Today we’d like to introduce you to Dayna Slaughenhoupt.
Hi Dayna, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Growing up, I always loved hair and all things beauty. Throughout my childhood, I watched my mom face many health challenges and at a certain point during cancer treatment, I watched her lose her hair. She let me help her shave her head, and in that moment, I realized that the beauty industry is so much more than vanity. I watched her struggle to see herself as beautiful even though from the outside, everyone who knows her and loves her sees that. The beauty industry gives us such a special look into the day to day lives of many people and their joys and struggles. We get the opportunity to showcase the beauty we see within them and I wanted everyone I worked on to feel beautiful, important and loved when they left my chair. I started working at a salon in South Carolina when I was 14 years old doing laundry, sweeping, front desk duties and learning everything I could from the stylists that worked there. Over time, I started learning how to shampoo and do blow outs on clients that would allow it. I grew up behind the scenes in community theater which allowed me to be very hands on with both hair and makeup in many creative ways. When I was 16, I went to cosmetology school while also finishing my senior year in highschool and working at the salon on the weekends. After graduation, I assisted the owner of the salon and quickly started filling my own books with clients. We didn’t have anyone that was doing makeup in the salon, so I started learning and quickly grew a wedding and events business. I relocated to Nashville in 2016 where I have built my business in several different ways over my 10 years. I maintained my wedding business in the Carolinas and now will travel anywhere in the world for my brides. I began working on set for photo shoots and video shoots in 2016 which has taken me into the world of music events, photo and video shoots and touring all around the world. I still work behind the chair at Vagabond har studio doing cut, color, extension work and styling behind the chair and absolutely love my regulars and the girls I work with.
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?
It has absolutely not been a smooth road at all times. The beauty industry has many amazingly encouraging people, but at the end of the day, it is art and not everyone is going to love the art you do. There is a huge learning curve and the industry is always changing. As far as my work behind the chair in the salon. the challenges I have faced in that area come with starting over in a new city/state where I knew no one. You really have to put yourself out there to find new clients which can be hard sometimes. When it comes to editorial or event work, when I first moved to town, I reached out to so many people coming up in the industry offering free or discounted rates just to get my foot in the door. You will be met with a lot of no’s in this. It is important to be consistent though, because there WILL be some that say yes. I think you have to have a tough skin in the industry and be willing to hear what people may not love that you have done and be willing to adjust it and know that it isn’t necessarily personal. This is something I have really had to work hard at over the years as a sensitive person.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a hair stylist and makeup artist as well as a stylist behind the chair in a salon.
I have had the opportunity to do har and makeup for musicians on Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, Good Morning America, The Today Show, The Kelly Clarkson Show, Jools Holland, CBS Saturday and CBS Sunday morning, the ACM and CMA awards as well as The Grammy Awards. I have also gotten to be part of a team that helped dream up the looks for album covers and music videos based on the songs we were creating visuals for. These are all things I never even thought to dream of doing when I started behind the chair in my small town in South Carolina.
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
The most important lesson I have learned along the way is to be open to learning, never say no because you’re afraid, fake that confidence until you make it and always be humble. Everyone you meet will have some part in your success along the way or your downfall if you go about things in the wrong way.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.vagabondhairstudio.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dayna.anne/
