Bella Vita launched a blog titled “Boss Lady” in March 2017 - after years of being inspired by the women that we are friends with, work with, or do business with, that are building their empire doing what they love. Running a business takes work, and getting started takes courage. At Bella Vita, we wanted to take this opportunity to praise and encourage some of the great female entrepreneurs we have met over the years and we hope to inspire more young women (and men) to follow their instinct/talent/passion and become entrepreneurs.
My team and I are reaching out to the woman owned businesses that inspire and amaze us on a daily basis. We will start with a brief background, then dive into the nitty gritty of running a business, what keeps them inspired, and everything else in between.
I was born and raised in Arkansas, though I got out pretty quickly. I lived in Nashville before moving to Los Angeles to try to be a movie star (was almost the Frog Tape girl) and came back to Arkansas ultimately to go to cosmetology school at Imagine Paul Mitchell where I would graduate at the top of my class. I wanted it pretty badly, I'm so lucky I still enjoy it as much now as I did the first day.
Before all this, I attended The University of Arkansas on a full academic scholarship. I studied marketing and journalism and minors in creative writing. I'm also an alumni of a Fayetteville sorority! I feel like I have lived a million lives and I'm not 30 yet! I am not married but I do have an amazing boyfriend, he's in the Air Force and will be deployed from September 2017 to January. I'm looking forward to buying us Me Undies once a month, haha.
- Give us your elevator pitch. Dudes lol what is that.
- What is your business? I am the COO of The Southern Blonde, a vintage mobile salon. The Southern Blonde is comprised of 2 fully converted vintage campers. One being Lucy, a full salon and skin care spa. I specialize in personalized, affordable skincare, and (my first love) color. The second camper is our Barber Camper, a small camper operated by Michael Birch dedicated to the classic art of barbering.
- When did you start your business? March of 2017
- What inspired you to make the leap? I can't stay put. The mobile salon gives me so much flexibility to be creative. I love to do children's parties, hospice haircare, weddings and private events in addition to regular appointments. I also love to partner with other creatives on styling and shoots. I couldn't do all these things in a traditional salon setting!
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What helps you get started each morning? Coffee, diet coke, 10 mile jog, meditation?? I do enjoy sunrise yoga at Barefoot or a quick run, and of course lots of cofveve.
- Tell us about a day in the life of running your business. Well after I do the aforementioned, I check all social media and line up the special events for the day and touch base with my employees in both cities: Austin and Little Rock. I make sure everyone is prepped for success and has the tools they need for the day, both physical and online. Then I get to work doing hair and skin all day!
- What keeps you motivated? We are constantly working toward building our next camper. We just finished Lucy, the 1962 powder pink Shasta. Next we are renovating a ‘55 Airstream or as we have nicknamed her, “Hairstream”.
- Describe your dream day. The camper drives itself to an event and takes itself off the hitch and nothing breaks and no breakers are blown and everything is wonderful! And it's fall. And there is wine.
- What is your greatest strength/super power? I don't imagine things will be hard, so I attempt insane things. Like this business!
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Facebook, Instagram, or Snapchat? FB and Insta
- What do you do in your free time? (ha! What is free time?!) I spend a lot of time on The Buffalo River with my boyfriend.
- If an investor gave you 1 million dollars to use toward your business, how would you spend it? lol I would pay back my current investor.
- What’s the biggest risk you ever took; how did it go? I went on tour with a complete stranger and he turned out to be a very interesting fellow. I found out he had a wacky history and it might be a strange trip, but I found out when I was already pretty far from home. His name is Evan Dando, we made it through the tour and we are still good friends but I would never do it again.
- Name something you hate doing but have to do for the good of your business. How do you make it tolerable? Tow the campers all over gods green earth.
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How do you handle discouragement? I do something for someone else.
- Which iconic person inspires you? I'm pretty into Sarah Silverman right now. I think she's kind of an underdog and is a strong component for change socially and politically. I like the way she's going about the mission in her own weird way.
- Do you have a favorite, inspiring quote? There is no lose, only win and learn.
- If you could choose anyone to pick as a mentor, who would you choose? Bernie Sanders.
- Who are you in your next life? Omg I hope I don't have to do this again.
- Any secrets on how you balance the ins and outs of running a small business? It's ok to cry.
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What’s the best advice you have for other women wanting to be entrepreneurs? Do it. I think it's going to be a strong and progressive year for all of us Arkansas Boss Ladies. We are a compilation, not a competition. Together we can do anything!
Follow The Southern Blonde on social media:
Facebook - Instagram
Photography by Brian Chilson and Steven Veach