Profile article

Contact Info. 248-766-3566. This is her home number because she hasn't got her bussines phone line up and rinning yet.

De’Aundra Garvin a hairstylist in Michigan has decided to return back to school after realizing she has more free time this year then the last. Garvin grew up in a small town called Pontiac, Michigan with four brothers and sisters. Garvin was raised by her mom who was a single parent, who worked just to take care of business, “I never really had what I wanted, but I always had what I needed”. Garvin explained how at the age of four she loved to sing and had a passion for playing in her mother’s hair as well as her sister. At the young age of thirteen she helped her grand-mother who was a hair stylist around the beauty shop, cleaning and sweeping the floor, washing customer’s hair and making sure the wash room stayed clean.
Garvin graduated from Northern High school, and when she wasn’t attending classes or being apart of an organization she took the time to make a little extra money on the side while braiding family members and close friends hair for pocket money. After graduating from high school, Garvin went to Oakland Community College to get her cosmetology degree, which she graduated with. Without even wasting any time Garvin started right away with building her own clientele, she started working in a small shop called Honey Dew, “I would only have about three to four customers a day but I had to start small.” Since Garvin was new to everyone she started with friends and family and branched out to others and before she knew it she was one of the best known hairstylists in Pontiac, Mich.
Most would think being a hairstylist is one of the easiest jobs to work, but Garvin explained how even though she creates and sets her own schedule sometimes work can be too much. According to Garvin, she looks at being a hairstylist as a form of art, “I just look at styling hair as another creation, showing off what I love to do”. Even though she loved her job without the pay from her clients she struggled to keep up with booth rent due to the decrease in her faithful clients. Garvin switched shops from time to time due to managers and small business space but she never lost the trust and friendship from her clients.
Finally Garvin was steady at a local beauty salon called Mrs. Nets, in which she was there for over four years until she encountered a drastic turn and that’s when she decided to return back to school and get a degree for teaching. Since Garvin loved being a hairstylist she thought it would be fun to teach others who shared the same passion as herself, “I always wanted to go back to school but never really have the time.” Even though Garvin business was doing swell she noticed how her days were getting shorter and shorter mainly because people just were coming in for their daily schedules because of funds. Garvin then decided to make another decision and start working from her home. She then explained how her basement was just enough space at she needed and there were minor fixtures that needed to be done before just up and leaving. “When I decided to work out my home I was scared at first because I didn’t know how my clients would feel about me moving once again,” said De’Aundra Garvin, but it was risk she decided to take.
When talking to other hairstylist’s and friends of Garvin they explained how they weren’t really being affected by what was going on around them, “I’ve been working at Mrs. Nets for eight years and been satisfying my old and new customers, I always look for new people because this is my only career,” said hairstylist Sonya Riley. She went on to explain how she’s a single parent and even though hairstyling is her main job, on her off days she works at a local golf course serving drinks from time to time.
Garvin now has been working out of her home for little more than a month and also been taking night classes on Saturdays and Mondays. She also explained how she works in her customers through her schooling and still maintain a life, when observing Garvin working skills her customers looked satisfied, “I have been coming to De’Aundra for over five years now and even though she’s moved quite a bit I still love the ways she works and how she’s very professional,” said client Ericka Carter. Garvin explained how being professional and trustworthy is a key in her success, everyone has a special bond with their stylist and like most women love to be pampered.
Being though Garvin is still young she still has managed to maintain her work, school and personally life, “I love my job and what I do, even though I’ve had my share of rough days I always stayed positive,” said Garvin. Being a hairstylist isn’t always what it’s cracked up to be, and with the economy affected so many people it makes it even harder for someone like De’Aundra to keep steady and find other ways to fulfill her spare time. When talking to Sonya Riley she explained how she hasn’t had any problems so far, but if so she will look into other options. Garvin expressed a lot and what she went through the past couple of years but never mentioned regretting her decisions; she looks at it being a learning experience and staying positive. Hair styling will always be her number one but she knows by taking extra classes she also have something to fall back on.