@samploskonka

Hair stylist and private studio owner. These are my thoughts, inspirations, adventures and pieces of my work.

[samploskonka]

Ask away!

My Instagram’s target audience is my clientele and potential clientele. It’s my virtual look book. With that said, I know i have a good amount of followers who are also industry professionals, so I want to open the floor for them to ask questions! Whether is business, formulations or anything in between.. lets start a discussion! 

Use the ask feature to start!

[samploskonka]

Recently I was contacted by someone asking for a few success tips on what worked for me! Here is what I shared with her:

Stay committed! Don't get distracted by what life throws at you! Hard times, relationships, boys/girls, other stylists, bad experiences. Keep your head high and focused on your goals. I can honestly say I moved to California with written goals and achieved every one of them. Power through and surround yourself with like minds!

Stay busy! If you're bored, you're not busy enough! If you find yourself partying every weekend and using social media for things other than hair.. you need to step it up and re-evaluate! Book free shoots, take color clients to expand your knowledge, go scout for clients etc. Always say yes. When you're starting out you need to be open for every opportunity as well as client. You might feel your social life slip, but you'll learn to balance and prioritize. People often choose this industry using the phrase “I can choose my own hours”. Well, a little tough love, but the successful stylists will all say that; yes, they choose their own hours. It’s all the hours. 5, 6, 7 days a week. They are readily available and even spend down time planning whats next and how to grow. Expect to dedicate yourself to this career if you want to go far. Reaping the benefits once you reach new levels will be SO worth it. At those peaks you can then plan more vacations, time off and live comfortably!

Social media! I can go on and on about this.. we all know! Instagram has been key in growing my business, and I am still climbing. Each day I learn new ways to capture my target audience and the more hair you do, the better you become therefor the better your photos get! Having an online presence is key!

There are so many directions to go in this industry, these are just a few general tips to help no matter which path you choose! I found my calling behind the chair in sessions with my clients. That is where I feel most creative and in charge of my business!

[samploskonka]

Would you be willing to come to Chicago and do my hair, and if so, how much would it cost? I love your work!!

I have no idea how I’ve missed this... but I live in the Chicago area now!

[samploskonka]

High and Low

When you spend almost a decade somewhere, you get acclimated. Everything from the weather, culture, people and even accents become your new normal. They all become home. Though I grew up in NWI, California is what I consider home. It’s where I am comfortable. I know each road, freeway, restaurant, community and vibe. I knew which beach is for hiking, chilling or people watching. I knew what my weekends could consist of and that’s where I made all of my best friends for my adult life.

I had no idea what to expect with moving home. I wasn’t sure if it would be a struggle or if I would fit back into my mold of where I grew up. (I never fit into the mold of NWI when I lived here, so I am not sure where that logic was coming from). So here are some of the highs and lows of living back where I grew up!

Highs:

Family. I love being able to see them everyday and every week. My nieces mean the world to me and finally having that solid relationship makes me feel so whole.

Prices. I can go out to eat with two others, pay for everything and it will be the equivalent of what just my meal cost in California. This goes for gas, goods, taxes, everything! To be making just about the same as I was in LA but having the cost of living so much lower is really helping me save.

Green. SO MUCH GREENERY! I am talking about the lack of drought guys, not the other green (because we know California has that on the midwest, haha), I love driving down the freeway and seeing trees. Rolling views of green lush trees and open skies.

Traffic. There is none. People try to tell me about Chicago traffic. No. Spend a week driving in LA and you will become a psychotic road rage filled nutcase. Yes, I have experienced Chicago traffic but it is usually around a rush hour. Avoid certain times if possible and it’s pretty golden. In LA, there is ONLY rush hour. It doesn’t matter if you leave for work at 6, 7, 9 or 11am.. you will be practically crawling. I remember leaving work at 9:30pm and still sit in a stretch of maybe 12 miles where I don't exceed 20mph.

Travel. This kind of ties in with traffic, but I love how far two hours can take you. I can drive two hours and be in Wisconsin. One hour takes me to Michigan. Seven hours and here I am Nashville. You can cover a lot of ground with the time you have. Sometimes two hours in SoCal takes you to work. Also, since California is so huge it takes about 4 hours (without traffic) to be in a different state.

Growth. The midwest as a whole has this booming growth happening right before our eyes. Everywhere from Kansas City to Detroit is on the rise with breweries, farmers markets, artist lofts/collectives and small businesses. It’s cheaper here so I see a lot of my generation buying up spaces and making awesome things happen! I see pieces of LA opening up all over and I love to see these changes emerge and just hope it keeps going!

Lows:

WEATHER. This is my major setback being here. I. Hate. Winter. I know hate is a strong word and it’s meant with every ounce of me in this case. I don’t think humans should have to stay indoors for that long of a period. No, I don’t want to make a snowman. No, it isn’t pretty. White Christmas? White sand maybe. I just love my sunshine and the ability to be able to do whatever I want. I loved how it could be January and I could go skateboard or bike. October would approach and I am still swimming in the waves. I never had to wake up and check the weather. Always have a hoodie in your trunk and you’re set.

Beaches. Though I am so lucky to have access to beaches still (and to be honest, there are a few that replicate the ocean beautifully) it’s just not the same. I went from living one block from the water to having to drive 30min. I used to wake up, take my coffee to the sand to enjoy and think of all I could do that day. I used to love watching the surfers, cooling off in the ocean after leaving the gym and just hearing it roar at night. The beach is my stress relief.

Days off. Rolling off of the beach subject, days off here are monotonous. I used to wake up on my day off and have the sort of adventure people pay thousands for a vacation to do. I would see views in a day that most only see on desktop screen savers. I could bike 25 miles alone, and still feel safe and surrounded by my sleepy beach communities. I would pack a cooler and go sit in a secluded cove and rest/drink champagne, ON A MONDAY. I could go up to LA and see streets lined with palm tree’s and have the best lunch you could imagine. It’s just prime living there, it really doesn’t get any better.

Acceptance. I will keep this short to avoid drama, but people are just SO accepting there. You don’t have to worry about your views, religion, color or sexual preference. Everyone gets along there, we all blended together.

Safety/Standards. I have never felt so safe than in the last city I lived in, Huntington Beach. I walked to the gym alone. My friends and I could walk home from bars at night or hit up the beach after closing time. This goes for the majority of SoCal (especially the beaches). If I was on the freeway and needed gas, I could exit and get gas. I didn’t have to think about the neighborhood I was in. I could ride my bike for miles and not hit a section where I felt threatened. It might be the fact I was so used to the areas, but I always felt at ease. NWI is chalk full of areas I’d rather not be in. I often hear “I hate it here”. In California the majority of the people set out to move there. They're happy to be in pursuit of something and are paying a lot of money to exist there. It just exudes how blessed everyone feels to be there.

Smoking in bars. Self explanatory. C’mon Indiana, that’s so gross. You can’t buy alcohol on Sundays but people can fill a bar that serves food with a disgusting stench? No. haha

All in all, I have my good days and bad. I have days where I miss the beach so much it hurts. I have days where I am so happy to be here thriving. This is all part of the adventure and the uncomfortable parts are what I live for. I love throwing curveballs at myself and moving on and up.

[samploskonka]

Update: life

Where do I even begin? Since I last remembered I have this blog (I keep promising myself to keep up with it) SO much has happened. First and the most major, I moved.

Yes, the girl who spent every free chance in the sand left her beloved beaches. Here’s why:

After eight years in California, conquering every single goal I set, living in my dream apartment by the ocean, killing it at my dream job and soaking in constant sunshine I felt as though I was just going through the motions of life. (Expensive motions, California is INSANE with housing/prices/taxes). It was time I think long term for once, set my “fun” aside and focus on my future which holds even BIGGER goals. It was time I use what LA has taught me, move somewhere cheaper, save money, open a business and not only invest in myself but invest some time back into my family. I want to have at least two locations in the midwest (that I can easily travel back and fourth to) and eventually have a spot back in California so I can escape winters and have my beaches back. After jumping through what felt like infinite hoops to make the transition possible, February 2016 I packed my car and headed back east to the Chicago area.

Two weeks in I launched the start of my private studio. The first day was fully booked and maintained steadiness that whole week. I couldn’t believe I left 524 clients in LA only to come home to a clientele waiting. Here it is July and the growth I have seen astonishes me. Already the foundation to my plans is solid and I couldn't be happier. My clients here are so incredible and word of mouth is spreading like wildfire!

Now, in a week I will be teaching my first class in Chicago with my name being the headline, a few exciting collaborations are in the works, and per usual I am focusing my energy on my day to day clientele. I love creating change and art every single day on people grateful to walk around wearing it!

[samploskonka]

Peace, love and happiness. Though sooo dreadfully over used, when you really think about each word, it's everything. It could be the extra shot in my coffee but I am exploding with inspiration today! Feeling lucky that with my career I can create art and have incredible human interaction (which as society we are starting to lack). Having a client leave yesterday saying I've inspired her meant so much. Even encountering beautiful and kind people buying coffee today created a spark. Our eyes are open but too often we don't really see what's around us. If I hadn't looked up from my feet while walking in my introverted world I wouldn't have seen the person who's energy inspired this thought. Yes this is my random annoyingly happy thought of the day. Pass on the good vibes and focus on what's real and present!

[samploskonka]

Loved working on this shoot for MELT Cosmetics. This was for the launch of their DARKROOM shade.

Photographer: Dee Bruno

Model: Lora Arellano

[samploskonka]

My happy place.

[samploskonka]

Me. I love living at the beach.

[samploskonka]

I love working with and creating fun colors! I have had so many pastel and bright requests lately! Keep them coming! The artist in me in bouncing off the walls for this trend!

[samploskonka]

I have been in love with braids lately! Even on my self! Always trying out new techniques. Braiding is probably one of my most favorite forms of styling!

[samploskonka]

UPDATE! It has been a while since my last post. I have went through a great transition and found some downtime this morning to add to my blog! So.. This post is dedicated to how I refill my reservoir. When you work as hard as I do (long hours, lot's of driving, always on and sometimes 7 days a week) you have to find ways to recharge. One of the biggest reasons I moved to California was to have access to the outdoors year round! Sundays have become my adventure days. I wake up, drink some coffee.. get in the car and go! Sometimes I have a plan, sometimes I don't, but either way it's always the best day! All these photos were just taken with my iPhone in my "wow' moments. 

[samploskonka]

Love your blog!

Thank you!! I need to update it more often!

[samploskonka]

Crappy picture, amazing night. I work hard but I try to play just as hard now. Music is one of my other passions so I try to work it in as much as possible. I got to see my favorite band perform that I never thought I would; Saosin, with their original singer, Anthony Green. It was a small set, but such a great night with great people. I was so in the moment, which is why the picture sucks so bad haha.

[samploskonka]

The beach has always been my happy place. When I took this photo the water was especially warm that day. I love living so close to a coast. One of those "holy sh*t I live in California now" moments for sure..

[samploskonka]

Always letting me create on her...

[samploskonka]

If you're bored

you're not busy enough.