TOMAS TELLS ALL: The Hard Earned Success of Suarastegui Hair Studio

 After graduation from WBI, Tomas had a series of challenges that would cause a lesser stylist to pack up his shears and run for a secure bank job.

Without his determination, Tomas’ beautiful salon in San Fernando would not be a reality.

Thanks to his focus, and ability to adapt and think clearly, his Suarstegui Studio is doing great business. Tomas is a color and cut specialist. Always booked out, he has a loyal clientele.  It’s hard work, but he loves what he does. Tomas is currently in the WBI commercial which airs an TV  during Shear Genius, Project Runway, and on Bravo and Lifetime Channel.

Tomas:

“My story is interesting because I didn’t start out to be a hairstylist. I was between colleges and trying to figure out what I really wanted to do.  I thought I’d go to beauty school as an interim solution, and to my surprise, I found out that I loved it. This was not a 9-5 job, and it’s creative.  I investigated several schools and decided on WBI.”

“The instructors at WBI were great, always very friendly, and very approachable; if you had a question, about anything, cut, color or technique…they were always happy to answer. They also had my back when I went out into the job arena.” Tomas didn’t waste any time getting experience. “Right before I finished school I worked at a trade show at the convention center for an Indonesian hair color company.” Tomas appreciated the experience, but was a bit naive about the business side. “After the show, I stopped into the office of Christina Diaz, general manager of WBI to tell her about the show. She asked me how much they paid me. I replied “I didn’t get paid.” She stood up behind the desk and said, “Oh, no, nobody’s going to take advantage of my students.” Christina made a call and sure enough, I got paid. That experience made me feel great, it was nice to have someone that cared.” Tomas smiles.  ”Christina Diaz is a great businesswoman and role model. I knew that I wanted to be independent, like her.”

“I decided that I wanted to work in salons to get experience before opening my own place.  As soon as I graduated, I got my license.  A friend of mine had a salon, and I worked there for three months before I took a trip to Europe that I had been planning for years. When I returned, I was full of ideas. Pretty soon I was offered a job managing a new hair studio.” Tomas managed the shop for two months, he was also cutting hair

“I managed this shop for two months. I also did hair on commission, with tips. 

I did pretty well, maybe too well – the owner wanted to lower my base salary. That’s when I decided to run my own salon.” And was that when he found the place in San Fernando? Tomas chuckles, and shakes his head, ‘no way.’ “I have a really complicated story.”

“Then, I started with a business partner in a hole-in-the-wall location. I paid $25,000 for a place that I had to remodel from scratch. I opened that salon with my first partner, and after 8 months, we decided to part ways. One of the estheticians who was renting bought him out, but ultimately, we had different visions, so I left the salon to her, and began renting a booth where I am now. ”

“I started this salon with an empty place, five mirrors and a couple of old chairs.”  “Little by little, I’d buy a new chair, a plant. I learned from Christina Diaz; I saw how hard she worked for her school.”