Today we’d like to introduce you to Lisa Smith.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
When I was a much younger woman, the question was…what career path would mix my practical and creative sides. I have always been practical minded. The need for organization, good sound business sense and “press on” attitude is in my blood. However, I have always had such a great love for all the beauty in this world. I love any type of live performance in a theater. I also enjoy people and collaboration. So….something that mixed good business sense with artistic expression….and I don’t think I could sit at a desk with my energy….By George! She got it! Hair!!! Hair Art! Hair Play! Hair Color!
In 2000 I attended Vidal Sassoon Academy, which I knew would lead me into one heck of an adventure. I wasn’t a spring chicken walking the corridors with other students (many who could have easily been mistaken for flashback Ziggie Stardust days). This wasn’t played time, however. I remember an instructor having me re-wet a clients hair and blow dry again until it was right. Everything was about precision, from cutting to coloring. But it was wild! There was meaning behind the madness with formulation and placement of color or disconnection. Hair became an artist canvas…a sculptor’s clay. I was home.
After my apprenticeship, I remained for over a decade in Beverly Hills at A.T. Tramp, a highly skilled staff, many from the Sassoon world. This was a sophisticated, high-end salon with a casual feel. I learned my business and appreciation for refined, beautiful aesthetics. It was a departmentalized salon….I eventually became a Senior Color Specialist. However, I had a growing family and wanted to move them out of the city. With great delight and surprise, most of my Beverly Hills clients decided to follow me wherever it was that I was going!
I was recruited by a feisty young woman, Raychell Harrison, who was planning on opening her own salon. She was just coming up with the name, Salon Nuuvo when I met her. She was a smart woman who knew how to market her brand and loved the idea of advertising, “You don’t need to go to Beverly Hills anymore for hair! Beverly Hills has come to you!” So I brought two top Master Stylists with me (Aimee Martinez and Jennifer Pond) from Beverly Hills. I became the Master Color Specialist and Director of Education. I helped the owner build her business and learned so much from my experience. But I always knew I wanted to do something that was somehow still intimate…something just mine.
In the spring of 2016, I opened my own studio. I have accumulated some of the most beautiful people in my life – many that followed me from Beverly Hills, Calabasas, Woodland Hills and many new clients that I am looking forward to meeting for the first time each week.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
There are always people out there that are naysayers or just don’t like you because you have a Tigger attitude about life and have clarity about what you want. Life doesn’t hand you things…you gotta make it happen and seize the moment! I am grateful for those that acted as obstacles…because they were the catalyst to my greatest lessons. These truly are gifts.
Nothing is worth doing unless done well. I think no matter what my personal struggles may be…they stay at the door when I enter my studio. I am from a small town outside of Chicago…maybe we roll a little different, I don’t know. I can be an absolute perfectionist with my work, but I don’t take myself seriously. My time is to spend with my client and not only make them look great, but make them feel valuable,
Studio 8 by Lisa Smith – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Located in the newly conceptualized Salon Republic in Woodland Hills, this was exactly the answer to what I wanted to create. This concept allowed me to become my own business woman. Studio 8 by Lisa Smith, is a customized salon experience for those clients who prefer an intimate, relaxing experience. Even on a busy Saturday, the experience is still tranquil and exclusive.
As Owner and Master Color Specialist, I create beautiful color tones using the most luxurious high-end hair color and current techniques. Teamed with Styling Specialist, Aimee Martinez, we create shiny, healthy hair that accentuates the client’s personal style.
The experience is in the hands of highly skilled Beverly Hills hair specialists. So this is the clients time to be pampered. Enjoy a complimentary glass of wine or champagne. Select the music of your choice, and best of all, relax during the shampoo with head massage and essential oils…included with every service. This is more than just a hair service.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Luck is fleeting. If you are not prepared for luck to come your way, it will pass you by. So be prepared. Always learn something new. Don’t blame others for your mistakes or lack of success….learn from it! Empower yourself! Let go of things you can’t change. Know that the only thing one has control over is attitude….so take on the day with a great attitude! When you love what you do, it is never a chore…I feel like the luckiest person in the world.
Contact Info:
- Address: 20700 Ventura Boulevard, Suite 100
Studio 8 by Lisa Smith
Woodland Hills, CA 91364 - Website: haircolorbylisa.com
- Phone: 818-284-1450
- Email: lisacayesmith@gmail.com
- Instagram: lisacayesmith
- Facebook: studio8bylisasmith
- Yelp: studio 8 by lisa smith
- Other: book me on styleseat.com/i/lisasmith19
