Today we’d like to introduce you to Maggie Perales.
Hi Maggie, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I will be the first to admit that I am a beauty school dropout! 1999 was a long time ago, in a land not too far away. I was going to cosmetology school so I could make money while I was in nursing school, or at least that was the plan! Life had other ideas for me.
Halfway through school, I moved to Arizona, had a couple of kids, and never finished my education. Fast-forward to 2008, and I decided to give school another go. Divorced, with a 3- and 5-year-old, I finished my schooling at Entourage in Overland Park and quickly figured out that I was really into just the cutting part of cosmetology.
I started my career at a men’s grooming lounge that no longer exists today and spent just a short time there. From there, I built a pretty good following at a different “barbershop” in the area, which also no longer exists, but eventually I wanted to be part of something new and exciting. That’s what landed me at Buffalo Mane in downtown KC.
Buffalo Mane had only been open a couple of months when I came on board, and there were days when I wouldn’t have a single haircut. Until that point, I had only worked for established shops. I quickly figured out that if I was going to survive in this industry, I was going to have to hustle, and that’s exactly what I did!
I reached out to downtown businesses and apartment communities, made flyers, and handed out folders to anyone who would take them. Before I knew it, I was booked solid and absolutely loving it.
By the fall of 2017, I had gotten married, had two more kiddos, and was splitting my time between our downtown and Lenexa locations. That’s when I knew I needed to be closer to our home in Paola. I moved to the Lenexa location full-time and was killing it!!
Eight years after joining Buffalo Mane, something had shifted. I didn’t just want to own my own shop. I wanted to build my own brand and create a culture that truly reflected WHO I was and WHAT I believed in.
Just like that, Spitfire Hair & Shop was born. Spitfire will be 4 years old this September and I would do it all over again!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Smooth road, what’s that? I don’t think anything in life comes easy. I’ve built and burned bridges, lost friends and relationships. But ultimately I am where I also was supposed to be!
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’ve been cutting short hair my entire career. I specialize in clipper cuts but know how to use my shears also. I am most proud of who I am today. I am genuine and honest. I’ve met so many different people in my career and I would like to think that I have made a positive impact in their lives. I listen, I don’t judge and I meet people where they are. You aren’t just a head of hair in my chair.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
I think that you create your own luck. You get out of life what you put into it. If you are a genuinely good person that surrounds yourself with goodness and light then that’s exactly what you will get out of it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.spitfirehair.net
