Gentlewomen, Yadira and Celia Hernandez

As a Friday treat, I’m featuring a duo for today’s Gentlewoman interview.  I am featuring the Hernandez girls!  While these women share the same last name, they are not family, although the bond these gals have is like family.  I met Yadira and Celia way back when Toni & Guy was the place to be to get your hair cut.  I begged my mom to let me professionally color my hair and so Celia colored my hair when I was about 18 years old.  Later down the road, my sister referred me to Yadira for haircuts.  These women have been the reason behind my “Don’t Talk to Me Hair” – they always keep me in style and keep me looking fabulous.  I can always count on these women to work their magic on my hair and it never fails, I am always left feeling super good.

I think what makes these ladies so successful is their genuine spirit.  You go in, they fix your hair and they not only make you look good but they make you feel good.  From jokes, to keeping it real on issues all around, these girls make it a double dose of feel good, look good status.  I admire these ladies for empowering each other and having a businesses that has been so successful.  They are at full capacity that they hardly have any time to accept any new clients. I think what keeps them so successful is their work ethic, the relationship they have between the two and the passion to make other women feel and look good. The Hernandez girls are proud Latinas and truly Gentlewomen with fabulous hair!

Interview with Yadira and Celia

Yadira Hernandez

Celia Hernandez

            

1.    For those people that don’t know you, can you tell me a little bit about yourself?

         Yadira - I've been a hairdresser for the last 15yrs. I love my job! What I love the most is to see my clients feel good and look good. I'm a single mother of two girls (14 & 5) and with that I feel like they've made me who I am now – a strong and independent person. I'm a positive person who likes to surround myself around a positive environment. I love to set personal goals for myself, that way I will always have things to look forward to. I try to live life to the fullest because tomorrow is not promised.

Celia – I have been a hair colorist for 12 years. I love to work out and make my clients feel good.

2.   You both worked at Toni & Guy and eventually decided to get your own studio, how did you come to that decision?

Yadira - I worked at Toni & Guy for 7 yrs. I established a huge client and went through 7 yrs of extensive education. After a while I felt like they needed me more then I needed them. So I knew it was time to move on to bigger and better things.

Celia - I loved Toni & Guy. The training I received there has helped me be very successful. I am forever grateful for my time spent there. I was ready to leave the company and go out on my own. I was working long hours with no flexibility.

3.    “Don’t Talk to Me Hair” has been your saying. What does that mean to you?

Yadira - "Don't talk to me" hair means that you have been to Salons Elite ll Room #17 and have received outstanding color and cut that brings a tremendous amount of confidence within you. You feel above everyone else because your hair looks great that nobody is good enough to talk to you. LOL

Celia - Don't talk to me hair is the attitude you get when your hair looks so good that you don't want anyone to talk to you.! I’m from a small town, years ago, Yadira gave me wild, edgy haircut. Well I went to my local bank and everyone was staring at me, looking at me crazy! Well I thought my hair looked soooo good that I didn’t want anyone talking to me! So my brattiness is what made me say, my hair looks sooo good, I don’t want anyone talking to me. Ha ha!

4.    How does your friendship and business relationship work out in this day in age where women compete against each and can never get along?

Yadira - For one we are both there to help each other out. I do haircuts and Celia does all the chemical services. We both have great communication with each other. We both have the same work ethics and we were raised with the same morals and values. We keep our personal life out of our business to keep things professional.

Celia - Yadi and I have worked together and been friends for years. I have never had any issues with her. She has been there for me, without me having to ask. It’s nice to have support from a good friend that I admire. We both don’t like drama and we don't bring any into the salon. So that makes it very easy for us to get along and work well as a team

5.    Yadira, you are a mother, can you tell me how you balance work life, social life, fitness and motherhood?

Yadira - I revolve my schedule around my children. I have a set schedule that I stick with. During the week it's strictly about my children and working out one hour a day. The weekends are my time to do things with my significant other. I always find time to do things for myself that make me happy because if I'm happy so is everyone else.

6.    Celia, do you think people judge you, especially women, when it comes down to you not having children yet?

Celia – Yes, I do believe I get judged alot because I don't have children, especially from women. Some assume I’m a lesbian. LOL I am a very free spirit and I don't like anything complicated in life. If God wants me to have children then I will. But I’ve never pictured myself having kids, but never say never.

7.   I think you both are very successful women. What or who helped you on this        journey of success?

Yadira - I have a great support system. My parents and sister have always been there for my children and I, whether it was financially or child care while going to school. I have great mentors at Toni & Guy that molded me to who I am and what I know. Celia was a big help in venturing out and partnering up with me and making this happen. She also understands and works with my schedule because I have children. That helps a lot. My boyfriend Joe supports me in every decision I make for my business.

Celia - Keeping a positive attitude and having God in my life helps me a lot.

8.   What do you think women in our generation need to hear?

Yadira - Woman in our generation need to hear how much they are appreciated for everything they do. How beautiful they are inside and out. Also, they need to hear that their significant other supports them to continue to strive to do better in life no matter what it is.

          Celia - Women need to keep fighting for our rights in every way. Society needs to change and be able to handle women in charge. I think women would be great leaders, probably giving changes this country needs to improve.

9.   Who inspires you and why?

Yadira - I'm inspired by many people, but mostly by those who have started from the bottom and worked their way up, as well as those who are passionate about what they do.

Celia - I’m inspired a lot by loved ones I have lost, that I will never forget. I try to live for them, be a better person, overall. Sometimes if I’m feeling lazy, or lost, I think about them to keep moving forward.

10.   What are your dreams?

Yadira - My dream is to live a healthy life as long as possible and to see my children and their children become successful one day.

Celia - My dream is to travel to many beautiful places in the world and experience new cultures.