Meet Cynthia Dawson of Dawson & Co. Hair Salon in Green Street Village

Today we’d like to introduce you to Cynthia Dawson.

Cynthia, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I was a stay-at- home single mom. My first priority was to raise my children. I worked from home around my kids’ schedule. When my youngest child started high school, I decided to go into a salon full time. I rented a booth and worked on refreshing my skills and honing in on what type of stylist I wanted to be. I quickly realized that there was a gap in the amount of stylists who worked on straight hair versus curly hair. I decided to learn as much as I could and go into specializing in curly hair. The work spoke for itself and word of mouth spread like wild fire. Five years later, I open my own salon. I’ve been open since July 2016.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I have been fortunate. My journey has been smooth. My niche is unique and my skills are strong so my appointment book remains full. Still, success hasn’t been easy. I typically work 12- to 15-hour days, standing on my feet. Some clients can be demanding. I had to be willing to take a financial risk in opening my own salon. The business required an investment in equipment, furniture and office space. When you work for yourself, there are no sick days and vacations are rare. But the trade-off is that I am my own boss. I take great pleasure in serving my clients’ needs. Their happiness gives me joy.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Dawson & Co. Hair Salon – what should we know?
I specialize in curly hair. My services include coloring, cutting, press and curl, braiding, and Brazilian Blowout. Also, I am certified as a makeup artist. I was recently invited to work during La Fashion Week, doing both hair and makeup. It was a wonderful experience.

Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
My three children, Phillip, Brandon, Elizabeth and my husband Roy Menzies have been a source of great support.

Pricing:

• Haircuts $65 and up
• Hair Color $85 and up
• Hair Styling (press and curl, etc…) $65 and up

Contact Info:

• Address: 1059 East Green Street
  Pasadena, Ca 91106
• Website: www.dawsoncohair.com
• Phone: 626-714-7147
• Email: dawsoncohair@gmail.com
• Instagram: dawsoncohair
• Facebook: Dawson & Company Hair Salon
• Yelp: Dawson & Co

Image Credit:
Hair-Cynthia Dawson, Photographers – Chiijmtiijm Media and John Njuyen, Models – Amanda Sulker-Hall, Rachel Menzies, Maya Hammond, Michaela Hammond, Stephanie Menzies, Claudia Coppel, and Selena Conner, Makeup Artists – Cynthia Dawson, Olga Goncharova, Jeh Kirby, and Edith Calles

Getting in touch: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.