Meet Lisa Redfield | Hair Artist

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

Hi Lisa, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I started my own business because I had a hard time finding a salon/space that felt like the right fit. I found that the more I tried to fit into one space the less I did. Throughout my 10+ years of being a hairstylist I found incredible friends but never the perfect salon. In 2013 I opened my very own salon with just me, myself and I but I quickly learned that working by myself was not the right path for me. I began booth renting after that and I haven’t looked back. Vince Varia gave me a safe space to work and build. He helped me learn the ins and outs of booth rental. I wouldn’t be where I am without him. I adore working for myself while being surrounded by like minded people. Being a business owner is liberating. It gives me the freedom to make the decisions I need to that best fit my business model but allows me to still collaborate with other incredible stylists. I believe that no one is successful without support. There is no turning back for me. I’m on the right path with the right people on my side. I’ve recently moved to a new salon that I intend on staying here as long as I can. So a huge Thank You To Ashe Bowen and Isaac Hester at Above Ground Lodo for giving this girl her new home!

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.
There are always lessons to be learned. In the beginning I was learning how to do hair in the real world and not just in school as well as adjusting to working with other stylists. The middle really consisted of finding my niche (COLOR) and honing those skills. I took every and any class I could. I probably watched every YouTube that was out there at the time. Any piece of knowledge I could get my hands on I did! Education is key in this industry and I learned quickly that if I didn’t keep up I’d be left behind. In the last few years I’ve really fine tuned my skills. I’ve always loved the science behind hair color and I wouldn’t be where I am if I hadn’t taken all of those classes and discovered my true art. I’m known for my fashion tones and color expertise. I love the vibrancy of the colors and how they melt into each other and play off of one another to create dimension and depth. I don’t compare my work to others because it’s never a competition. I believe all hairstylists have something to offer their particular clientele. I use other hairstylists as a source of inspiration to learn and get better. We are all in the same family and can help each other. I work with many talented stylists and I learn new things every day from them. My brand is built on positivity, love and understanding. My definition of success may different from somebody else’s. The road to success is never easy. I believe that if the road were easy it wouldn’t be worth pursuing because everyone would be successful. Appreciate the hard times because they will shape your future. Benjamin Franklin said it best, “Without continual growth and progress, such words as improvement, achievement and success have no meaning.” This has always resonated with me. I can’t appreciate the things I have without the hardships I’ve experienced along the way.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Oh man, this can be difficult. I guess it would depend on the friend but my ideal itinerary would look something like my everyday life. Denver has some incredible places to go so lets start with food. If we’re looking for more burgers/BBQ there’s an adorable joint called the Bar Car and their sister bar(more pizza and sandwiches) The Owl Saloon. Postino is another favorite and they have amazing happy hour and have many locations in the Denver metro area. For something more on the upscale side I’d go with Bastien’s (steakhouse) or The Fort (has historical appeal and tasty food). You really can’t go wrong with anything in the RiNo Art District. Places to hangout or events to attend would be next on my list. We have an amazing Drag scene in Denver(XBar, Hamburger Mary’s, Gladys, Pride and Swagger and so many more venues to catch Drag). Another option that isn’t as well known is our Burlesque scene. We have so many venues and they are always changing so it’s hard to list them all but I would find them for that particular week. Live music is a must! There are some talented local bands that play here and I just adore live music. A lot of these options can be day or evening. If they haven’t been here before I think a trip to the mountains is a must! My go to is always a small mountain town. I usually pick Georgetown or Estes Park. Georgetown is small and is great for a day trip. They have a small train you can ride and a few great restaurants. Estes Park has lot’s to do! They have the Stanley Hotel(The hotel where the Shining was filmed), adorable shops to grab gifts and delicious taffy and so much food as well as nature to enjoy. If that isn’t enough there is always something happening in this wonderful city so we wouldn’t have to look for long!

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?
There are so many people to give credit to and we would be here all day if I did so I will say first and foremost that my parents deserve a lot of the credit. They both have an incredible work ethic and willingness to learn. They instilled a lot in me that made me who I am today. My Dad has a PhD in Mathematics so numbers(booking/inventory/budgeting) have always been easy, even if I did fight him tooth and nail when we worked on my homework together. My Mom has her Masters in Library Science and has always worked as an information specialist. She always instilled organization skills as well as budgeting in me. A big thank you to both of them for always supporting and believing in me. Also to anyone who has worked with me and/or supported me throughout this journey know that I wouldn’t be where I am with out any of you! There are just too many to name and I personally think that’s a fantastic problem to have. So as in Oscar tradition, I believe my time for Thank yous is up.

Website: https://abovegrounddenver.com/lodo/
Instagram: @prismatic_hair_design
Facebook: www.facebook.com/prismatichairdesigndenver

Image Credits
DC Photography