Meet Alicia McQuilliams of Louve Hair Saloon

Today we’d like to introduce you to Alicia McQuilliams.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
My story in the hair industry started ten years ago. I was a single mom trying to figure out a way to provide a good life for my kid and still do something I would enjoy every day. Hair was always something I liked doing, so I finally made the decision to take a chance, I dropped out of college, enrolled in cosmetology school and immediately immersed myself in my first salon job.

Fresh out of school I got connected with Charlie Price and the runway/photoshoot scene here in Denver. That’s where I fell in love with balancing my day to day behind the chair as well as the creativity of runway/photoshoot hair. Over the years I have continued to learn and grow and about four years ago I decided to leave my traditional salon to open up a studio. Even with the challenges of making the jump into renting I loved the freedom. It also leads me to reconnect with someone who was also a stylist for DFW that I hadn’t seen in years, Jackie Schneider. We then made a huge decision to give a salon partnership a shot and it has been a whirlwind! After two years of growth and change, we are in the exciting process of expanding our little private two-chair salon into something so much greater. So stay tuned!

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
There have absolutely been struggles along the way. Each year brings new challenges but I feel like without them we aren’t pushed to grow. It has taken me many years, a few different salons, opening up my own salon, and lots of hours practicing for me to find what I really wanted from my career.

Work-life balance has always been the biggest struggle for me though. It is something I’m really working on. But having a support system to have your back and push you through any challenges that may arise is key. My family and salon partner Jackie are the best support I could ever need!

Alright – so let’s talk business. What else should we know about your work?
Professionally I definitely wear a lot of hats! My main one is, I am a hairstylist and the co-owner of Louve Hair Saloon. I specialize in Balayage, Blondes, vivid colors, and anything else involving hair color. I focus on what I love and what I’m good at. Outside of the salon, I am a part of the Beauty Underground an artistic team fronted by Charlie Price. My involvement with the team has opened up many doors, I am currently the runway director for Denver Fashion Week, I do hair at New York Fashion Week, and I have done hair as well as directed runway shows all over the country.

Through our my career I have also been nominated for a few awards: Newcomer of the Year for Colorado Hairstyling Awards, as well as Colorist of the Year and Avant-garde of the Year for the Southwest Hairstyling Awards. I feel like everything I do keeps me creative. I’m able to bring fresh techniques to my clients all while giving them an amazing service in a chill environment.

If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
Honestly, I wouldn’t do anything differently. All of the blood sweat and tears (literally) I have put into my career have gotten me to where I am today. I would just tell myself to take a breath and know that everything I will go through in life and my career will lead to some amazing things.

Contact Info:

• Website: Www.louvehairsaloon.com
• Phone: 7203462486
• Email: louvehairsaloon@gmail.com
• Instagram: Www.instagram.com/funkstyling
• Facebook: Www.facebook.com/funkstyling
• Other: Www.instagram.com/louvehairsaloon

Image Credit:
David Rossa and Robin Fulton

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