Today we’d like to introduce you to Marissa Rodriguez.
Hi Marissa, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Going to cosmetology school was originally a temporary plan. I planned to do hair for a few years and save to go back to school. But, along the way I fell in love and really found a passion for hair and for people. I never looked back. I worked at the same salon for 10 1/2 years before finally opening my own suite in August of 2022. I am forever grateful for everything I learned over the years at the salon, but being in my own studio and owning my own business really is a dream come true.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
No one warns you that you start out in the hair industry making no money. You really have to want to be in this industry. I started at the very bottom, right out of school with zero clients, and scratched my way to the top. I got busy and stayed busy. And then 2020 came around and the whole world came to a halt. Once we could finally return to work, there were Covid cancelations left and right. I felt so defeated and like I would never have my head above water again. But, with time (and vaccines), things got better and I’ve stayed busy ever since. I’ve come to accept that I have no control over some things and to just go with the flow.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I specialize in color. I would say that a lot of people know me for my “mermaids”. But it’s funny. My color clientele is made up entirely of really wild, unnatural colors and really natural-looking gray coverage / camouflage. There is quite literally no in-between. I honestly love both equally. I feel like vivid colors really get my creative juices flowing. And some of my vivid clients give me full creative control. But gray coverage keeps me grounded and really ensures that I never forget the fundamentals of color theory. I would say what sets me apart from others is that I am not in this just for the money. I really love building relationships. I’d say that’s what I’ve realized my true passion is. My clients mean a lot to me, and I am closer with a lot of them than I am with a lot of my own family members. I think that’s what’s so special about this industry. It’s so, so much deeper than hair, at least for me.
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
I think the most important lesson I learned is to be myself. For the first few years, I was trying to have this… personality. This personality that I felt clients would want in a stylist. But somewhere along the way, I stopped. I stopped trying to take who I was and just started being my true, silly, weird self. And I noticed that I started connecting with clients better, and I started getting more repeat clients. I learned that people like my quirky personality and preferred it to the other persona I was trying to create.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/marissadidmyhair
