Today we’d like to introduce you to Maayan Birnstein.
Hi Maayan , please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I took the traditional route after high school. Going to a four year university and trying to figure out what it was I wanted to do with my life. All the while doing my friends hair in their basements or my bathroom. I never considered it as a career until I realized there was nothing else I was as passionate about. I still graduated from college, but finding a job I enjoyed was tricky. I took a leap and decided to pursue cosmetology. I was fortunate enough to meet my first mentor – and apprentice with them to get my license. Learning on the job was so educational and is part of what set me up for success. Seeing the ups and downs of business; what to do and what not to do. Fast forward many years and a lot of education, trial and error, and experience, I have built a salon and a team that I am so proud of. Venturing into salon ownership is something I knew I wanted for myself after witnesses some less than ethical owners take advantage of their staff. There was a gap in leadership and mutual respect between stylist and owner. As a stylist myself, I understand what it is my staff wants and needs and try my best to find a balance between taking clients myself and being an owner that cares about my business and my people. Mycelium Salon is full of extremely talented and motivated stylists. We are a hybrid salon; mostly booth renters. This ensures stylist independence which is very important to many of them; while also maintaining a supportive and collaborative environment. We all work together and bounce ideas off of each other. Its a big family of artists.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has definitely not always been smooth or easy! The process of finding a salon space that fit my needs took a very long time. How can I even explain the process in a succinct way… I can’t. I ended up taking over the space that was originally opened by my first mentor. Lets just say; he found himself in a situation where the salon would have closed in a matter of months if I hadn’t taken over as owner. I decided to take this giant leap for many reasons, but mainly because the team was so talented and the space had so much potential I couldn’t let it slip away. Being a creative person, negotiating business deals was very new and challenging. I had some really amazing friends help me throughout the process and connect me with people that were able to advise me. It has now been almost 4 years, and I have been able to turn the business around completely. We’ve welcomed new team members, said goodbye to some, and formed a big family of artists. I am super proud of where we are today.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Right now, I would say I do a little bit of everything aside from barbering. I mostly work on big color transformations and extensions. Color is a true passion of mine. The trends are headed more towards natural tones and lived in looks which I love. It is truly an art to be able to take dark hair and achieve a natural blonde blend that grows out nicely and stays low maintenance. Something that is supposed to look effortless for the client at home takes a LOT of effort in the salon. It is so intricate and amazing how many different techniques there are to create dimensional color. I am always proud of myself after a big transformation where the hair feels good, looks good, and the client is happy!
I started in the industry doing a lot of vivid color and creative work, which is still so much fun to do. Doing a multi-colored, detailed placement with bright or pastel tones brings out my inner artist. This type of color work is also so technical while simultaneously being so creative. That balance is something that I feel I succeed in. I pay super close attention to detail and take my time selecting colors and picking sectioning and placement. The outcome is so satisfying.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
Passion
Diligence
Level Headedness
I say passion because it is so important to pursue a career in something you’re passionate about. Because it won’t be easy all the time, it takes long hours and physical and mental labor. If you don’t ultimately LOVE what you’re doing, you will burn out and end up resenting it. Balance is so necessary with this type of job. We are talking to people all day long and the social battery can get drained. Which leads me to diligence. Sometimes I failed. If I gave up every time I failed I would not be here today. Being diligent, trying again and learning different ways to succeed allowed me to grow. Level headedness is a trait I am happy to have. There can be situations with clients, with staff, with landlords and a plethora of other people that can test my patience. It is so important for me to be able to think clearly and not let emotion or anger block my path.
Pricing:
- What we do takes a lot of time, education, product, knowledge, and skill. It is a highly specialized service that can be expensive! It is always best to go over pricing with a stylist and client before booking an appointment. Full transperancy is best. We can also work with your budget! Just let us know and we can customize to be sure everyone is on the same page.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.myceliumsalonmaryland.com
- Instagram: @myceliumsalonmd @maayanbirnstein
