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

Hi Shayna, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I wanted to grow my business on my own terms in a way where I can best service my clients, while not compromising my passions. Everyone has their idea of business, customer service, and self branding. I wanted to take the ideas I had for myself and the business I envisioned and be able to implement them.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I’d like to consider my career as an artistic one, not only is it artistic but it’s technical as well. My passion is hair color, you have to have a balance of technical skill as well as artistic vision. I’ve spent close to a decade learning, experimenting and sometimes you come out ahead and sometimes you don’t. You have to learn from the negative experiences, truly learn and move on to better yourself. I’ve worked extremely hard to get where I am now and I’m not even close to being where I want to be. I’ll continue to work in the industry I love, trying to leave my mark on the world.

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?
Fun fact about myself, I absolutely love video games! I love places like Dave and Busters, it’s not hard for me to spend hours there. I’d like to consider myself a foodie because I’m pretty open minded when it comes to the restaurants I go to in Houston. I have a few personal favorites like Niko Niko’s, Postino Heights, Calle Onze and I am the biggest fan of the Melting Pot. I always like to keep an eye out on the new exhibits at the Houston Museum of Natural Science and History. I’ve loved going there since I was a child and now as a parent enjoy taking my son there.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’d like to give a shout out to 2 of the people that have either influenced and have help me tremendously. My mentor Adonna Saunders, she was the person when I was straight out of school that gave me a chance and helped me start off my career. Lastly my partner in crime and fellow stylist Alicia Drew, I’ve never had another person that I’ve clicked so well with especially at work. She is my go to for advice with personal and business matters.

Website: www.hairbyshayna.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shaynathair/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shaynathair/
Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/hair-by-shayna-houston