Meet Meghan Pratt | Owner

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

Hi Meghan, do you have any habits that you feel contribute to your effectiveness?
I love this question! I feel that as an entrepreneur, it takes true dedication and passion to create a sustainable and lucrative career.

One habit I have developed throughout my journey as a business owner is always making sure I take time to connect and network with others in my industry. This has immensely helped improve my business practices by letting me gain a consistent client base through referrals from my peers and creating foundational relationships within the industry.

Another thing I do to remain on top of my game in effeciency is always following up with my clients because you think every business would remember to do this but many skip it! Following up to me is seen as the end of the selling process that truly in my opinion creates a great experience and service for each client.

Always always remaining friendly, personable mature, and creating a calm environment for my clients and way I carry myself while on the job and maintaining great service by going above and beyond with extra care for my clients is the main habit I think I follow that really has led me to success. I realized I always tried hard at this when I see many other artists in my industry get by with the bare minimum on this. Once I started gaining more reviews and hearing what people loved about their experience working with me, they always tended to mention my overall professional demeanor while time was spent with them preparing them for their event!

The last habit I have learned to carry is not to let things get to you when you have a bad experience with a client. Whether it’s working with a client who doesn’t suit you, having a stressful day in general, you need to always have the power to shake it off, move on and not take things too personal and try again the next day doing your best. Owning your own business is not easy or else more people would try it!

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I always knew at a young age I wanted to become a professional hairstylist when I grew up. It wasn’t something I knew I would have to learn, it honestly came as an innate gift to me from God. I’ve always been very fascinated with all things beauty and knew someday I would turn that passion into building a successful career. When I first graduated beauty college at 19,I began working in a salon as an assistant learning cut/color which is a very typical first place to start to gain experience. What I noticed is after doing this for a while I knew I craved something more then just working in a salon.

Then in 2013 I began my first freelance job as working as a bridal hair and makeup stylist going to weddings every weekend. Once I began this title, I knew I had found my calling. Weddings are something that bring be so much joy because I am able to mix my love of connecting with new people, while visiting exciting places all over Southern California to share my best talents with my clients as I know styling hair has always been a strong suit of mine.

Makeup became something I was more interested in getting better at once I really fell in love with working weddings knowing learning both would be a better way to gain more clients and earn more money. After being in the industry now for over 7 years I have gained so much insight and knowledge. It is a blessing to be well respected in the industry and still to this day be in love what I do. What sets me apart today is my combining my business skills with my love for all things beauty. Starting my venture from the ground up at a young age of 23 has also taught me so much about myself, what I want for my life and how create a meaningful work/life balance.

Being an entrepreneur on a daily basis truly keeps me on my toes with new challenges always arising with an ever changing need to grow, learn, adapt and refine my skills but it is also exciting and fresh and I learn more and more everyday.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Well that’s a very interesting question to be asked during a time like this! My current favorite things to do are watch movies, attend concerts,go camping, and newly working out at my local spin studio, so we would be trying one of those things probably if permitted.

I would say if you haven’t been to Southern California the main thing I would do is take my friend to my favorite beach which is by far Victoria beach In Laguna Beach and try out a new local foodie hot spot, maybe for burgers and of course dessert, always a favorite of mine when eating out. Another great local spot I love to hang out at is Pacific City in Huntington Beach, they have some really fun rooftop restaurants/bars.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My business school and my amazing parents who raised me so well and have always taught me discipline and showed me so much love as a child. I owe much of my success to learning from one of the best business schools in Southern California. Majoring in entrepreneurship was the best decision I have ever made for myself. It was very challenging at times but I learned so much from my time on college which as an undergrad I know can be rare until you have reached your graduate program. In school I had real life experience consulting businesses, wrote group papers of 150 pages long and presented real business ideas in front of a range of professors and business mentors which helped me grow and have enough confidence to launch my own business in 2017.

Website: www.meghanvaleriehairandmakeup.com
Instagram: @meghanvaleriehair
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meghan-pratt-4a399759
Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/profile.php?id=385553481539932&ref=content_filter
Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/meghan-valerie-hair-and-makeup-santa-ana-2

Image Credits
Cyd weeks photography Kylieandcompany Nick radford Alice shoots people Alison yin photo Biancca Wallace Hitched photo la