Meet Amber Baranzini of Salon Aurora

Today we’d like to introduce you to Amber Baranzini

Hi Amber, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I decided my junior year of high school to go to beauty school. My mom, step sister, aunt, and cousins were all hairstylists which inspired me to follow that path. Right after I graduated high school in 2013, I moved to San Diego and started beauty school in September 2013. One year later in October 2014, 11 days before my 19th birthday I was the passenger of a really bad car accident that left me with an incomplete spinal cord injury & had to go through a 9 hour spinal fusion surgery which left me needing to re-learn how to walk again. I obviously couldn’t go back to beauty school and was told by multiple doctors it was time to figure out a plan B for my life. My dream had been to live in San Diego and become a hairstylist so I didn’t listen to any of the doctors. I worked extremely hard to get out of my wheelchair and ditch the walking aids/braces and a year and some change later I was finally cleared to go back to beauty school. I graduated Paul Mitchell the school San Diego in December 2016 & became a licensed cosmetologist in January 2017. Since then I went through an assistant program and worked behind the chair for the one and only salon since being licensed until October 2022 when I finally decided to spread my wings and start booth renting. I rented (2) chairs for 8 months until an opportunity to open my own salon came about. I got keys and opened Salon Aurora in June 2023. I just passed our first year in business, which brings tears to my eyes as I sit here writing this to reflect on all that I’ve been through and how far I’ve come. I wish I could go back and tell my 19 year old self who was laying in that hospital bed for weeks, not knowing if I’d ever be able to walk again that it would all be okay. It wouldn’t be easy but you’re going to make your dreams come true. The only other thing I ever thought to ‘become’ when I was little was a teacher, and even in that aspect I am now an educator within the hair industry. I work with top brands and teach other stylists blonding and color techniques. I’ve made more than one dream a reality by determination and hard work. If there’s one thing I hope to instill in someone is that hard work will never go unnoticed, we just have to believe in ourselves and our abilities to make our dreams come true.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Would it be real life if there weren’t any struggles along the way?? I worked such long intense days for the first 6 years of my career that by the end of my time at the first salon I worked at I was so burnt out. I could tell I wasn’t having as much fun anymore, I wasn’t loving what I was doing and that was a big eye opener for me. I knew something had to change. I needed to get away from the toxic salon environment that I had been in and only known for years. As scary as that was it was the best decision for myself, my career AND my clients. We need to make sure we are taking care of ourselves first so we can show up for everyone else around us. Now being a salon owner who employs other stylists speaks volumes! I believe struggles help build our character, without them we wouldn’t learn anything. I am excited for the new struggles I am going to endure as a business owner.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Salon Aurora?
I wanted to open a salon and provide a safe space for other stylists and clients to come and get quality service from professional stylists who love what they do. I harness an environment for growth and creativity for stylists to become the best version of themselves.

We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
Hairstylists and any beauty professionals are 100% essential workers and are important for people’s mental health.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://salonaurorasandiego.com
• Instagram: @amburgerofhair