Meet Alyssa Heffield | Salon Owner & Hair Dresser

We had the good fortune of connecting with Alyssa Heffield and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Alyssa, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
When I enrolled in hair school, I ultimately knew my dream was to one day be my own boss. My business class centered around a hair dressing career, and my professor laid out a tree with many branches of potential opportunities that this career could take me. I began to envision the freedom of one day making my own schedule, my own parameters, having my own loyal clientele.
I graduated school in 2012 and started working at a commission based salon. I worked in that style of salon for a total of 6 years, before ultimately making the decision to take the leap and start my own business. I weighed the pros vs. cons, and ultimately knew the pros outweighed. It was a daunting and scary leap, but I knew I would regret never giving it a try. In July of 2024, I will have had my own salon business for 6 years!

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My hairdressing career hasn’t been easy, and the challenges I’ve faced have helped me get to where I am today. I worked in a total of 3 different salons before opening up my own business. During my 6 years working in those salons, I was met with a multitude of different difficulties. Each salon was filled with different personalities, artistic preferences, managerial styles, etc. In order for me to take the best route of learning and growth, I chose to step back and view the difficulties as opportunities to reinforce my own personal desires as a business woman. These moments allowed me to lean into my own morals, my own artistic capabilities, and ultimately decide what I wanted my future/career to look like.

I have learned that no matter the career, everyone will be met with challenges. Great things worth while usually do not come without a little bit of a bump in the road.

I’m so grateful for each step on my journey, as it has built up my confidence in who I am as a hairdresser, business owner, and woman power house in my industry. I have learned to lean into my strengths of being patient, empathetic, and kind as guides when making business decisions for my betterment, and the betterment of my guests. I will always strive to create a salon space filled with comfort, safety, and love.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Utah is known for their breath taking mountains, and whether its summer or winter, there is something for everyone to enjoy. Main St. in Park City is a quick and beautiful drive, and a perfect way to get an up close view of these mountains. Main St. is filled with delicious food and drinks, and is a common stay-cation town. There are a few local owned boutiques for some great shopping experiences.

Downtown Salt Lake City is one of the most convenient cities to venture around in, and is filled with the ultimate eats and drinks.

A few of my favorite spots are:

-Lake Effect: They are known for their tin-can nachos (a plate full of nachos baked in a tin-can. Yes, they are delicious.), and a long list of cocktails. They usually have live music, whether it’s a jazz band, a solo musician, or a dance floor with music from a dj. It’s always a good vibe.

To get out of the city, The Cliff Dining Pub in Draper is another favorite of mine. They have brunch/lunch/dinner depending on the time of day. Their menu is delicious, and I haven’t ever had something I wasn’t a fan of. They have a great full bar of cocktails, and a patio with fire pits to enjoy a stunning view of the valley.

Red Butte Garden is a beautiful walking garden to explore the outdoors. They host a summer concert series that is really fun, and something I look forward to every year.

We have a ton of great lakes for water activities, so paddle boarding and lake days in the summertime are a must.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Shanté Micah – I met Shanté Micah in the middle of my commission salon journey. I started servicing her hair needs, and we quickly developed a friendship. She has been one of my longest and most loyal guests, going on 8-9 years. She has truly been such an inspiration in a multitude of ways. She is a business owner herself, and has taken me under her wing to teach me any and everything she has learned/is learning on her own journey. She is an absolute power house of a leader, she is incredibly knowledgeable about anything she is passionate about, and is truly one of the hardest working women I know. I am absolutely privileged to not only call her a mentor, but one of my dearest friends.

Scott and Stacie Heffield – My parents have been my biggest supporters since I presented them with my dream of being a hair dresser. They have always supported any leap I had my heart set on taking. When I presented them with my plan to start my own salon business, I was met with nothing but love, excitement, and positivity. I am so incredibly grateful to know that I can always bring exciting new adventures and ideas to them, and that they will meet me with nothing but encouragement.

My entire Clientele- My business would not be what it is today without every single one of my loyal guests. I can proudly say I have had a 95-100% fully built clientele since opening my salon in 2018. Because of their support, I get to own and operate a business that started out as a hopeful dream. It is an absolute joy to have a work structure where I get to execute an artistic love of mine, as well as share space and conversation with incredible people.

Instagram: the.miss.lyss

Image Credits
Personal headshot- Samantha Adams