Meet Alan Conover | Hairstylist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Alan Conover and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Alan, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I started my business nine years ago to great a great place to work. When I looked around at the available options out there I knew I would be happiest starting my own business. And at thirty years in the business, I was interested in tackling a different kind of challenge. while I still love my work behind the chair, the added challenges of running a business has been very rewarding.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
As a stylist Ive had many mentors along the way, and much of my success is from my commitment to continuing education. I have a natural love for people, and making them feel good about themselves. This is what drives me every day. As far as skills, I would say my love for curly hair and my focus on different techniques for cutting curly hair set me apart from others. I never dreamed of this industry as a kid, because I studied music, and planned to become a music educator. But life led me in a different direction. I knew from the first day of hair school I had found my passion. As far as my salon is concerned, Ive always focused most on the culture of the business. We work hard to maintain an inclusive environment, and we focus on education. We offer one of the most comprehensive education programs for our new hires in the city, and I can thank my partner Tess De La Riva for that accomplishment.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Day activities, would definitely include the museums. My favorite is the Menil Collection. I love that you can see it all in one visit without being completely overwhelmed. I also love the grounds and architecture of the different buildings. In addition to that, there is the Museum of Fine Arts, which is world class. My favorite restaurants are Squabble (New American), Huynh (Vietnamese), Hugos ( fine Mexican), The Original Ninfas on Navagation ( Tex Mex), Tiny Champions ( Hipster cocktails and pizza) and its more upscale sibling Nancy’s Hustle ( New American), and Uchi ( modern Japanese). Houston has a crazy good restaurant scene, so this is a very short list of options. There is great shopping at the River Oaks District if you are feeling spendy, or the new MKT for a more accessible and unique shopping experience. I would finally suggest a stroll down 19th street in the Heights, which has shopping, restaurants and a performance venue all on a beautiful historic street.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
This is a very easy one. I started my business with a partner that ultimately didn’t work out, and I purchased his shares of the business from him. After that, I brought in Tess De La Riva as my new business partner. She is the ying to my yang, and posses’ a different set of strengths than what I have. She challenges me to be a better leader, and I can honestly say that I can’t Imagine doing this without her.

Website: info@hue-salon.com

Instagram: @huesalon

Image Credits
no credits