048 A late starter in the hair & beauty industry and a passionate advocate for social change.

With all the uncertainty in the world as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, most salons have been able to reopen, but there is no way to determine if they will still be open in a month or where they will be at the end of the year. When you look at how most people have adapted to the changes, it's impressive, but it hasn't been easy, and it's not over yet. In some countries, states and cities, salons that have just reopened are now being forced to close down again because of a second spike in the coronavirus infection rates. I think the most predictable thing at the moment is that everything is unpredictable. And that's how it is with my guest on today's podcast, Los Angeles salon owner Paula Peralta. Paula is a hairstylist, a brand ambassador, a passionate advocate for social change and an entrepreneur. In today's podcast, we will discuss: The advantages of being a late starter in the beauty industry. The importance of letting your career evolve. The four energies needed to succeed in business. The 'Black Lives Matter' movement and the momentum behind it.   In This Episode: [02:39] Welcome to the show! [04:03] Paula shares her journey into hairdressing at 29. [06:45] She fixed other people's hair while in high school for parties and enjoyed it. [09:00] Listen as Paula shares the benefits of getting into the industry late starter in the industry. [11:50] Paula speaks about her first few years in the industry as an editorial stylist. [13:05] How did you know it was the right time to open a salon? [16:04] Paula said she didn't fear failure because she'd already failed at her first job. [18:01] Paula discusses closing her salon and where she is going in her career. [21:02] She shares that she just opened a salon suite in Hollywood. [23:06] Paula explains the four energies that you need to succeed in business. [26:36] "When you allow those different energies to show up in your business, that's what allows you to create greater."  [28:31] Is most of your focus going to be on the coaching and educational stuff, or are you still going to work behind the chair? [30:13] Paula built her business on Instagram and built her client base in six months. [32:06] How do you think the 'Black Lives Matter' movement has affected change? [35:34] Paula discusses what is happening with the movement now that the pandemic is taking all the air space. [38:17] If you are engaged in the movement, you can see where the conversations are happening. [40:32] Paula shares how racism manifests itself every day. [43:05] Paula speaks about having awareness about what's happening and also being willing to do something about it. [44:21] Paula talks about the difference between racism and antiracism. [46:40] What does the hairdressing industry need to do to be more inclusive? [49:17] What do manufacturers need to do? [51:03] Paula shares what Paul Mitchell is doing to help with inclusion now and in the future. [53:20] Paula speaks about what the average salon owner can do to add diversity in their salons. [55:40] What milestones need to happen to keep this movement going forward? [1:01:09] Paula shares some final thoughts. [1:01:45] Thank you for being on the show!    Links and Resources Grow My Salon Business    Find Paula Paula Peralta @hairbypaulaperalta Instagram @naeemahlafond Instagram