Meet Latysha Burleson | Cosmetologist

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

Hi Latysha, every day, we about how much execution matters, but we think ideas matter as well. How did you come up with the idea for your business?
Since I was younger everyone always told me my talent was doing hair. I kind of picked it up from seeing my cousin braiding hair through out me growing up as a kid, and it all started from there.

I remember in high school I had a hairstylist that always dive my weaves. Later down the line he decided to move to Atlanta, he was cool enough to offer me going with him to be his apprentice unfortunately I was straight out of high school and wasn’t sure if that’s what I really wanted to do.

Around 2011 I was ready to go to cosmetology school after my mom convinced me that doing hair was where I was meant to be. I then attended Toni&Guy cosmetology school in Santa Monica where I stayed until 2012 a little after I found out I was pregnant.

Having to choose between being able to take care of myself and my son I chose my son, life happens we all have to make the best choice from there I told myself once I got on my feet again I would come back.

After having my son it took me a while to find my passion again, it wasn’t until 2015 when I decided I needed to start doing hair just to make some extra cash I remember staying in my best friends basement doing $75 weaves but my clientele was great!

A year later life hit me with verve ball and I was I had to move to the inland empire to move in with my mother it maybe took me another year or so to get things back rolling. I then built up another great clientele, at the time I was only worried about doing hair to make money never choosing it as my career.

As time went by I got better, my prices got higher, and my clientele got bigger than I began to think to myself I can actually really do this and make a name for myself “ bbella styles”. As the years went by I kept pushing my brand and perfecting my craft. I started doing house calls with the idea of how convenient it would be for someone not to have to leave there home and be able to get there hair done.

In 2018 I got hired at ups, I then had to change my schedule and lost a lot of my clients, that’s when doing hair wasn’t a priority for me anymore. Ups was my first 9-5 in 6 years. I was so grateful and excited that it became my focus.

I 2019 I was able to move into my first apartment, where I then began to pick doing hair back up since my ups job was from 7am to 12pm, I was able to balance out my schedule and take clients after work since then my business has been through the roof. I decided to turn my dining room into my salon. I brought all the supplies and furniture I needed to be more professional and my clients more comfortable.

As of today I’ve had to come up with another easy to balance my schedule I had to work, be a mother and do hair. I was working everyday all day, waking up at 5am and going to bed at 11pm or 12 am just to repeat that process. I realized I wasn’t making enough time for my son so I changed my schedule and began to only work tue-Friday.

I’ve been fortunate to expand my business and I finally able to put my idea of also selling hair “ bbella bundles “into effect.

Today my life and my business are going great, if it wasn’t for my family and me having to be a single mother and provide for my som feel like maybe things would have been a little different. I thank god for the support I’ve had over the years and where I am today I couldn’t imagine my life being any different.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I can most certainly say none of this was easy! It’s been a lot of rough patches a lot of ups and downs many times where I just wanted to give up.

Through the years I’ve learned that I can’t focus on everyone else and I have to do what’s best for myself and son.

I’m most proud of how far I’ve come inn my eyes if a lot of people were to walk in my shoes they would have folded a long time ago. Life taught me a lot of lessons and showed me some choices I made weren’t for me and from then on I changed my focus and made better decisions.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Myself and both my my best friend are from the la area! We love our city so no matter where we go in our own personal lives we always link up in la no matter what!

Through my child hood I’ve grown up from Culver City to living on Crenshaw and slauson for living in “ the jays” so la has been my stomping grown. So with me and my friends linking up we always know the best places to go eat or have drinking or even if it ma just driving up the hill to go chill and catch up over the view of the city. There’s never a dull moment with us.

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 give a major shout out to my family and friends that have stuck around to today.

I definitely want to thank my aunty Chivon for referring me to the article, it’s a major blessing to be able to tell my story and she’s always been a supporter from day one.

I want to thank God for keeping me strong through this whole journey, I know I have so much further to go and I know he’s prepared me for it!

And a big shout out to my son Bentley if I didn’t have him my grind wouldn’t be as strong as it is today I’m doing everything I do for him.

Instagram: @bbella_styles

Other: TikTok: justtysh