Check Out Farah Gisela’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Farah Gisela

Hi Farah, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was born and raised in Colombia, where I was involved in the modeling and music scene as a singer. Moving to Denver with my then husband, I lived a traditional type of role- taking care of the house and kids. However, becoming a single mother and sole supporter of my two sons, I needed to find a way to support the three of us. It was very difficult- and a little scary- to end up in this situation while living in a different country and learning to speak English. My children were my motivation, and I tried to achieve my dreams. I worked odd jobs while putting myself through the Aveda Institute in Denver for cosmetology. Despite the challenges, I was able to graduate with a perfect average and a letter of recommendation from the headmaster. I feel incredibly fortunate that this country provided me the opportunity to develop a new career as a single mom in her 30s.
At Aveda, I discovered a deep love for working with hair. It allowed me to express my artistic passions in a way that I had not experienced since I had lived in Colombia. I’ve come to realize that specializing in haircuts is truly my calling. This experience made me truly realize that with motivation and determination, we can strive and achieve our dreams, no matter who you are or where you came from.

After Aveda, I worked for several salons in different roles in Denver, and experienced cutting hair for a very diverse set of people. Everyone’s hair is different and unique, and I have developed various techniques to help people achieve better hair styles and feel happier about their hair.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The biggest obstacle for me was living in this country without family and being a single mother of two kids. In Colombia, I would have had family to help with my children or expenses while I went to school, but here I was completely on my own. Additionally, being a student in English speaking classes while I was still learning the language felt very daunting. It was scary to stand up and speak in the crowd. I felt that my accent was getting in the way and that people would not understand me when I would speak to them, but I later discovered that most people seem to like my accent!

Early in my career, I was working 65+ hour weeks as both hairstylist and manager for a large corporation (not going to say the name), and the stress resulted in a pulmonary embolism. In the immediate aftermath, the company refused to allow me to reduce my hours. This event prompted me to become an independent hairstylist, and I have never looked back.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am an independent hairstylist (at Barber Cuts by Farah) specializing in cutting all hair types for both men and women. I am known for being attentive to people’s needs and understanding how to manage any hair pattern. I have developed techniques which will allow the hair to remain “styled” for an extended period of time and reduce the amount of product used to the minimum or none.

Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
Favorite podcast: Next Level Soul
Instagram
YouTube

Contact Info:

• Website: https://farah-diva.square.site
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hairbyfarahgisela/
• Other: https://www.google.com/search?q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Fsearch%3Fq%3Dbarber%2Bcuts%2Bby%2Bfarah%2Bdenver%2Bphotos