Today we’d like to introduce you to Melissa Roche.
Hi Melissa, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
As with the rest of the world, COVID changed my business… After being behind the chair fulltime, I left the salon environment to pursue education, which I did in 2012. I had a small group of clients that I still did but wasn’t accepting any new clients. I had a pretty full schedule, as you could imagine with teaching 40+ hours per week, a handful of clients that really wouldn’t take no for an answer. In grateful to those clients.
So, when COVID hit and the whole world shut down, I was affected, for sure. How do you teach HAIR online, or let me rephrase, how do you teach hair PASSIONATELY, online…? Well, we figured it out, but then also, going into people’s homes became risky, hmmm, or weird. I started thinking, how do I put my clients at ease?
I guess, to really tell the story accurately or properly, I also have to say that I had been struggling for about 2 years with an invisible illness that was making it hard for me to be in my cosmetology environment. It seems as though I had developed a “sensitivity” or “allergy” to chemicals and was putting my health at risk. So, it was becoming increasingly scary to go into a workplace environment that was harder to control…So with those 2 things percolating at the same time, the thought of starting my own business crept into my mind.
After the thought entered my mind and talking to my husband about it, we decided maybe I should start looking for a place and figure out the logistics. I reached out to my good friend, Brooklyn, and within a week was looking at a suite that had become available in her salon, and that’s how Melissa Roche Hair came to be at Chroma Salon in Mission Hills.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I think overall, it has been a smooth road. Working for yourself, even if it isn’t a smooth road, is more satisfying. Small “discoveries” along the way.
Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I think of myself firstly as a haircut specialist. I’d say I’m known for that because that was my specialty for the first ten years of my career. However, I love doing extensions, as I teach independently for DreamCatchers Hair Extensions as well. I am just as passionate about hair color as I am about cutting hair. I believe what sets me apart is I’m really concerned about the environment I’m in and the products I use on your hair. It is becoming more mainstream, this whole idea of “clean beauty,” but there isn’t any actual regulation as to what “clean” is. I use all Phthalate Free, Paraben-free, Synthetic Free products. I just want to keep doing what I do without jeopardizing my health or yours.
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc.?
I love podcasts! I listen to an industry podcast called Hairbrained Conversations, The Gloss Beauty Podcast. among others. I stay continually inspired with a monthly subscription to SASSOON ONLINE. I also stay grounded and connected to myself with anything that helps running and maintaining a business. And most of all, physical exercise. I gotta stay active, which I found definitely helps me stay invigorated and balanced. Currently, I’ve fallen in love with yoga again. If I’m not in the salon or teaching, I’m at yoga.
Contact Info:
- Website: melissarochehair.com
- Instagram: @melissarochehair
