Today we’d like to introduce you to Melissa Saenz.
Melissa, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I went to beauty school when I was 16. I worked for a couple high end salons in 1998. I took first place in a woman’s hair cutting competition at the Midwest beauty show. I was always good at doing hair, but always felt like I wanted more. One day a customer of mine came in with a beautiful hair piece, all I could think of is that this is what my mother needs. She really struggled trying to hide her thinning hair. I made my mother an appointment and went with her to the place. Immediately, I thought this is what I want to do. Within three months, I found a hair loss company in Florida that did education. I am not going to lie it was a bit over whelming. You take a 3-day class and go home with a notebook. As soon as I got home, I got started. Since I could not afford to quit my hair salon job I made brochures and set up a room in my house. My first client could not go up my stairs so I had to do it at my kitchen table. I than decided to rent a one room salon suit. My fist hair loss client bonded this means that we shave a circle track line on the top of their head we than apply medical adhesive and bond the hair to their scalp. Before this lady came in, I practiced the night before since I had only done this on a mannequin it was pretty scary, once it is placed down it is not going to move. After Five years, I moved up to a 3-room studio. In 2003, I went to China I really wanted to have my own wigs made It was a great trip but did not find a manufacturer that I wanted to work with. In 2004 I went to London, I thought if I want to have my own wig line I better learn how to make them. Now 15 years later, I have a store front located in Downtown Lisle. About a year ago, I become the only salon in Illinois to become a partner salon with Cesare Ragazzi. This is a high end 100% custom cranial prosthesis made in Italy. I would say the hardest part of this journey was trying to juggle growing the business when I am still the main technician behind the chair.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The biggest struggle was not making good money. Everything extra I made had to go back into the business. Every year companies come out with new products, All the education is out of town. In 2013, I had a child and since it was pretty much myself and a part time stylist that did not do the hair loss. I returned to work full time after 5 weeks. Lots of first time experiences one time I was sitting on my couch at home and realized I put my customers wig in the towels that I brought home to wash …yes it was ruined I tried for hours to get the matted knots out.
Tu Bella – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I give women their confidence back. We specialize in woman’s hair loss alternatives. Nobody ever hugged me when I did regular hair. It is always the same story I am tired of people looking at my thinning hair, I just want to feel normal. I pride myself in not selling to my clients. I feel my job is to educate them on what is available to them I have human hair that starts at about 1200 and goes up to 8000. I want them to pick the system that works best for them not what I will make the most money on. Our specialty is the Cesare Ragazzi CNC I still get chills up my arm when I do the first hair cut on the client. It is the best replication of a client’s own scalp they use a 3D printed technology to recreate the natural head contours. We are currently the only salon in Illinois that is a certified Cesare Ragazzi clinic.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
I feel so bad for the cancer patients. They have about a two-week time frame and they lose all of their hair. About two years ago, I thought what if I could figure out a way for them to use their own hair. Once in a while, a customer will ask if they can cut their hair and make a wig. It takes on average 6-10 pony tails to make one wig and a few months to make. So I came up with an idea to attach their hair to some fabric and they can wear it underneath hats and scarfs. my proudest moment is when a client told me this was all that was getting her through losing her hair was the idea that she was going to get it back.
Contact Info:
- Address: 4710 Main st #4
- Website: www.tubellahairstudio.com
- Phone: 630-493-9300
- Email: tubella1@icloud.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tubellahair/
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Judi Evans
August 17, 2017 at 9:24 pm
I have known Melissa for about 5 years. She is a peach. She is always so positive & happy. I have 2 of her hair pieces & they give me so much confidence. I don’t have to worry that people around me are shocked at how much hair I do NOT have.