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

Hi Blanca, let’s start by talking about what inspires you?
What keeps me inspired in my industry is the talented people in it. I think what makes a good hair artist is to never look at anyone as competition, I feel like we are all resources for each other, those are the type of people I want to be around, I want to learn from them, level up with them. The only person I need to compete with is my self and to be better than my last haircut. That’s what inspires me to keep going.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
For me the art of doing hair goes beyond just a service for a client. It’s an experience, it’s building relationships, It’s being their friend and being the best listener I can be so that all the bad juju they came in with goes down the shampoo bowl drain and they walk out with weight lifted off their shoulders. Getting to where I am now professionally has been a roller coaster, it still is! Its been everything but easy. It takes a lot of confidence, which believe me has been a lifelong struggle of mine, to go out there and pursue a dream. I am still faced with challenges now, recently I’ve started a lifestyle brand “Hair Hustlin’ Inc.” for people in the hair industry and also a lifestyle podcast “Beauty and the Barber the Podcast” with my fiancé who is a barber, its just a different ball game than just doing hair, but it’s my passion for hair and building confidence, that led me to these fun new projects. It’s been a lot of highs and lows for me, growing up in the hood and struggling financially ever since I can remember has, looking back now, definitely been a blessing in disguise because everything I’ve done has been a product of hard work and patience. One of my biggest lessons has been patience, I couldn’t just make moves without money, I had to learn to make work a priority and wait, and continue waiting until I could financially make moves. Hard work makes the dream work, and thats the one thing I want everyone that knows me, my business and my brand to take away from it.

Any great local spots you’d like to shoutout?
I love, love hidden gems and underground spots. I would definitely take them to my fave Brunch spot in LB “schooner or later” , outdoor seating, perfect view of the beach and the mimosas you cannot go wrong with. Hiking trails in the Southbay are small but they have the best beach view. My fave pizza spot in my hood growing up, “red west” in Wilmington. I am a huge fan of murals and photo ops. My fiancé and I literally drive around DTLA or any wall art I see, I make him pull over and have a mini shoot. It’s such unexpected fun, and lets be honest who doesn’t love a good photo op for the gram.

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?
I’m a firm believer that it takes a village. All of my experiences in life, the good, the bad have shaped me into the person I am. As well as all the people in it, every single person I’ve ever met has been either a lesson or a blessing. That’s where my success comes from, living life.

Instagram: @thesuitebee / @hairhustlinINC / @chabeella