Hidden Gems: Meet Dominique Hall of Glam Life Approved Salon

Today we’d like to introduce you to Dominique Hall.

Hi Dominique, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
First of all, excited about my second feature; I was featured last year when we opened our salon in my hometown for Voyage St Louis. So thank you for a follow-up!

My story has so many layers, but I will start with wanting to create a space for other like-minded or receptive beauty professionals that didn’t necessarily create for me. Glam life-approved salon was born out of hustle, dedication, and huge amounts of INTENT.

I started my journey in 2009 as a single mom in college. I started freelancing makeup on top of a six-year-old, a full-time roster of classes, and a part-time work-study in the campus life office of MCC Penn Valley. It all began there due to coordinating events on campus for my colleagues. A specific event held by a consulting group needed a makeup artist, so I decided to shoot my shot and was recruited with literally zero experience. The trust in me and my style was all I needed, and I could do my first fashion show and realize my love for adrenaline first, then my love for makeup artistry came later. I dropped out of college, pursued fashion merchandising, and enrolled in cosmetology school. I was licensed and ready for the world. At this point, what awakened inside of me? I never knew what was coming.

Thirteen years later, after working for every beauty store or cosmetic house as well as several booth rental failures and finally planting my seed and niche in a successful commission salon, I felt confident to pursue my own goals. I moved into a beauty studio of my own and loved it so much. This was at the peak of the pandemic unbeknownst to us, as I was pregnant with our two-year-old. I had no clue how we would make it through the pandemic, especially just opening but fortunately, we did with the salon owner’s support and my husband being an essential worker at the time.

I wake up about 3-4 am every day. Then one day a year in, I was scrolling on a rental source for salon spaces, no clue why just was up at witching hours like always. I ended up stumbling across a space on my favorite block in the city available, and after planning, saving, and working hard as ever, we secured GLAM LIFE APPROVED SALON. We have been open a full year and are fully staffed with five artists, all with their niche and truly bringing what they do best to the table, making the world glam life approved one glam babe at a time.

We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Most of my struggles were my own. I lacked consistency in the beginning, and now I know what to identify when I see my nod so great traits in other stylists, and I can pivot, for example, and make them greater by knowing my downfalls in the past. My motto is to be who you needed when you were young. Some people come into this field thinking it’s glitz, glam, and glitter but not knowing the grit and grind it takes to thrive, not just be mundane and behind the chair. There are so many layers to this industry.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
We are one of the first LUXURY + multi-cultural boutique Salons located on West 39th Street in Kansas City, MO. We specialize in Curly Hair Therapy + Revitalization, Hair Extensions, Makeup Artistry, Braids, and Brow Specialty services. Each artist provides an everyday experience and is by appointment only.

We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
We have all had to pivot during one of the greatest crises of our time. It still shouldn’t be taken lightly, but I am happy to see some light at the end of the tunnel. What I learned most is PREPARATION; I learned how fast things can go left and how you need to be more financially prepared. I learned how vital it is to save and connect with the yoke family on financial literacy and what that means. I also learned how to reconnect with myself and dig deep into my long-term goals while sorting my short-term thoughts and identifying actual goals instead of unorganized ideas. I am a Sagittarius, and I am very innovative and determined. I learned to move in strategy versus excitement just because I can. It’s all the art of balance at the end of the day.

Pricing:

• Hair extensions range $800-2000
• Curl Therapy $75-300
• Cut and Color $250-1000
• Makeup Artistry $100 +
• Various Brow Services $40-200

Contact Info:

• Website: www.glamlifeapprovedsalon.com
• Instagram: www.Instagram.com/glamlife_approvedsalon

Image Credits
Photographer RONNI GRAND of RONNI GRAND PHOTOGRAPHY