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

Hi Erika, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
My thought process was to learn as much as possible- I was blessed to find someone early on who could mentor me through all aspects of being an independant. My experience is that environment plays a huge role- finding one that supports your independent endeavors while allowing you to be apart of a team will set you up for a long career.

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.
The thing I take the most pride in is the care, attentiveness, and passion that I give to my craft. I live and breathe this and I’m not sure where I’d be without it. I’ve sacrificed a lot to get to this point- sometimes to the detriment of my own health, but my personal support system and the awesome people I’ve been blessed to work with have kept me going through the ups and downs. The biggest lesson I’ve learned is probably to celebrate the wins, no matter how big or small. Struggling with perfectionism is something I deal with, but when I’m able to focus on what I’ve accomplished in a day or a week it keeps “mistakes” into perspective. What I want people to take away from my story is that you don’t have to be defined by hard times. You can turn negativity into loving energy, and give that to the world and people that are a part of your life.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If my best friend was visiting the first stop would be Cento in Mid City, followed by late night drinks at Bacari in Silverlake. Shopping is a must- Dover Street and Bodega have the wow factor that concept stores bring for visitors, but my favorites are Mohawk General Store and the Los Feliz flea. Favorite weekend activity is definitely the comedy store, and if we’re lucky there will be some good art shows or other fun pop ups going on.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Definitely- Jennie Petrovic of 6 salon Detroit was my first mentor and really gave me a foundation for success- along with the entire team at 6 salon. Daniel Moon, who owns and leads my current salon, has been an incredible guide as well and deserves lots of flowers. And of course, my incredible family, friends, and life partner AJ who have always supported my dreams.

Website: https://Hairlosangeles.com

Instagram: Erika.v_hair

Image Credits
N/a

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