Today we’d like to introduce you to Angie Naranjo.
Hi Angie, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I am the daughter of a great woman and hairstylist, beauty was always in the back of my mind. As a little girl, I was always playing with my mom’s make-up and beauty supplies.
Things changed drastically when my parents separated, my mother moved from Colombia to the United States to look for a better opportunity for her family. We were separated for many years, while she worked extremely hard and was able to bring the family to Florida for a new start.
My love for the industry never wavered. I love hair and makeup, always have as always will. I would go to high school in full glam from the first day of freshman year until the day I graduated. Mom always knows better, she always told me to go to beauty school but as a 16-year-old who knows everything, I wanted to go to college and do something else. I mean beauty is fun and all but a career? No, I’m going to college.
Fast forward many years later, worked retail, went to college, graduated, worked for the hospitality industry, and worked as a bartender. I felt there was something missing professionally and at that point, I knew it was time to go to cosmetology school.
After school, I worked in a couple of Salons to get hands-on experience. The real world is so vastly different when you’re behind the chair, no one tells you how invisible you can be when you first start. Not many people take your work seriously just because you’re new blood. No matter how excited you are to start doing hair. I lastly worked for 3 years in one salon where I was able to experiment freely, being the youngest one but the most adventurous when it came to color. I was given free rein behind my chair, and they loved seeing my work. The newbie brought balayage, fashion color, ombre, hair botox, and color correction tickets! I was living the dream! They would come and ask me questions before formulating! It was grand!
I walked by a salon suite and thought, no way! Too soon! I’m not ready. I kept working with that thought in the back of my mind and like kismet the suites sent me a message, there was a move-in special! I couldn’t resist in a matter of a weekend I had made my choice and I was ready to be a small business owner. Glitz and Glam wasn’t just an Instagram handle anymore. It was on paper and it was real. December 14 of 2019, I opened the doors and here we are now, we’ve made it through all the challenges adding my makeup line AKN COSMETIX to the mix, and still, we’re here, and I say we because without my clients, close friends and wonderful life partner I wouldn’t be where I am today.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It’s a bit of a roller-coaster of both, moments of absolute highs and moments of lows and frustration. It’s part of starting a business, part of being an entrepreneur. Some of those moments sadly come from the industry itself, we as a group need to help encourage newcomers to be great. Instead of being overly competitive bullying personalities, we meet along the way. We sometimes forget about encouraging each other, and sadly a small part of our industry never wants to see us grow, they want to keep us in their chair Instead of reaching our full potential. I encountered some of those when I was ready to be on my own, instead I would like to be the one that encourages newcomers and creates growth in this amazing industry. There’s enough for all of us to be great!
As I said before, my absolute high was December 14, 2019. I opened my doors, fully excited about what was ahead. In March 2020, my salon was closed and I was terrified, Covid-19 was here and I was shut down, my mom was here stuck with me since Colombia had gone through the full shut down and I’m so grateful she was because those months were terrifying, and sadly as a brand new business, I had zero support from PPP Loans. I had put all my savings into the opening and now I didn’t know when we would return. We finally did, and the emotions I felt when everyone was ready to return is something I still hold very close to my heart. This thankfully led to another high on this entrepreneurial roller-coaster. I launched AKN COSMETIX in December of 2020. My own cosmetics line which had been a dream of mine for a very long time.
I moved to a new location this past December 2021. Created new partnerships, friendships and soon hopefully launching new products and shades to AKN COSMETIX.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Glitz and glam by angie?
Glitz and Glam has been quite an adventure. I am a hair and make-up artist, while at the same time I am a content creator, wedding chaos helper, pseudotherapist, photographer, videographer, marketing manager and cosmetics entrepreneur. Weddings are favorite, I do bridal hair and make-up, I specialize in color correction, and offer services from balayage to Hair extensions, Keratin Treatments and more. You could also find me working special events and weddings at the W hotel and Ritz Carlton resort in Ft Lauderdale.
I take pride in being a very inclusive business in every and all aspects. As part of the lgbtq+ community, I make sure I’m a space of acceptance for all people regardless of nationality, status, sexual orientation, religion, skin color, disability or gender. I am part of -strands for trans- to offer my salon as a safe space for all trans people. Before I was my own salon I made my chair safe for Muslim women who use hair coverings to feel welcome, I always offered a private space, now, on my own it’s much easier to provide that and I’m so proud that I am their space.
When I created AKN COSMETIX, I wanted to make sure I had shades across the human rainbow of skin tones. I wanted to create a brand that all people could use without feeling overwhelmed by the price, the shades or the complexity of how to use it.
Glitz and Glam and AKN COSMETIX go hand in hand with inclusivity being at the forefront of what I represent and what we need this world to be.
I am a latinx entrepreneur.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
Never underestimate a book by its cover. It’s an old saying but it still stands today because it’s true in its essence. My biggest lessons were from those least expected. Everyone you meet will have an impact on you. Let that always be a positive one. Be an open book, always. Go to tradeshows, take your card everywhere you go, and be kind to everyone. Working with photographers is very important; our creativity is captured by their passion. I’ve worked with amazing photographers such as *tiny house photo, Lopez productions, and Juan Espejo.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.glitzandglamfl.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/glitzandglamfl
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GlitzandGlamFL
- Other: www.instagram.com/akn_cosmetix
Image Credits
Tiny House Photo Lopez Productions Juan Espejo Photography
