After 16 years of working at other salons, mostly in downtown Austin, Mandy Granado decided to strike out on her own.
Granado said her experience as a makeup artist—she starts by creating a custom foundation based on a customer’s skin tone—and a small cadre of specialized hair stylists draw customers from across the Austin area. On a recent Friday afternoon, her salon was accommodating clients from Cedar Park, Austin and Round Rock.
A self-taught stylist, Granado said she remembers the challenges she faced to break into the business, so she offers an apprenticeship program for new stylists. New stylists must first pass a skills assessment test, she said.
One of the most satisfying parts of Granado’s role as salon owner is getting compliments from her customers about the salon.
