Today we’d like to introduce you to Stacey Barnes.
Hi Stacey, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Originally from Bakersfield, Ca. I moved to Los Angeles in 2009 with nothing but hopes, dreams, determination and a cosmetology license. I started my Los Angeles hair career in Santa Monica, at one of the top hair salons at the time, built up my business for four years and then the salon I was working at unfortunately had to close down. From there, I took the leap and opened the first Framed Salon, a small studio in WeHo with an old business partner of mine. During this transition, I lost about 60% of my Santa Monica clientele because as we know, if you live on the westside crossing the 405 is usually out of the question, haha! In 2014, after one year of business in WeHo, we decided to team up with an old colleague and expand into what is now Framed Salon in Santa Monica. Over the years, both Framed and myself have seen a lot of transition and transformation. What started as a three person partnership has evolved into me being the sole owner of Framed. My salon manager and amazing team of stylists help me run and operate the salon on a day to day. This eight years journey has had a lot of twists and turns, but I am so grateful for all of it!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Struggles? FOR SURE! This journey has been one of the hardest but also the most rewarding. I was only 26 when Framed opened; I barely knew myself let alone know how to run a legitimate business! My personal struggles varied from me finding my confidence, learning to use my voice, having to trust myself in ways I hadn’t had to before, and learning to be comfortable in the discomfort. Our biggest struggle recently was the Covid shutdowns. Our business, like many others was shut down about nine months between 2020-21. That was extremely scary because no one knew what to expect and a lot of salons had to shut down permanently. I’m extremely grateful that we made it through and have continued to thrive and keep our doors open. Framed has had its fair share of struggles over the years but the way we have adapted and transitioned through them has made it feel quite smooth and ultimately has made the business and the team stronger.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I wear a few hats! I am obviously a salon owner, and I still work behind the chair a few days a week. I specialize in hair color, mostly the low-maintenance color that looks like you’ve been on vacation for the last few months. My salon as a whole offers all things hair! I have a team of super talented individuals who specialize in color, cuts, extensions, etc… Outside of my salon business, I am a certified health coach. I blend beauty and wellness together to help women step into their power and their confidence because once we tap into those two things with the right mindset and support WE CANNOT BE STOPPED! What sets me and my salon apart from others is we actually care! We are all dedicated to personal growth and development; which really shows in how we work and show up for our clients. When you come to Framed, you’re being seen as a whole person, it’s way more than just hair for us. Our goal is to make everybody we come in contact with feel like they’re somebody! We go the extra mile to make sure we use quality products and deliver a quality experience to our guests. Framed is also a Certified Sustainable Salon, which means we collect 95% of our salon waste and send it to Green Circle, a company that recycles, reclaims, and repurposes salon waste keeping it out of landfills! What I’m most proud of is the way we show up for ourselves and our guests on a daily basis. My team strives to be the best they can be both personally and professionally.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
There’s been a conscious shift within the beauty industry. For years it fed off making us feel like we weren’t good enough or pretty enough the way we were. It fed off our insecurities. The biggest and most exciting shift I’m seeing is people no longer subscribing to the media or social media standard of beauty. I’m seeing more and more people embracing their unique style and look and doing what feels best for them, I absolutely LOVE it! I see the beauty industry moving toward empowering people to embrace who they are, what they look like, and to encourage us to have more fun enhancing our already beautiful features rather than trying to change them or cover them up.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.framedsalon.com
- Instagram: @framedsalon
Image Credits
All photos by: Angel V. Prado
