Patricia Lynn Laas | HairStylist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Patricia Lynn Laas and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Patricia Lynn, how do you think about risk?
Risk taker right here. I’ve been behind the chair since March 1993. I remember how proud I was to graduate. Really having no idea about what I getting in to. I took a lot of advanced classes over the years. I was always told to take classes. Assisting for 2 years was everything. Another thing I was lead to. It was so super hard for me. I love to learn but, once I’m board. It’s all over. I was board about 6 months into assisting. I wanted more. The owner paid for me to attend Vidal Sassoon. One of the best week long cutting classes I’ve ever taken to this day. I had to assist for two full years before earning my way into the floor. It’s the way it was back then. Didn’t matter if you where ready. You had to pay your dues… I stayed and paid to be on the floor. I was 19 and really knew nothing. About 6 months of being on the floor I was offered a clientele. I had a girl friend getting married and her husband didn’t want her to work. Her clients were so amazing. Leaving my first salon was a thing for sure. I was guilted and told that I need to wait tables to build a clientele. I of course didn’t listen and wanted to make money. Till this day I’m not 100% sure that I made the right choice. The money was just what I needed to get me to where I thought I wanted to be. I turned my friends clientele into a super busy business. I had so much fun. I worked so much and always had money and freedom. I got married and raised both of my kids and step son with a super flexible job. I wanted a simpler life after my kids where born. I wanted to move to Northern California and raise my kids on property. I have my clientele to my girlfriend that worked with me at the time. It took her about 6 months to completely fail. Her work ethic was not like mine. There was nothing I could do or wanted to do. At that time I was tired. Of taking care of everyone and not myself. I lived in Nothern California in Forest Ranch for 2 years. It really was a great time in my life to spend with the kids. I was able to give my whole self to them. We had so much fun. Of course, life can’t be fun forever… my husband starting having severe back issues. He had always had back issues but, these where different. Starting to effect him. We started looking for doctors. We came back to Southern California to see a chiropractor that my husband has seen for years. He told him that 2 of his disks in his back are black. He has to have back surgery. My husband had never had surgery before. The kids are little and I’m not working. Life got real Real fast. I had to figure out what to do: I picked up my family and moved back to Southern California. We moved in with my in-laws and my husband had back surgery. This was a process for sure. About, six months after his surgery he is feeling great and wants to go back to work. Life is getting better. I’m working for an AVEDA SALON that offers education and I’m happy. My husband about 6 months later. One year after his back surgery fall down a 40 ft hole on the job in behind Sunset Blvd. one of the guys that he works with wasn’t concerned about safety and didn’t safely cover a 40 ft hole that was drilled the day before my husband fell down it… Yes a 40 ft hole… Life won’t be the same for quite some time. I won’t go into the story to much because we are still going thru workers Comp over 10 years later. The good part of the story if I love my husband and my kids. Life has been a hard adventure but, we are getting back to our happy way of living FINALLY. After, my husbands accident I couldn’t work because he could’ve t be alone. I stayed home for about 4 months. I had an opportunity to move my business to West Hollywood and work at a small salon. My dream was to always work around professionals. Professional conversation and people’s brains working is what I love to be around. My clients come I. To private suite and set up their office. Why waste your day getting your hair done. Work thru it. That’s what my clients do

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I’ve been a Colourist first the past 28 years of being behind the chair. The last 10 years I started becoming interested in formaldehyde free smoothing treatments. Being in Los Angeles there are all sorts of people and all sorts of hair types. I started to notice a lot of hair breaking. Flat irons can be the down fall. If not used properly you can give yourself a flat iron haircut. I’ve always wanted to help people learn to like their out of control and unruly hair. A formaldehyde free smoothing treatment. Smoothies the bulk and frizz. You are able to wear your hair natural but, if you want to full effect. Blowing out your hair will show you what these treatments can do for someone with frizzy curly hair. I started my career in Tarzan in 1993 after graduating from beauty school. I assisted for 2 years. Then, started building my clientele. My life had other plans for me. Tarzana wasn’t the place. I moved to a salon in Simi Valley and became so super busy within 6 months. Being young the money did drive me. Now that I’m older and have experienced life. I may have made different choices. The hardest choice I ever made was moving my business to Los Angeles 10 years ago. It’s been a complete struggle starting over but, I enjoy the clients I get to work with. Successful business women and men. They come to my private suite and set up office. Why waste your time getting your hair done. You can work the whole time while I’m doing your hair.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Los Angeles has the best food and places to see. First we would drive BeVerly Hills and Robertson Blvd. All of the boutique shops are on Robertson Blvd. Of course, Beverly Hills will have the most expensive things. I believe you window shop and buy on line where you can get the best deals. Also, The Grove is an awesome walking out door mall. It’s always decorated for every Holiday. It always feels some kind of festive way. I love it. So many different kinds of food. And The Farmer’s Market is also, right at The Grove. The market is so great. You can find anything you are wanting. Little China always has different food like a Chinese corn dog. My daughter finds a lot of different spots to eat. And last you have to drive or walk Hollywood Blvd. to see everything going on there.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
David Aaronson, Owner of Digital Inbound has been my go to person for everything business. He has fixed things on my website. He has uploaded and edited my blog posts. I see him every three weeks to cut his hair. I get 15 minutes of his brain. He knows everything

Website: www.patricialynnlaas.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/patricialynnhair
Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/patricialynnlaas
Twitter: www.twitter.com/patricialynn00
Facebook: www.facebook.com/patricialynnlaas
Yelp: www.yelp.com/patricialynnlaashairco
Youtube: www.youtube.com/patricialynnlaashairco
Other: www.wordpress.com/patricialynnlaas

Image Credits
Julie Hopkins take my professional pics… I’ve asked her to send pics that she suggests