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Life and Work with Missi Paris

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Today we’d like to introduce you to Missi Paris.

Missi, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
What a journey the hair industry has been for me! I have always had an interest in hair & beauty but never knew what opportunities it had to offer. I graduated hair school in 2006 and worked in a few different style salons in the Chicago land area for over six years. My love for the mountains was calling and in 2012, I followed my gut and moved to Colorado. I continued developing my career in Boulder as a stylist, color educator and stage artist, building a beautiful clientele from being the “new girl in town” to a 6 figure stylist in a few years.

Just when I thought I was on top, I felt there was something missing, I loved everything about my craft, my clients, and I am always filled with so many creative ideas. But I needed the freedom and space to make my deepest dreams come true. It knew it was not going to be easy, and I knew I would need to lose everything I had built but I was determined to make it happen. From there, Wild Indie Hair Lounge was born!

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Of course, there are so many bumps in the journey for something great. That’s what makes it all worth it in the end! One of my trainers in my continuing education program for hair and business recently asked me, “What’s your superpower?” I was confused by the question because I didn’t think I had a superpower. When I really sat down to think about it, I decided that my superpower was that I always have a positive outlook on any situation and hope for what’s ahead. Even when you are in the toughest most challenging times of your life, it’s all about mindset. I’ve experienced some rough times in my life and it’s made me the woman I am today. I have to be grateful because I’ve gone through the mud, I’ve been at all-time lows and have always gotten back up and came out on the other side. Opening a business wasn’t easy, it’s still not easy, but I just stay focused, calm and positive and just take on one task at a time before moving on to the next. Also, surround yourself with the right people. It is a total game changer! You can’t keep moving forward if you have toxic people in your life.

So, as you know, we’re impressed with Wild Indie Hair Lounge – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of and what sets you apart from others.
Wild Indie Hair Lounge specializes in Natural Beaded Rows Hand-tied Hair Extensions and advanced hair color.

Our mission at Wild Indie is to provide the art of hair customization paired with amazing guest experience. Our team invests in the highest education available in our industry so we can bring advanced hair techniques to our guests. We value the feeling a great hair experience can give someone and that’s why we love sharing our knowledge, connect with our guests, have fun and providing them with gorgeous hair results!

Our space is located in a very cool old house in the Denver Highlands. It has a modern bohemian feel. We renovated with clean white walls, black modern fixtures, dark wooden furniture then tailored further with cool touches like our custom painted graffiti stairs, boho swing on the front porch, hanging tree branches made into a light fixture and much more! My favorite space is our cozy loft located at the top of the building, it’s filled with soft blankets, interesting books, soft lighting, homemade dream-catchers and is the perfect place to unwind while your color processes!

There’s a wealth of academic research that suggests that a lack of mentors and networking opportunities for women has materially affected the number of women in leadership roles. Smart organizations and industry leaders are working to change this, but in the meantime, do you have any advice for finding a mentor and building a network?
My best advice for marketing and finding a mentor is to just put yourself out there! If you are scared, do it anyways! I joined an education program that is filled with driven, like-minded people. It has kept me fueled and focused on my business. And even though I am part of this network of over 150 business owners around the US, I am still reaching out to local business owners just to sit and have coffee or asking to collaborate in some way. I think it’s amazing to support your neighbors. I have met women who are in my industry and do the exact types of hair I do right down the street and I still support them and want them to grow. There is plenty of success to go around (again, it all comes down to mindset)!

Pricing:

  • Custom coloring starts at $130
  • Natural Beaded Rows Hand-tied Hair Extensions first install begins at $1000 (maintenance begins at $155)

Contact Info:


Image Credit:
Sara Kane @sarakckane Sarakckphotography@gmail.com

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