Meet Savanna Ford of Gold Dust Studio in Hermosa Beach

Today we’d like to introduce you to Savanna Ford.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Savanna. So, let’s start at the beginning, and we can move on from there.
I enrolled into cosmetology when I was a junior in high school, I never took it too seriously, I was not a good student at all. I also worked part-time at a salon and knew that it was my calling, I just had to get through the school part. I should have been done with my hours shortly after high school graduation, but unfortunately, I had setbacks. I got involved with a bad crowd and became addicted to an unhealthy lifestyle. It wasn’t until 2006 that I become pregnant with my first child that made me realize I needed to get my act together and focus on a better lifestyle.

Once he was born, cosmetology was put on the back burner, and I had to focus on working and providing for us. Fast forward to 2010, I just had my second child, and I got laid off from a job I loved and had been at for a couple of years. I was devastated. I felt like my world was crumbling underneath me and had no idea what I was going to do. I realized that the only thing left to do was to go back to school and finally complete my hours. It took me almost two years, but I finished and received my license in 2012.

After years of assisting, and assisting and more assisting, I was stuck and didn’t know how to move forward from assisting. I also felt scared that I wasn’t good enough, working amongst such talented people, I felt I didn’t have a chance in this industry. I let the salon life and went back to a job that I felt secure in. Until again, I felt bored of that and wanted to get back into a salon, went back to assisting and was back at square 1. I felt that maybe I needed to go to a different salon, chance of scenery, so I did, which didn’t last long, but the owner taught me one thing, that I had talent and that I need to be confident. Something I have lacked!

My best friend and I were not happy at that salon and realized that we wanted a space of our own. We got a studio inside of Salon Republic, and that’s when Gold Dust Studio was created. I was scared because I barely had a handful of clients, but I was determined. I worked all hours/all days. I remember taking color corrections at 7 pm and not finishing until the next day. It was a sacrifice I was willing to make for my career. Fast forward again to the present, I’m booked months in advance, have a DREAM clientele, and get to work alongside my bff in our cozy little studio. It doesn’t get better than that!

Great, 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?
It definitely has been the opposite of smooth; from addiction to recovery. To balancing home life and work life. To not being able to afford things that my family needed. It’s been tough, but definitely wouldn’t be where I am today without those hurdles. It made me strong, mentally and physically!

Gold Dust Studio – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Gold Dust Studio has compiled of two people; myself and my BFF Kerry. I specialize in color, all color. My passion is creative/vivid/fashion color. I also enjoy precision haircuts. They are very therapeutic to me. Some of my most popular work have been collabs with Kerry and myself. She kills it with the undercut designs, and I paint the canvas! I love that we work together as a team, bounce ideas off each other, and really create some magical art!

What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
Ohhhh goodness, well, I’ll tell you this; anytime my work gets reposted by Pulp Riot I squeal! I love that company so much and have used their color since day one.

But I think the best moment has been when I got chosen as a finalist for the Pulp Riot Holiday Slay color contest, then won runner up!!

I just cried and cried, I realized, I never thought I’d ever get to a point in my career that I was at that moment. It was a turning point for me, the possibilities are endless when you believe in yourself.

Contact Info:

• Address: 1601 Pacific Coast Hwy. Suite 280, Studio 32
  Hermosa Beach, Ca. 90254
• Phone: 310-634-8961
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: @savvyheartshair

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