LaToya Kelly enrolled in cosmetology school at 26 despite running a successful hair business, pushed by client hesitancy about her lack of a license. The program taught cut and color but wasn't ideal for extensions specialists. She finished despite her friend's sudden death, though she prefers working from home over salon work.
Chapters
Cosmetology schools. Why did I go to cosmetology school? I went to cosmetology school because I was sick of people downing me for not having a license. Mind you, I went to cosmetology school when I was 26 and I was about to turn 27, and again, I'm 28 now. I had already started my hair business. I had already quit my job and started doing hair full-time. I had already been flown out of state to work for clients. I had already over 10,000 followers on Instagram. You know, like, I had already hit to what I thought was a successful level, but there was so much— I don't know, I just kept hearing so stuff, oh, don't go to her, she doesn't have her license, or just clients that were new and telling me that they were told not to come to me because I work from home and I did not have my license. So honestly, I went to school with, with a goal to open up a salon with one of my good friends. And as I was in school, I kind of started slowly drifting away from it. I guess it was seriously just the fact that I just didn't want be there. I just didn't want— here's what it was. I didn't have to be there to make money. I didn't have to be there to be a successful hairstylist. So that is why it was so hard for me to finish cosmetology school. It wasn't because they didn't teach me what I needed to know, because anybody who has not been to cosmetology school, um, the technicality of it is awesome. Um, it just really is. I for me personally. Now, if you're getting in there to learn extensions, you're going to hate it and you're going to quit. But I wanted to learn cut and color, and my friend and I, we wanted to go, we wanted to open up our own salon, and we wanted to offer everything. So it was beneficial to us. And she passed away, like, very sudden. So I was already having trouble wanting to get up and go, but after that, it was even worse. I just didn't want to go. I mean, I would go there and I would see her or whatever. That's a whole nother story. Story. But bottom line, I didn't want to go, but I did finish. So cosmetology school, again, it's good for the technicality of it, is good, um, if you want to work in a salon. I personally love working from home. Um.
