Today we’d like to introduce you to Stacy Godwin.
Stacy, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I grew up in a small town in Colorado, where my mother owned her own Nail, Massage, Tanning Salon. I always knew as a child I was going to be a hairdresser. I loved creating art out of hair, I used to call my up-dos “hair sculptures”. Being in that environment made me realize I wanted to combine my mother’s concept with hair and makeup. That’s when I decided to create a “one-stop beauty shop”. So, I did everything I could to accomplish that as quickly as possible. I graduated beauty school the day after I graduated high school. I received my cosmetology license a month later constantly telling myself, “You will own a salon within ten years or by the time you’re thirty years old!”
Started my career as a hair stylist assistant at the age of eighteen, completed my year program within ten months and built a fast growing clientele which required a personal assistant within three years. When my ten year mark hit, I noticed a loyal 600+ clientele base and was ready to open up my own salon. I went to the bank to request a small business loan and was highly disappointed when I was told that they were unable to invest in me because there was no proof that these clients were mine because I had never moved salons. So they advised me to relocate and show two years’ worth of income staying the same or increasing. The bank also advised me to purchase a home to use it as collateral, which confused and scared me because I would have to use my entire life savings for the down payment for my home, which I was saving to open my salon. Finding this out on April 15, 2014 I quickly relocated myself to a new salon within the following week. It was incredibly difficult to leave a team of ten years to pursue my dreams. Four months later, I became a home owner, one of the scariest checks I’ve ever written. Ten years of savings gone in seconds and now having to rebuild that savings in the next two years to meet my thirty year old goal was going to be changeling. Leaving my first job was the best move for my career, soon my business had doubled. My clients knew my intentions and supported me heartedly. I was working five days a week, 12 hour days and was triple booked. I finally got my savings back to where it needed to be but unfortunately I was working so incredibly hard and in such high demand I was forgetting my purpose. One day a friend had slapped me in the face with a reality check. “Stacy, the way you are going you are never going to open your salon. You are nothing but talk and work. When are you actually going to do this?” Right then and there the fire was re-lit inside me of my purpose. Two days after I drove past a vacant building which was the famous Gizmo’s Hobby Shop. It was a Burbank staple for 15 years. The location was twice the size I was wanting and twice the price but the building was speaking to me. It was saying, “I’m it, I’m the one, go for it!” By the end of that week I signed a lease for the building. My dream had now begun!
I had to start drawing blue prints, finding my construction team, ordering equipment for the salon and heading to every flea market possible so that I can find any antique furniture to repurpose as the main decor in my salon. Now needing to go back to the bank to get a small business loan, they were very impressed with how much I had accomplished in two years, there was no denying me this request. In the middle of waiting for the loan to go through and already starting construction, my house was robbed and all of my personal belongings as well as legal documentations were taken. I was in complete panic and was concerned that the loan I was just approved for would be stolen before I could use it for my business. Fearing that these people could take everything from me in an instant had me terrified. I just had to pray that everything happens for a reason but nothing was going to stop me, and thank God all they cared about was the materialistic aspect of my belongings. I kept pushing through and had a soft opening the first week of May 2016, exactly two years from when this journey started. By July 15 2016, I had a ribbon cutting ceremony and grand opening celebration with the Mayor of Burbank, City of Commerce and the local community. The grand opening was a huge success!
Now being open for over a year, I have built and amazing team and we have received hundreds of 5 star reviews on social media platforms and continue growing on a daily basis.
I am so incredibly thankful of the local community and my continuing loyal customers who come from near and far to support me and Vanity.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Smooth I don’t think will ever be a word someone who did not have anything handed to them would use.
Battling with leukemia at the age of three I constantly felt like I have something to prove. The “Make a Wish Foundation” granted me my last wish, being on chemo for five years, and never losing my hair. I feel like I was destined to change lives and be a hairstylist. I have learned over the years when you can make someone feel beautiful, that beauty turns into love, and that love makes the world better. When you’re faced with months to live and surviving all odds against you, I believe I have to pay it forward and touch as many souls as I can. So I have lived with that pressure my entire life, and it has been my goal to help people, love and accept themselves for who they are. That moment when my client looks in the mirror and completely loves the way he or she looks, gives me a great sense of fulfillment.
Coming from a broken low income home, I knew nothing was going to come easy. I would say sacrifice and drive are the main things I did to get where I am today. I worked two jobs and attended cosmetology school all while still attending high school. I did anything I could to move to Los Angeles, and start my dream. Leaving my family and friends at the age of eighteen with no financial support. I attended college full time for fashion design and worked full time as a salon assistant to make ends meet. Even when I signed my lease on my salon I had one challenge after another. It’s all part of everyone’s journey and I am grateful for every struggle and roadblock all of which made me who I am today. And I hope when someone walks into Vanity by Stacy Godwin they can feel the love, passion, and a little taste of who I am and walk out with an experience of beauty that brightens their day.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Vanity by Stacy Godwin – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
Vanity by Stacy Godwin is a one stop beauty shop! You can come into our shop and get all of your beauty needs under one roof.
We provide for men, women and children of all ages, haircuts, hair color, hair extensions, massages, eyelash extensions, microblading, makeup, tanning/spray tanning, facials, body waxing, manicures, pedicures, organic teeth whitening, and even spiritual healing through the akashic records.
We are known for creating exotic rainbow hair color and being able to accommodate multiple services at the same time.
One of the many things that sets us apart is our magical environment with welcoming staff that makes you feel like family and not excluding our unicorn mascots.
We are definitely proud of being open 7 days a week, having a large accommodating staff who are all looking to help out the community with their inner and outer beauty all while helping them believe in the childhood magic. On a personal note, I am proud of the team/family I am building. We don’t have the typical drama that normally occurs in salons and with that a majority of my staff has doubled if not tripled their business since working at Vanity by Stacy Godwin.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
Professionally I plan on doubling my staff within the following year, hiring a strong creative team. Eventually I would like for my shop to be a professional teaching salon for future beauty professionals, not just in hair but all aspects of one’s self inside and out.
I’m planning to open up other businesses such as tattoo and piercing parlor.
Contact Info:
- Address: Vanity by Stacy Godwin
2010 W Burbank Blvd
Burbank, CA 91506 - Website: www.vanitybystacygodwin.com
- Phone: 818.859.7859
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: vanity.bystacygodwin
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vanitybystacygodwin/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/vanity-by-stacy-godwin-burbank
- Other: @godwindesignsinc
Image Credit:
Headshot- Ashley Jonelle Tierney
Group Shot- Melissa G. Arredondo
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.
