Meet Trailblazer Fiona Hoang

Today we’d like to introduce you to Fiona Hoang.

Fiona, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
My grandparents were hairdressers when they arrived in the U.S. They were refugees and that’s how they were able to make a living here. Growing up, I was always inspired by them but never took the steps to become a cosmetologist. It was only until I got my Bachelors in Science that I realized how unhappy I was and decided to go to cosmetology school and pursue something I actually loved.

Has it been a smooth road?
It has been pretty stressful. As with many schools, cosmetology school is not inexpensive. I would go to school 5 days a week from 9am-4:30pm then go to work and waitress right after just to be able to pay for tuition. Having a day off was difficult and keeping yourself emotionally sane wasn’t the easiest either. The best advice I could give is to have a very supportive system and to really love what you choose to do. My friends and family were extremely supportive and would guide me emotionally through any struggles I had. Secondly, you HAVE to love what you do. Even though I was exhausted from school and work, every time I colored someones hair, cut someones hair, styled someones hair to the way they liked it to be, the greatest reward for me would just be them saying “I love it, it looks amazing”. Those words makes every difficulties seem so small and worth it.

We’d love to hear more about FromOgreToBeauty.
I am a cosmetologist and work mainly with hair. A lot of people come to me specifically for balayages since its the trend at the moment, but I love haircutting as well. The most proud I am as a cosmetologist is the ability to make people feel beautiful. I think my passion for cosmetology is what sets me apart from others. It’s not all about the money for me. I’ve seen stylists that will do things to people’s hair just because they’ve paid for the service, but for me I won’t do it if I don’t believe I have the knowledge or if I don’t think the integrity of the hair will hold. What’s more important to me is that my clients leave my chair happy rather than partially bald. I truly care about what my clients want.

Which women have inspired you in your life?
My father’s mom (grandmother). She’s one of the strongest people I know. Coming to the U.S. with nothing and being able to build so much is really incredible. My dad is in a family with 5 other siblings, so just imagine having to support such a large family with only knowing how to be a hairdresser. It really is amazing.

Contact Info:

• Email: fmshoang@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fromogretobeauty/

Image Credit:
Fiona Hoang

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