24. That came with a whole new set of challenges—figuring out how to run a business, manage a team, and build a luxury brand from scratch. No roadmap, no backup plan—just pure hustle.
Then there was social media. I started working with SchwarzkopfUSA’s social team for four years while also collaborating with beauty influencers since 2018. Balancing a salon, education, and staying ahead in the digital space? Not easy.
I’ve faced doubt, burnout, and moments where I questioned if I could handle it all. But every challenge made me stronger, hungrier, and more determined to succeed.
Was it smooth? No. Was it worth it? Absolutely. And the journey? Still just getting started.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I don’t just do hair—I create custom, luxury transformations that make people feel confident, sexy, and unstoppable.
I specialize in precision cutting, advanced blonding, and dark-to-light transformations, but my approach is all about intentional artistry. Every cut, every color, every styling choice has a purpose. I’ve trained in Vidal Sassoon’s cutting methods, mastered blonding techniques with Schwarzkopf Professional, and studied vivid color with the best in the industry. Whether it’s a lived-in balayage, a high-impact blonde, or a razor-sharp bob, I make sure my work is flawless, wearable, and tailored to each guest.
Beyond the chair, I’m a Creative Director, salon owner, and National Educator for Schwarzkopf Professional and Alterna. Education is a huge part of my career—I’ve been teaching stylists nationwide, mentoring upcoming artists, and even developing curriculum since my early years in the industry. I also spent four years working on SchwarzkopfUSA’s social media team, helping shape digital content and trends.
What sets me apart? I never settle. I push my work, my salon, and my team to the highest standard. Bal-Lance Salon isn’t just a place to get your hair done—it’s an experience, a space where artistry and innovation come together.
What am I most proud of? Building all of this from the ground up. From assisting to educating, from working with top brands to opening my own luxury salon, I’ve created a career that’s driven by passion, built on hustle, and fueled by the belief that everyone deserves to feel amazing in their own skin.
And the best part? I’m just getting started.
What matters most to you? Why?
What matters most to me? Elevating the industry, educating the next generation, empowering people to feel their absolute best—and family.
Hair isn’t just about looking good—it’s about feeling powerful, confident, and like the best version of yourself. Whether I’m behind the chair, on stage educating, or mentoring an up-and-coming stylist, my goal is always the same: to make an impact. I want every guest to leave my chair feeling unstoppable, and every stylist I teach to feel inspired, confident, and ready to push their artistry further.
Education is at the core of everything I do. I’ve spent years training, mentoring, and helping stylists grow, because I know firsthand how hard it is to navigate this industry without guidance. From developing salon training programs to teaching nationwide with Schwarzkopf Professional and Alterna, I’m passionate about giving others the knowledge and confidence to succeed.
But beyond the industry, family is everything to me. My husband, Larry Bal-Lance, has put up with my crazy for almost 10 years, growing with me, supporting me, and loving me through it all. My moms have given me unconditional love every step of the way. My baby brother keeps me grounded, and my fur babies—Bella Bal-Lance, Baux, and Blu—along with my mini farm bring me pure joy. I’ve always loved animals, and having them in my life is just as important as the work I do.
At the end of the day, what matters most is impact and love—on my guests, my team, my industry, and the people (and animals) who make my world complete. And I’m just getting started.
Pricing:
- Haircut $130+
- Single tone $195+
- Partial Lightening $240+
- Full Lightening $340+
- Fashion/ Fantasy Color $440+
Contact Info:
- Website: https://ballancesalon.com/brandon-bal-lance
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsbrandonballance?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@itsbrandonballance?si=WR96PurF_VM1HjYG
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@itsbrandonballance
