Today we’d like to introduce you to Coral Luoma.
Hi Coral, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
I first started going to school at UND wanting to go into Psychology. UND didn’t work out, so I came back home and my mom mentioned I should go to cosmetology school as I remember my 10th-grade math teacher saying the same thing. I remember coming to school with the most dazzling, purple eyeshadows and gold eyeliner I would wear as It would take an hour and a half to get ready. I joke my math teacher said I should go into cosmetology school because I was so bad at math.
Fighting for where I am today was difficult. I went to school and failed four times before finally re-enrolling for the fifth time in and finishing. I struggled with mental health issues, misdiagnosis, and abusing drugs/alcohol. Something clicked in my head one day and I re-enrolled in cosmetology school for the last time.
I told myself whatever hair competition is available to do in school I’ am going to do it. I graduated cosmetology school being 1% away from the honor roll and spoke at my graduation. I graduated in 2015 and worked at a few salons and went back to school to get my Advanced Estheticians license, as I equally enjoy skin care.
In 2020 is when I opened up my salon suite Color Me Coral. I tell people I don’t know If I was crazy or courageous to open a business in the middle of a pandemic, but it has been nothing but the best. I get to know every client and form genuine relationships.
Doing hair is not always really about hair, sometimes it’s comforting your client as they cry in their chair about a loved one not making it or how are they going to get through a challenging time. I’m now engaged to the most amazing woman, Amy who has been so supportive. She has been there from day one with my business. I can’t wait to see you where my business goes in the years to come as I have big plans!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Being an owner today there are obstacles. I think one of them is social media, it’s great for business and to promote, but also it’s a slippery slope. It’s hard to not compare your work as a hairstylist and start seeing everything wrong you did instead of right.
There are days you think, am I supposed to be doing hair? Maybe starting a business was a bad idea? But you have to trust the process and not every day is going to be smooth. You start not knowing one thing about starting a business and it’s up to you to figure it out. Especially all the scenes/of running a business. As a business owner in a suite, you are a one-man show so you have to wear many hats. Some hats I’m not as great at wearing as others, but as time goes on, it gets easier to get the hang of being an owner and I wouldn’t trade it for the world.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
Working in a suite you have a chance to network with other people who are doing the same thing as you. Also, there are so many Facebook groups and pages you can join as a professional to learn and have mentors from.
I always go through a network list in my head of who I know who can help me with a problem I may have. I have friends in the industry who I really look up to and admire for their customer service to their work ethic.
Pricing:
- Clipper cuts -$40
- Haircuts- $57
- Partial foil- starts at $120
- Full foil- starts at $150
Contact Info:
- Website: www.colormecoralmn.com
- Instagram: @colormecoralmn
Image Credits
Fanjie Meng
