Lena Pyland, Owner of Lavish Braids Hair Lounge Podcast Transcript

00:00   

SALINA: Well Lena, hey, how are you doing? Thank you for joining us today. For those of you who are listening, I am with Lena who is the owner of Lavish Braids Hair Lounge. She is one of my good friends and I'm excited to be sitting with her today. So, are you ready to just get right into it?

LENA: I'm ready.

SALINA: Perfect, let's go. So, I guess let's just go with the first question. What is it about hair or what is it that you do that really spoke to you and kind of got you into becoming an entrepreneur and kind of starting your business?

00:40   

LENA: That's a great question. Can you ask it again?

00:47   

SALINA:  Yeah, like so you know you're a braider, you know you do great work, like what was it or what was the moment in your life or a realization that you had that said like this is this is what I want to do?

01:04   

LENA: I've always been interested in like hair like in general just doing hair and playing with hair.: SALINA Yeah.

LENA: Somebody walks by with like long beautiful flowy hair I'm like oh my god like I want that.

SALINA: Yeah.

LENA: And so like my senior year I went to Junction and like I could do my own hair. I knew how to braid my own hair and there was this girl there who was like oh my god like your braids are so good can you do mine?

SALINA: Mm-hmm.

LENA: I was like sure, whatever. You know.

SALINA: Yeah.

LENA: And so I was kind of just doing it just because it was fun at the time, so that's one reason it's just fun. And so I did her hair and it looked really good and I ended up having like a few different people at school asked me,  “Hey like could you do my hair?” and I was like sure, why not? And so I kind of just turned into like I'm really good at this I'm enjoy this and in my head that's something like you should pursue if you're good at it and you enjoy it it's like a hobby you should definitely pursue it.

02:08    SALINA:  Yeah. Is there like a feeling or I don't know, how does it feel like inside when you're when you're doing this? Is it something that you feel throughout the process? Is it something at the beginning or at the end?

02:23   

LENA:    It's there's like three different feelings that I feel.

SALINA : Yeah.

LENA: I'll see a style and I'll have my client and I'll be super excited, “Oh my gosh I get to try this new hairstyle.”

SALINA: Mm-hmm

LENA: Then in the moment of doing the hair I'm just like at peace. I'm just calm. My mind is in a little field of grass and then afterwards when my clients gone, I'm like stressed out. I'm literally panicking like I need another client. I literally like stress out because I'm like I don't have any clients right now.

02:58   

SALINA:  Mm-hmm

LENA: So it's like three different feelings.

SALINA: Yeah. How does it feel? Are there moments when you're like working with a client that you see, I don't know like they kind of change or like there's an energy that kind of happens that you pick up on and how does that coincide

03:23   

SALINA: I guess with how you're feeling?  

LENA: It makes me really happy because usually  I'll do, a lot of the time,  I'll have a lot of people that I'm working with have them faced away from the mirror because then they can  really like at the end of the style I'm like are you ready to see? Yeah and just spin them around and their face is like their big smile or it's just like “oh my god” like full of excitement and that's part of the reason I do it.  Just because when you see yourself in a different way it's exciting.

SALINA:  Yeah.

LENA: And so that's kind of the feeling that I hope my clients will always feel and when I get to see that it makes me like really happy.

03:57   

SALINA:  Yeah, because you did my hair. What was it like a couple?

LENA: December

SALINA: Yeah in December and I remember and I've told you this over and over again that when the way I looked at myself when it was all done was like a way I've never did before.

LENA: Right.

SALINA: And so I just remember feeling like I'm a completely different person and so I mean I imagine for you hearing that back it is kind of…

04:27   

SALINA: …really rewarding.

LENA: It makes me feel good. It makes me know that what I'm doing is helping other people see themselves literally in a completely different way whether that's like boosting their confidence or just a surprise like “oh my god this might be a new style…

04:44   

LENA:    …I might keep forever. You never know so it's super exciting.

SALINA:  Yeah, no, I think it's amazing and I think you do really great work and it's really inspiring. What's probably a personal aspect to what you do or just to who you are that you think people don't always get…

05:07   

SALINA: …to hear or see about you?

LENA: I would say I'm like always thinking about the next style or just thinking in general.  Always trying to perfect something, learn something new. It's kind of like as I said stressful the second my client leaves because I'm like now what's going to happen. What's next? I want to do something again.

SALINA: Yeah so on a personal level like it gets like very stressful because I'm always wanting to learn always wanting to be better.

05:44   

LENA:    So I put a lot of pressure on myself.

SALINA: Yeah, so what keeps you in alignment? What is like  - okay if I want to do this and I'm very hard on myself about it like how do you get from where you are to that?

05:55   

LENA:     I'll try to find a client. I'll be like hey like let's work together I want to try this would you be down to try this style and usually they're like super excited to try something new

SALINA: Yeah.

LENA just put myself in a where I can.

06:14   

SALINA: What's your like do you have any fears? What's your biggest fear for you personally with this? Because I know some people their biggest fear is either failing at something or that they'll be better than they think they could actually be or different things like that. What's kind of something that might be in the back of your mind?

06:37   

LENA:    I never want to stop learning.

SALINA:  So you're a big learner?

LENA: Yes.

06:44   

LENA:    So I would say I don't want to get comfortable. I don't like being comfortable.

SALINA: Would you argue that perhaps, being or that desire to kind of stay comfortable or to feel that you've learned all that there is to learn kind of limits you know…

07:03   

SALINA:  …other people from going for certain goals that they want to do?

LENA: Definitely because I feel like if you stay in one spot for like too long kind of just be like, “Oh well this is all that there was, okay.

SALINA: Yeah.

LENA: Let's see.

SALINA: There's nothing more to do

LENA: There’s nothing more to learn and I'm like I don't ever want to. There's nothing wrong with that but personally I don't ever want to do that.

SALINA:  Right.

LENA: So yeah that would be my biggest fear is getting too comfortable.

07:34   

SALINA:  Based on that, how would you define what being successful looks for you?

07:43   

LENA:    Now, just staying up to date with like current hair trends because everything's always changing. Always having my goals set and then making sure  my clients are happy. Get them to try new things and if like there's a style like I'm not sure how to do I will do…

08:09   

LENA:    …my best to learn it for somebody.

SALINA: Yeah. Has your idea of success changed from when you originally started this or  when you were in high school and you were like yeah this…

08:19   

SALINA: …is kind of what I want to do to now or has it always been kind of consistent?

LENA:  It's been pretty consistent I think when I have reached my goals there's another one that just pops up. This one's gone. Here comes a new one.

SALINA:  Yeah.

LENA:  I see like every day there's a new goal that pops up into my head. Some of them don't happen or some of them do happen and it's like…

08:47   

LENA:    …okay let's give me the next one. You know like ready to go.

SALINA: Are there certain goals...

08:54   

SALINA: …that you're like okay these definitely have to be there or number one?

LENA:  When I first started I had like a big five-year goal and it was to have a business downtown. That was always been my dream.

SALINA: Which you do now. You have one main studio.

LENA:  Yeah.

SALINA: Which is nice and by the way the way you treat your clients when they come in is superb.

LENA: Yeah.

SALINA: You really feel welcome and wanted, so sorry.

09:20   

LENA:    No that makes me really happy. Yes I wanted my business downtown on main street  and then I wanted a space that was inviting, luxury, and also just like different than what most people who go to braiders experience. I guess like a new experience for different kinds of people too and so that was one of those goals and then pretty much just get as many clients as I can. Make as many people happy as I can.

SALINA: Yeah.

LENA:  I'm still working on that there's one big one but I can't say it because it won't happen.

SALINA: You're right. Yeah you don't want to jinx it.

LENA:  Yeah.

10:10

SALINA: I guess what made you decide to do that here? What is its about Grand Junction, the community, other than living here? You could go to Denver. You know, probably go to a bigger city. What made you say, “Hey, this is the place I want to do this,”?

10:39

LENA: To be honest, I was never going to be a braider. I just like to do hair so I was never going to do it. I was going to go to school for interior design and décor.

SALINA: Oh really?

LENA: Yeah because I wanted to be an interior designer and when I realized how happy that girl was when I did her hair and how many people started asking me, I was like, “there are not many braiders here in Junction.”

11:03

SALINA: Yeah, that is true. Yeah.

LENA: I will say I am one of the lucky few who know how to do their own hair but how can I help people in this town that is growing like crazy which is so exciting.

SALINA: Yeah.

LENA: But it is growing so quickly. How can I create? How can I solve a problem? Because I had talked to people and they were like  - “I have a braider but they are unreliable. We know somebody who braids hair.” But I think it’s not someone super serious about it. I was like I want to solve that problem and so I was like I am going like I want it to be serious if I am going to do it. So it kind of just happened. Because like i saw that there was a problem that needed to be solved.

11:50

SALINA: Supply and Demand.

LENA: Yeah pretty much.

SALINA:  Yeah because I remember, especially when I went to school at CMU I would do a lot of,  I don't remember what they're called,  when incoming freshmen or students that are scouting schools will come. You would have you know the kids who are mixed or you know black students, high schools come in and I remember very vividly, I remember I was doing a presentation to a group and it ended. Then afterwards this family came to me and they come like to the side. They’r like “So where do you get your hair done.”

LENA: Yeah.

SALINA: I was like honestly I kind of don't, unfortunately, like I don't really know anybody  I would trust and then so speaking on that  I think you're definitely in a place that that's wanted.

12:40

LENA: Yeah.

SALINA: It's nice now to be in the position to say, “Hey I do have somebody. Lena’s here. She can do it for you.” I mean how does that feel to know that that in and of itself is part of the community dynamic where there is a need for that kind of experience and that want?

13:05

LENA: It feels really good actually because I actually didn't grow up around other black people. I'm adopted so I grew up with a white family.

SALINA: Yeah.

LENA: Even in school I was around like a lot of white people which isn't a big deal but coming here and like even surrounding myself around other black people was like kind of intense for me.

SALINA: Yeah.

LENA: I was like I don't even know how I was supposed to act but when I realized that I could do something not just being black.

SALINA: Yeah.

LENA: But I could be a part of the community because I like to do hair right. It felt really good because that's now how I connect with other black people.

SALINA: Right, through hair.

LENA:  Is through hair yeah and so even going up to people when I was doing my business card they're like, “Oh my god, I love your hair by the way I do braids. Take my card. Call me.” It felt really good because then like it helped me personally and then it helps them too.

14:13

SALINA: Yeah. So speaking of family and friends, what is it like for them and for you to kind of see you pursue this? You know are they very supportive? What’s the dynamic?

14:29

LENA: They're so supportive like so supportive.

14:33

SALINA: What's your like favorite memory or something that they've said or done or like just the overall experience?

LENA:  Actually my best friend her name is Tanya.

SALINA: Shout out Tanya.

LENA: Shout out Tanya. There was like a couple months ago actually I had just quit one of my other jobs and I really enjoyed that job too and I just needed like i couldn't work there anymore.

SALINA: Right.

LENA: It was so intense that I was leaving that I was like if I leave this job then I have to commit to doing to hair one thousand percent.

SALINA: Yeah.

LENA: So I was telling her, we're just driving downtown, I'm like girl, you know how I've been telling you that I want a spot on Main Street? Sorry I just cursed. I want a spot on main street yeah and I’m going to have that spot, you have no idea. Then after we hung out that day I didn't talk to her for like two months and in those two months I had gotten on Facebook marketplace found the suite that I wanted downtown and you know did everything I needed to get it ready. She texted me “Why haven't I heard from you?” I was like I’ll tell you  in a couple weeks. I'm not ready yet and so like a couple weeks later, I was like girl you ready to go see? She's like yes and so I showed it to her like my little suite and she was like you know one thing I noticed about you is when you say you want something all you do is go get it. You did that so quickly and I thought you were just talking girl like I love you but you talk a lot. I thought and the fact that you went and did that is crazy. So that like felt really good because that's how I see myself is when I want something I’m going to  get it.

SALINA: Yeah and so like they're very supportive. My best friend's supportive. My parents are supportive. I told my dad. I was like when I have my suite downtown, he's like Lena you have your sweet downtown. I was like oh my god you're right ,you're right.

SALINA: You're like wait a minute I forgot that this happened.

Lena Pyland, Owner of Lavish Braids Hair Lounge

16:39    LENA:    Yeah, no my friends and family are very supportive of me.

SALINA: Where does that determination come from for you? You say everybody says you know you're one of those people that, boom, if this is what I want to do you get it done. Where does that kind of determination, confidence, I don't know…

16:55 LENA: I have no idea.

SALINA: Is it one of those things where you feel like you kind of just fake it till you make it or you kind of just embody like somebody just different and you're just like you almost..

17:04    SALINA:…           black out a little bit and you're like boom?

LENA: It's more like it feels like, it's like a physical pain. It feels like so intense. Just like I can self-motivate myself to a point where it's just like I can feel it throughout my body. Yeah so I don't know where it actually comes from but it's just a feeling that I get. It's like overwhelming.  If you don't freaking do that you're a failure or something. I don't know. It's, I don't know.

17:36    SALINA: Yeah, that's awesome. What do you wish the community or you know those around you kind of understood about your passion, what you're trying to do, and  kind of who you are?

17:53    LENA: What they may not kind of like right now in this moment? That's a really good question.

18:04    SALINA: Oh that's a win for me. Good question. Just even kind of just one message or I guess if there was a message that you want everyone at large to kind of really get what would it be?

LENA:  I’m trying to build something that creates a feeling of…

18:37    LENA:    So you know lower class, middle class, higher class? Whatever you want. I'm trying to create something for i feel like a community that doesn't experience that. Whether it's the black community or whatever community you want to call it that doesn't get to experience the feeling of luxury which is a big part of what I like. I like shiny expensive things and I want to create that feeling for all everybody.

SALINA: Right.

LENA: So I'm, yeah, I'm kind of just trying to build that.

SALINA: Yeah

LENA: Make it to where it's not necessarily selective but also like I want people when they hear about this project that I'm working on that I can't say but when they hear about lavish braids they're going to be like I feel so excited to go here because I've been on this waitlist for this amount of time. That's what I love I want to be. I want people to feel like they have to be on a waitlist to get to get it.

SALINA: Yeah but it's also like the experience piece, right?

LENA: Yeah.

19:48    SALINA: Like it's not just like, “hey you're coming to me to do your hair.” There's a way for me like there's an element of like you know this is something that you're really dedicated to and so there's a service too and an experience that you want to provide creating that experience for them.

LENA: Yeah.

SALINA: Because like I said when I came to you the I was blown away with how you made me feel the whole, you know, from the beginning to end. So I can imagine you know your drive to want to provide that. For those of you listening, if you experience it, you will understand what I'm talking about. It was phenomenal. But so kudos to you on that. I think, you know, that's a great idea. And I think it's something that will add a lot of value for that, for sure. So from where you are right now, if you could go back or, you know, revisit your younger self, is there anything that you would say as words of advice or just kind of anything you'd just be like, hey, keep going? Like, what would you really, like, say to yourself?

21:04    LENA:    Honestly, I wouldn't. I wouldn't ask for anything else.

21:06    SALINA: You wouldn't say or do anything else? Like, everything has just kind of been.

21:10    LENA:    Because I'm happy. Yeah. Like, every struggle or every, like, exciting thing that I've experienced, I would want to experience it again. Yeah. Just because.

21:24    SALINA: Is there one struggle or win that sticks out to you that's like, oh, this is one of those moments that I would experience again or one of those moments that I wouldn't ever change because it helped me to get where I am now? And if so, why is that moment so significant for you?

21:45    LENA:    Actually, the most recent would be because I was doing braids out of my little, I had, like, a little she shed at my parents' house that my dad built for me.

21:55    LENA:    And was very unprofessional, I will say. Yeah. Because, like, we had to hook up, like, a heater. We had to hook up, like, an air conditioner. There was a sink in there that didn't run.

22:07    SALINA: Hey, you were making do with what you had at the time.

22:09    LENA:    My clients had to use the restroom, walk through the house, and be like, knock, knock, dad, I got a client coming in. Is that okay?

SALINA: Yeah.

22:19    LENA:    So, being able to move into a space where I wanted to do this. To be downtown on Main Street, that would be probably the most exciting, like, struggle and, like, transformation to where I am now. Because it's now that professional that I was going for has the look that I'm going for. The experience that I've been dying to create for so long. Like, it's, I needed to be at the little she shed to experience that. Yeah. So.

22:52    SALINA: That's pretty cool. So, based on that, and where you are now, and your whole entire journey, what is the next, kind of, five to ten years look for you? I know there's this project. Can't mention it.

LENA: Can't mention that.

SALINA: Yeah. But, like, you know, we're at the five years from now mark. Like, what's happened?

23:14    LENA:    So, by this time, the diversity has exploded in Grand Junction. There is everybody everywhere, okay? I would love to see a hair store here for black hair that's inclusive to everybody, not just black.

23:37    LENA:    And that's pretty much it. I just want a hair store.

23:40    SALINA: And then where are you at, personally, five years from now? Like, how are you feeling about your journey, and where have you gotten?

23:47    LENA:    I feel good. I feel like I've gotten to meet as many people as I could.

23:57    LENA:    Honestly, I still just want to be doing the same thing. Yeah. Quit my job.

24:03    LENA:    Just be better than I am right now. Yeah.

24:09    SALINA: What's one thing outside of what you do right now that you want to be remembered for, or you want to be kind of your impact on our community, on the people around you, and the people you kind of interact with?

24:29    LENA:    Honestly, I just want to be kind to everybody. I want everybody to feel. Like, I'm a good person, and I also, yeah, I just want to be remembered for being kind.

24:43    SALINA: That's awesome.

24:45    SALINA: So, what's one thing about you that's kind of surprising, that people wouldn't know or think about?

24:55    LENA:    I actually talk all the time.

25:03    SALINA: So, you're just a talkative person? Yeah. So, you should be in my seat is really what should be happening.

25:08    LENA:    I act like an introvert. I might be an introvert. I don't know. But I do talk. I talk all the time.

25:13    SALINA: So, you're just an introvert.

25:16    LENA:    Okay, this is the thing. When I'm with my clients, though, like, it can either be a silent appointment, or we can be talking the whole time.

25:23    SALINA: Which ones do you prefer? Or which ones tend to work out better, I should say?

25:27    LENA:    I feel like I get stuff done faster when it's silent. Like, we can move products going in, have them slick down, looking good. But when I'm talking, I'll be like, oh, no. Like, I'm just, like, walking around my studio, kind of just going crazy. So, honestly, I don't care. Yeah.

25:51    SALINA: It's funny that you say that, because I would have never really taken you for a very talkative person. So, you're very deceptive that way.

26:01    SALINA: So, what's the last thing that's, like, kind of truly inspired you recently?

26:08    SALINA: Whether it's something you read, saw, or, like, a client that you had.

26:15    LENA:    Recently, it's just been social media. I've studied social media off and on, just for fun. And so, there's, like, looks that I'm going for. I'll study those ideas. I'll study pages. I'll study influencers. And that's fun to me. So, you're watching, just taking notes? Yeah, just kind of just taking mental notes and trying to incorporate that. Into my services, my clients' experience, and then kind of just go from there.

26:52    SALINA: So, we know hair is your thing.

26:54    LENA:    Hair is my thing.

26:55    SALINA: But let's say we're in an alternate universe, and that's not what you're doing. Is there anything that you would be doing that has nothing to do with hair? I'd be an interior designer. How did that become a thing? Like, what about interior design is, like, interesting to you?

27:11    LENA:    I like the way things look. I like organization.

27:18    LENA:    And it kind of also has to do with social media. I just like to see how pieces come together. I like textures, too. That's another reason I love doing hair. I like how it feels on my hands.

27:30    SALINA: Interesting.

27:33    LENA:    I can't, yeah. I just like to see how things come together. Make it go from an empty room into just, like, a beautiful space. Okay. And then there's so much to do, too. Like, you can switch it up. You can be, like, mid-century model. You can be modern, to strictly modern, to minimalist, to brutalist. Like, there's, I could go on.

27:56    LENA:    But, yeah. An interior designer.

27:59    SALINA: But we are approaching the end of this. So, what I want to do is just say, you know, tell the audience how they can support you. So, just lay it on them.

28:08    LENA:    If you want to support Lavish Braids, best thing to do is follow me on social media at Lavish Braids Hair Lounge. I'm pretty sure that's, I think that's it. I don't, yeah. Lavish Braids Hair Lounge. And then book an appointment with me. My link is in my bio.

28:35    LENA:    And scroll through. Look at things that you like. Ask me questions. Ask me styles that you want to try.

28:44    LENA:    Get that, get my name out. And, yeah.

28:48    SALINA:  Awesome. Well, thank you, Lena, for joining me today. Thank you. Thank you for having me. I really appreciate it and if you're watching, definitely go to her. She's amazing. But thank you for being here. Thank you. Thank you for listening. I'm your host, Salina, and I hope you enjoyed this episode. Be sure to subscribe to wherever you get your podcasts and follow us on social at Grand Valley. And stay with us as the Grand Valley journey continues. Until next time, stay curious, take risks, support your local community and small businesses, and celebrate you.