We are spotlighting the winners of Beauty Launchpad’s 25 Under 50K contest, sponsored by Platinum Seamless.
Get to know Elijah (Vane) Avalos (@elijahvane_). He is a hairstylist at Mane Aura in Sacramento, CA.
Q&A:
Beauty Launchpad (BLP): What is a fun fact about you?
Elijah Avalos (EA): I’ve climbed Mount Fuji
BLP: How did you get your start in the industry?
EA: Hair and beauty has always been a passion I thought I had to hide once upon a time before I was open to my family and friends. It’s something I’ve always wanted to pursue, but I was afraid to do so. Nevertheless, a series of events, along with me coming out, led me back to my passion where I essentially hit the reset button on my life to start another one – a better one; a life where I didn’t feel I needed to hide who I was or what my passions were.
BLP: What is your proudest accomplishment?
EA: My proudest accomplishment is having served my country honorably as a United States Marine.
BLP: What is your current favorite hair trend?
EA: My current favorite hair color trend has to be rich caramel colors. They feel classy and luxurious. I just love it!
BLP: What is a tip you have for your fellow stylists who are looking to grow their following on socials?
EA: Pick a posting schedule (i.e. “Monday, Wednesday, Friday”) that works best for you, and relentlessly stick to it! Consistency is important!
BLP: What advice would you give to the younger version of yourself just starting out in the industry, looking back on your whole career?
EA: Take a business/financing course, and invest in a ROTH IRA.
BLP: What is a valuable hair tip that you want to share with your fellow stylists (whether it’s a business tip or something related to styling/working with hair)?
EA: Your clients come to you because they like you, enjoy the work you do and want consistency; however, don’t fall into a mundane “same as usual?” routine with your clients. Always offer something new and exciting to spark things up from time to time!
BLP: What inspires your work?
EA: I pull a lot of my inspiration from the many talented stylists around the world. In addition to that, I pull inspiration from desert landscapes.
BLP: What is something that keeps you passionate and motivated in the industry each day?
EA: There’s a quote that I keep close to my heart: “Your greatest achievement in life won’t be the impact you make. It’ll be the impact the people you impacted make.” You can change your community and the world around you by influencing one person at a time and that one person feeling inspired to influence another. The effect is multiplying.
BLP: What changes would you like to see the industry make in order to grow/change/evolve/be better than it was before?
EA: I’d love to start seeing more stylists (myself included as I fall into a rut sometimes as well) keep their promises to themselves. This really looks like sticking to boundaries, but it can be so many things – eating better at the salon, exercising, charging your worth, etc. I really believe when we start to keep our promises to ourselves, we reinforce our confidence in ourselves. When our confidence is elevated, the energy in the industry is elevated.
BLP: What is a career goal you have for yourself?
EA: A goal I have for myself is to start working/traveling part time in Europe. I’d really love to establish a connection between Europe and the states where I can continue to teach my classes, educate, encourage, inspire and in general just share with like-minded individuals.
