Meet Angela Daniela Rogers of Volker Neighborhood

Today we’d like to introduce you to Angela Daniela Rogers.

Hi Angela Daniela, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I was adopted from Honduras when I was 8 months old. Growing up, I struggled with my identity. My parents were supportive and almost pushy about me embracing my Latin heritage. They sent me to take private Spanish lessons with a woman from Guatemala for a while. I was angry about it and wanted nothing to do with a culture I felt had abandoned me. (Later in life, I have a lot of compassion for the woman who only wanted to help a grumpy little girl learn a little bit about their shared culture.) As I entered my teenage years, I developed a dominating eating disorder. Learning to be okay with my body and physical appearance never came easy. The one grounding element of my younger struggles was being able to change my hair. There was a woman who lived up the street, and she was a professional hairstylist. She colored my hair for the first time when I was 12. I asked her for “lowlights” but wasn’t satisfied until I left with fire engine red streaks in my hair!

I attribute a lot of my wanting to be a hairstylist to her. I remember liking the way she talked to me and treated me. As if my 12-year-old “problems” were necessary and what I felt mattered on an adult level. As I progressed through the school years and with the growing intensity of my eating disorder, it became harder and harder for me to feel energetic. But I will never forget how I felt when I left my stylist’s home salon. I was happy and invigorated about being me. Knowing firsthand the power of hair and my desire to help others feel comfortable in their skin is what drove me to become the hairstylist I am today.

I serve a diverse community and welcome everyone of alternative lifestyles to my salon. All my past struggles and experiences have helped me connect openly with my clients and help them feel safe in my salon. My career has led me to meet the most incredible women and people. Each of them has experienced their struggles, moments of strength, and desire to be comfortable with who they are.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been fairly smooth?
After graduating from hair school, I felt insecure in my skills. I was hired as an assistant to a local salon owner. The woman I worked under has always been a huge inspiration to me. She’s seriously the coolest. Even to this day, she continues to be a mentor when I need her and is always a kind friend to me. My first salon after my assistance job wasn’t the right fit, but I landed in the west plaza area, where I worked with three other women, each with different expertise. I learned a lot from them all. After four years, I flew from the nest to begin my journey to becoming a salon owner.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m a hairstylist by profession, but someone told me once, “a stylist’s job behind the chair is to be everybody’s best friend for 2.5 hours,” and I’ve always loved that.

Hmmm. What do I specialize in?
I think I’m a pretty good hype-woman, and I’m also hilarious!
Though, that’s a tough one. The feedback I receive the most is an appreciation for explaining my process and why I’m doing it. I love the chemistry of hair and hair color. I can geek out on it. I think it’s unfair to put some stuff on someone’s head and not teach them about the expected chemical reaction or why I chose to do something a certain way. I’ve had client referrals come in, and they laugh and tell me the person who referred them warned them they’d get a hair education class from me. I’m proud of my relationship with my clients, and it’s sincere. I think I have a lot of great skills and techniques behind the chair, but so do tons of other stylists, many even better than me. What sets me apart from other salons is the client experience I provide. I don’t shuffle people in and out and only see one person at a time. Maybe 1-3 people a day. I do this to avoid burnout and ensure I give everyone 100% of me. I like to stay present when I’m working in the salon. People will ask how I remember so many details about so many different people, and it’s easy when you are having fun, and you care about the people you’re meeting.

Part of providing a great experience is ensuring my client, and I are both as kind to the planet as we are during our time together. I love to research products and their ingredients and how companies of my chosen products interact with our world. I use ammonia-free and environmentally conscious products. I am doing my part, even if a tiny amount is important to me, and many of my clients find me while searching for salons that are conscious of their green footprint. Save the bees!! (And the water cycle, the children, the oceans, the forests, and our bodies! )

Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
Hair is the most fun thing in the world!
I have two Toy Australian Shepherds that I am obsessed with. Their names are Petey and Pablokyle. They are in the salon daily in case anybody needs a puppy snuggle.

Pricing:

• I charge hourly, not by the service. This is to be more inclusive and less complicated.

Contact Info:

• Website: Www.Honeycombkc.com
• Instagram: @Hairsplinters
• Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/Honeycombkc/
• Other: https://form.jotform.com/220871182742051