Today, we’d like to introduce you to Ava Renee.
Hi Ava, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers.
I was introduced to the beauty industry at a young age due to the fact that I grew up in a salon, and it was like my second home . Due to this I was exposed to a lot within the industry and it caused my love for hair to grow. Every two weeks my sister and I would get our hair done , it was something my mom always ensured. In middle school around the age of thirteen, I started to become curious when it came to makeup and wigs. For some reason I always loved the transformation and glow that came from a woman when she knew she looked good .
Over time my mom saw my interest and started to allow me to play with her makeup and experiment with my hair. I remember staying up all night practicing because it was fun, it was a positive outlet in my life at the time. During that time in school my classmates would sell snacks and candy, however, I was the only girl in my class who knew how to apply false lashes and do makeup.
My classmates knew this and they would come to me and say “Ava after lunch I have five dollars if you could put these lashes on for me.” And I would! I would sometimes even FaceTime my classmates who needed help with their eyebrows or lashes for money. By the end of the day, I would have $50 dollars max, and in middle school, this ended up being my weekend play money. However, that wasn’t enough.
Once I entered high school I started doing my own hair. I would always get compliments from upperclassmen and peers, and as a result I would always get asked if I do hair and if I didn’t know if I didnt I should start. However, my mind was focused on becoming a dermatologist and going to Howard. That summer I went to an Emory volunteering program which was a part of the liberal arts program I was in. The program was set up to meet other students like me and it made me realize, this may not be for me.
My spirit and personality is so big, which just didn’t fit there. The summer going into my Junior year of high school I started doing hair in the corner of my room. Charging $50-$75 dollars an install. However I was still in school , doing online zoom classes at the time due to COVID. Over this time period I realized that my clientele was growing so rapidly I couldn’t work out of my room anymore.
Luckily , I was blessed enough to partner up with a family friend who owns a salon and took me in to help me grow. Now in 2024, I charge $150 an install and I have touched over 300 heads. I am proud to say I have never worked for anyone but myself. Starting at the age of 14 years old , and now striving at the age of 19, I have only clocked in and out for myself.
I am still my own boss, and it is such an unspoken compliment to put a smile on the faces of my clients. This is what motivates me. If I wasn’t even getting paid for what I do, I would still be doing it. That’s when I realized this is my calling.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I am a firm believer that anything you start or want to accomplish will be accompanied by bumps. There is never a smooth race. If there aren’t any bumps in the road for you to get over you won’t appreciate the end results as much. When you work hard for something you appreciate it more.
As a young entrepreneur, the hardest task is time management and knowing where to put your money. Learning how to juggle my time and knowing what truly needs attention is what helped me stay focused. It is also important to know what to invest in. I learned my biggest investment is always yourself. Not things that you will forget about in the next 3-5 years.
I realized that I’m human and I’m going to make some mistakes, but with that I just had to come to terms with those facts rather than beating myself up. I learned from them and overtime it has made me better as a person, stylist, and business owner. Which is why I’m still going and growing.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about AvaReneeCollections?
I am a hairstylist who specializes in transforming! I am known in my city to do some of the best bold colors, flattest installs over locs, and taking old used wigs and making them look brand new! Most of my newer clients who come to me always mention that my prices are too affordable for the work I provide.
Since a minority of modern-day stylists don’t offer what I do, I find it extremely important that I am so affordable. It shouldn’t be an arm and a leg for a stylist to shampoo your hair ! That’s why I provide it for free with any service you decide to get. It is important to me that all my clients are well taken care of , so taking care of them should be affordable. Especially since we all still have to take care of life around us. When it comes to my brand I am so honored to know that when people hear my name they automatically think “talent”.
There are so many stylists who you see playing in people’s hair because all they care about is the money. When I have clients who have bad experiences or who suffer from hair conditions I never judge. Grateful that they came to me , after these experiences I find it important to show them nothing but love. After they sit in my chair they never leave. These are the bonds I love creating with my clients. I am so proud of myself for being able to have such strong client retention ! That is what speaks volumes as a stylist !
What does success mean to you?
I define success as what you have accomplished, the things that your imagination created first. I have succeeded in so many areas in my life from personal aspects as well as business. When you have come to the realization that you can accomplish something that started out as just a thought, it makes you realize you can bring any thought to reality , and that’s what I define as successful!
Pricing:
- Frontal Wig Transformation: $200
- Closure Wig Transformation: $180
- Frontal Wig Install: $150
- Closure Wig Install: $130
- Closure Quickweave: $155
Contact Info:
- Website: https://AvaReneeCollections.as.me/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/avareneecollections?igsh=MTZtMDRxNWk1Y3phdQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
Image Credits
@avareneecollections
