Today we’d like to introduce you to Heather Farino.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I started this business on a whim of hope. I was living in Orange County, working two other jobs and raising a newborn as a single mom. One day I woke up and knew I wanted to start my own salon, so I chose Encinitas, where I had a lot of friends and clients from going to college in the area.
I diligently drove back and forth with the hope that clients would book, sometimes they didn’t. In fact, sometimes I would drive 120 miles just to do two haircuts while still working two other jobs in Orange County. You could say it was a slow growing. There were several months where I was spending more on being in business than I was making in return.
Eventually, with the help of amazing clients and friends, new clients started booking appointments. And by word of mouth my clientele base and salon’s reputation started growing. However, as I was finally gaining steam with this new business, the woman I was subleasing from abruptly decided to end her lease.
I was left with a decision: either rent it myself or let it go. Let it be known, I was not in any financial situation to comfortably rent this studio, so I did what any financially sound person would do– I rented it anyway. Now I was fully committed I quit all my part-time jobs and dove right it, still riding on the wave of hope. With the new lease and salon facelift, I needed a name for the salon.
With no intention of it playing off the words, but because I felt like I was doing something risky and dangerous, Running with Scissors was more than appropriate. After that, everything pretty much fell into place. Clientele was growing at a rapid rate, I moved to the area to focus on spending more hours in the salon rather than in the car.
Now, almost three years later, my perseverance and hard work has paid off, and I’m in a great position to safely start growing.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
My biggest challenge is having a work-life balance. Obviously, from the beginning, there wasn’t a balance between working two jobs, starting a business, and raising my son. Once fully emerging myself into Running with Scissors, there really wasn’t any work-life balance.
Thankfully, I have a supportive family and network of loved ones. I am still struggling in this aspect, but I’ve recently decided to let loose on the reigns and stop being the worst boss I’ve ever had.
Running with Scissors – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Running with Scissors specializes in children and men’s haircuts, where I stay current in the latest trends.
I pride myself on the atmosphere I create, it feels like you’re catching up with old friends rather than completing just another mundane task.
Children who normally fear to get their haircut actually enjoy coming to see me, maybe it’s because I bribe them with lollipops or treasure box items.
All the same, I am humbled and most proud of the relationships I have built through the salon.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
That is a simple question. For me, success is being able to support my son and give him a bright future.
Contact Info:
- Address: 285 North El Camino Real, Suite 100, Studio 1 Encinitas, CA 92024
- Website: heatherfarino.com
- Phone: 7142449463
- Email: heatherrenee33@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/runningwithscissorsencinitas/
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/runningwithscissorsencinitas/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/running-with-scissors-encinitas-encinitas-5
Image Credit:
Christel Tran
Getting in touch: SDVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
