Sofia has been in the beauty industry for eight years. She currently rents a chair at DM and Company Salon in downtown Victoria, while running her blog and Youtube channel, Life of Hair. Her videos give tips, tricks and knowledge about hair, and often Great Lengths!
WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO JOIN THE GREAT LENGTHS NETWORK?
I was inspired to become a Great Lengths artist after I had taken a course in Toronto called, Inspiring Champions. They discussed the hair industry and broke down the different categories of stylists and what you could achieve with your career. Great Lengths was a perfect vehicle for me to fulfill my goals to become a specialized stylist. It has allowed me the opportunity to offer a luxury service to my clients for all their hair needs, and grow my business at the same time.
YOU USE GREAT LENGTHS YOURSELF, WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT YOUR GREAT LENGTHS?
I have Great Lengths in my own hair and I love the way they make me feel! I choose to shave two-thirds of my hair off for a very edgy look, but still love having the length and fullness on top for flexibility in styling.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR BLOG AND YOUTUBE CHANNEL.
I have a Youtube Channel and blog, Life of Hair, where I offer hair education and inspiration. I first started the channel when I had a client sit in my chair and tell me that they loved the way I styled their hair, but they couldn’t achieve the same results at home. I first took this as a compliment, but over time, came to undertand that it is in my best interest to help educate my clients on styling. If they know how to style their own hair, they feel more confident and therefore, tell more people about me, and my business grows as a result. It’s a Win-Win! YouTube was the best platform for me to educate, because my clients could watch the videos whenever they were in need and had access 24/7. Some of my videos are direct questions clients have asked me and others are for marketing purposes when I want to promote a specific service or product.
WHAT STRENGTHS DO YOU FEEL HELP YOU AS A BLOGGER?
One of my strengths that has helped me is my tenacity. I will continue to work on something until I see improvement solely out of stubbornness!
WHAT INSPIRES YOU?
I always look to my clients for inspiration!
ON YOUR WEBSITE YOU STATE THAT IN YOUR YOUNGER YEARS YOU WERE UNCOMFORTABLE IN YOUR OWN SKIN. HOW DID YOUR CAREER IN HAIRSTYLING HELP YOU TO MOVE PAST THAT?
Hairstyling has definitely allowed me to be more confident. One of the things I love most about the hair industry is, it encourages uniqueness. I work side by side with some of the most talented hairstylists in my city and we are all extremely different from each other. When I was younger, I felt uncomfortable because I was always trying to fit in. Now, I have the privilege of expressing myself in whatever way I see fit and I am accepted and even praised for it.
HOW DO YOU MAINTAIN A WORK-LIFE BALANCE?
I manage my time with a fierce schedule. Even going so far as to plan date nights with my husband or I don’t see him. I also outsource what I can, like optimizing the SEO’s for my blog posts; I have no interest or skill so I would rather pay someone else to do it and focus on what I do well. I am motivated by my dreams and aspirations, but sometimes it’s hard in the daily grind of it all.
WOULD YOU ENCOURAGE OTHER STYLISTS TO START A BLOG?
Only if they have an overall strategy of where they want to go and what they want to achieve. It’s a lot of work, and only reaps rewards if you are consistent.
WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS AND ASPIRATIONS MOVING FORWARD?
My goals moving forward are: to keep competing in hair shows and staying abreast of current fashion, to continue educating and inspiring my clients and to grow my influence in a positive and impactful way. As a Great Lengths Extensions Artist, I have the chance to give people the hair they have always wanted. I believe in enhancing the beauty that we hold in ourselves, and all the uniqueness that comes with that.
