ep85 – Leysa Carrillo

This week I spoke with a hair color transformation virtuoso, most famous for her magic touch with textured hair. She founded the Forever Curls Academy. She is a double nominee and winner of the American Influencer Awards, and is hailed by Modern Salon as one of the Top 100 Salon Media Influencers. She is the first woman to win two Behind the Chair Awards in one night. She is a Redken and Mizani Brand Ambassador and she was nominated for NAHA’s Educator of the Year. Here is the extraordinary Leysa Carrillo.

Complete Transcript

Chris Baran 0:00
How great would it be to get up close and personal with the beauty industry heroes? We love and admire and to ask them how did you learn to do what you do? I’m Chris Baran, a hairstylist and educator for 40 plus years, and I’m inviting all our heroes to chat and share the secrets of their success

Welcome to another session with head cases. And you know, it’s really interesting because today’s guest I have naturally known and worked with her backstage for a few years now and but it’s interesting how you work backstage, but sometimes you really don’t get a chance to know the person so and I’m really excited about getting turned to know her on this episode. But just to give you a little teasers about her, her accolades, etc. She is nationally recognized for hair color transformation, particularly on textured hair. Although she does all hair types. She is the founder of Forever Curls Academy and the Global Humanitarian tour. She has two nominations plus a win under her belt for the American influencer awards. A modern salon named her and I’ll catch this and the top 100 Salon media influencers. She is the first winner of the first female to win 2 Behind the Chair Awards. In one evening, her skills have nabbed her an NAHA nomination for the Educator of the Year. She is a brand ambassador for Redken and Mizani. So let’s get into this week’s headcase Leysa Carrillo. Leysa, it seems like just yesterday, hold on a second. It was just yesterday, we were just at the symposium together. So it’s, it’s just absolutely wonderful. And, you know, I was. So first of all, I just want to welcome you to head cases and say, Thank you so much for giving up your time. And committing to being on here.

Leysa Carrillo 1:59
Of course, of course. So happy to be here with you. You know how much I love you and respect. And I’m so glad that we put this time together to connect.

Chris Baran 2:11
Well listen for everybody watching listening. Now after she said that this is the end we’re going out by I feel like, I got my. But listen, I first First of all, just want to say Bloody hell, that was an amazing program that you put together for the symposium. So I just congratulations. I just watched you, woo 6000 people on while you were on stage, doing your magic, with textured hair, etc. And I just want to say it was it was an honor to just to watch. But more importantly, like, what was that feeling like for you when you were up there and 6000 people and you’ve got him in the palm of your hands? What was that like for you? Oh,

Speaker 1 2:58
thank you so much for all the love and support means a lot to me to be honest. And I was just telling my client. I don’t know, I got dead. I started spinning. I totally forgot that. But I think that was my nerves. Just to get it out. I know. That’s my comfort zone. You know, since it’s my background on dancing, I don’t know what I started spinning. But I realized that I did like for three or four spins before I started saying hi to everybody. And after I did that I wasn’t a show. I was I was so ready. I was ready. Before I got there, if that makes sense. It’s kind of like I’m going through the first half of the day. It’s been everybody just it was really, really challenging for me because I wish I could do the first once I get out of the way. Right. So just so much anticipation, anticipation of me so much and, you know, anxious feelings at the same time, but it was amazing. I would never forget the feelings that I had in that moment. Oh, sorry. Go ahead. No, no. Sadly like I wouldn’t I would not forget the feelings that I had just looking at the audience and yeah,

Chris Baran 4:11
I was listened to when you were saying about the spinning and and you know, maybe that’s there’s something that I do every time I do a recording and nobody laughs in our in our group but I had a voice coach that was helping me and every time before I started recording before as well we’re on tape but I always go Lottie da what puts my mind at ease and put my so they they make they laugh at me but whatever. But it’s a thing that I do to get my mindset, right. Maybe, maybe because you said I do like two or three spins and then I’m present and I’m ready to go. Maybe that’s your Maybe that’s your call. Maybe that’s your dance move before you get on stage and that’s how you connect. That’s what

Leysa Carrillo 4:55
I felt. I felt after that I was so ready. I was okay, I see everybody in I wish to say, No.

Chris Baran 5:03
What’s interesting too, is that, for all the people listening and watching and listening and watching right now is that, you know, if you if you’re not nervous before you’re on stage, I think that’s more dangerous than if you are, you know, how do you so does that help you? Does it? Do you snap out of it right away? What happens to you? When that nerves hits and you recognize it, you jump out of it right away? What is it?

Leysa Carrillo 5:29
I think it takes a couple of minutes. I think the first one, two minutes, and then it’s gone. And the same used to be when I was I was a performer, right. So when I was in a big show setting or a new setting, like I remember one time, I danced for the Grammys. And I remember, I got hooked to go up. And for some reason, everything was really dark at the moment. But when we were rehearsing, it wasn’t supposed to be dark, right? And that always gave me a little bit of like, okay, no matter what happens, I know that it takes two minutes for me to like, and that’s it. So the lights went on, I would say like 20 to 30 seconds after we were already there. And that also just like, just helped with the nerves, you know, I know that it’s always going to be one to two minutes, that is gonna, something’s going to happen. I expect anything, right? So I can maybe like stumble my words like I know if something might happen. But i i Listen time I have to stay in my presence. And I think that I do I do a wall seat, like I get close to the wall. And I kind of sit there and I get my legs tired. I did that I always ask. So I don’t know. I feel like when I get on stage, I’m more grounded when my legs are heavy. So

Chris Baran 6:58
so it’s you do that is that to get rid of to like, what’s the so you like a squat against the wall, like when skiers are getting ready to go down the hill. That’s what you do.

Leysa Carrillo 7:08
I do that I noticed that like, you know, I leave if I can have some part of my body heavy, it helps me because I know that I tend to speak fast. I tend to get super emotional when I’m talking and get really deep on feelings and stuff like that. And I want to stay on track, especially because you know, English is my second language. So I have to like it. I practice everything that I say even the jokes, even the high even the content, the education part, like I practice, because I don’t want to make a mistake, you know. And I think about health care that like if I can get one part of my body like a really heavy and settle. I know the top, I gotta move my hands a lot. Because I’m Latina, I got to open my eyes, I got to dwell on expressions, like I know how I get right. So I least I can control half of the body.

Chris Baran 7:59
Yeah. But you know, first of all, I just want to say that, first of all, Your accent is so endearing. You know, and I and I always think that when people are onstage and their accent is different than the audience’s. It gives them more credibility, you know, and I think that because it means you’re coming from a different part of the world, you have different experiences. And they all relate together, because let’s face it, we’re all we all take our inspiration and our knowledge from one another. And and that kind of brings me to this that that the I don’t want to miss this part, because we talked about your dance background, I want people to really get into that a little bit more. But I just want to say that you’re, when you’re onstage, your accent gives you so much credibility and as well as your animation. Because it’s hot, that’s hot that it’s funny thing, it’s easiest thing for you to do. But it’s the hardest thing for other people to do, especially if they’re more conservative. And that can take away from their power on stage. And that’s what gives you your power. Yeah, I want to talk about a little bit more about your hair story a bit and how you got into it. But I think that it we’re kind of got a segue point now where we actually did talk a little bit about the dance and, you know, imagine for everybody watching listening right now that being flown in, you know, one of those harnesses that you were talking about earlier, from a dance perspective. But tell us a little bit about your, your story. What because most a lot of people they have the hairs only thing they did, but that wasn’t your first choice.

Leysa Carrillo 9:36
No hair was is my second career. I grew up doing ballet. Then I went to a professional dance school where I grew up dancing. That’s all I knew. So the age of 17 I audition to to this beautiful, amazing show that we have back home. The owner was a European. So she took us all around the world. I remember my mom used to sign every time I have to travel because I was on the age. But I traveled the world. Dancing performing. That was my career. And that’s how I ended out in America. I got in, we got a contract and work beside to perform a one of the casinos in Las Vegas. That’s why I used to live in Vegas. It was like Vegas, you’re in Vegas, right? I was like, Well, I used to be on show business and stuff like that. And I wanted to build a school because literally crease was cheap for me to afford on the point of my life when I quit dancing, and but then I didn’t speak English. So I was looking. I mean, I didn’t speak English, like, like, I speak now. Like I could go around. But I was just looking for a career that I could do. And it wasn’t just expensive, and it was quick that I can make money. Nothing related with hair in my life, my mama, my daddy lawyers, nothing to do with beauty. I wish I was looking for a career. And I didn’t go to school here in United States. So I didn’t have any credit. When I went to college. I want to go to college, but no English no credit. I was like, Okay, what am I gonna do? Right? I don’t want to be a budtender Oh, my life like I need a career. Right? And that’s what I did. So here basically, it was something that saved me from being lost. Because you know, when you grew up the way I did, so much discipline in so much passion, finding something that can replace that is hard. Yeah. So I thought that I would die. As a dancer, I thought that I would never find anything else that I would like, it was really hard to find the love for hair. I’m not gonna lie. I beginning I was there. That’s why my Instagram is laser hair and makeup because I was wanting to make that hair. Because I wasn’t like I wasn’t getting it. Right. And I think it was just my lack of understanding the language. Then when I put my mind and I was okay. I talked to my family I was I don’t want to be average. So let me just get into here. And I got addicted to the chemistry the call or the science and I think that’s what I got hooked, right? When I when I fell myself summer into all of that knowledge. I was like, Oh no, this is just know about, like, you know, sometimes how hair can be misunderstood and can seem like something simple. I come from a country where you do hair on the kitchen, right? That is no schools and stuff like that. So doing hair is nothing like a special everybody has either red or black. That’s it highlights. Maybe somebody has more money. But you know, we don’t have money though to like, get extensions to like, I don’t know, I think the first hard card I got on my first beauty experience was when I was 50 years old. I never went before that to any salon or anything like that. So it’s not in our culture. So it was hard to be to change the mind into understanding that there is so much that you can do with the beauty license and how powerful it was, you know? And

Chris Baran 13:29
just to be clear that so but Koba was from your is your background, right? That’s where you were, that’s where you’re born and raised. And and that didn’t allow your was it your your mom? Well, they had this was before the revolution when they came right and they wasn’t not that you had Didn’t you have like was an ice cream and ice cream? They the factory, right?

Leysa Carrillo 13:59
Yeah, that was my grandpa on my mom’s side. He was on Spain. So my family is literally that true, like Caribbean culture. Right. So my grandpa, my mom’s side, he was going to Spain. He has a successful business. They have money. On my dad’s side. They came from Congo Africa. My ground might be my grand Grandpa came in a boat literally. Like when you laying flat in a boat to be a slave and they used to work on the sugarcane fields. So I grew up going to the house on my dad’s side, it was a dirt no even bad, like, like, country country. Like Poor, poor poor. So it was just kind of like a mix. I grew up with a mix up to culture, right? And of course they both were amazing parents like I have an amazing childhood. They pushed me They encouraged me from both sides, right. My dad will always tell me about him. his background how he became a lawyer from nothing. You know, on the other side, my mom all the sacrifices that she did to even like, magnify that because my dad inspired both of us, right? She had everything. My dad was the one that helped my mom to become a lawyer. Right. So that tells a lot. So I remember she did the last test, she say, when she was pregnant. I was at that she was at the hospital when she was doing the last exam. And that was because my dad, you know, my that was a school. My mom was a school teacher, right? And my dad was the one that pushed her to be better. Like he always was our biggest inspiration for sure.

Chris Baran 15:41
Is just to get back to visit with your dad often do you see them often?

Leysa Carrillo 15:45
I did every year. And I did two times a year after he passed away. I haven’t gone

Chris Baran 15:52
anywhere. Yeah, sorry to hear that. Yeah, he was a big influence in your life.

Leysa Carrillo 15:58
It still is.

Chris Baran 16:01
He still what I bet you that at the symposium I bet he was probably up there. Looking out there with the angels and looking down and being proud of Leysa going see I told you girl.

Leysa Carrillo 16:13
Yes. I know who it was. I know it was me. So

Chris Baran 16:17
the you got into hair. And so what was that terminal? What was it like when? How did you get into what’s your hair story of I know you went to school? And then you obviously started into the into a salon. What was the salon experience? Like? What was your English like when you got in? Went in there? Because you were saying that your wasn’t your first language you had to get by kind of English. What was when you were in the salon? I

Leysa Carrillo 16:47
think I wasn’t only the language, it was also the culture right? So it wasn’t a bubble when you’re in the show business especial de la show that it was circus Olay. There is people from all countries, Russia and Ukraine, Brazil, like, you feel comfortable, right? Because you will people from everywhere. Different languages, they all speak in different languages, kind of like you’re in your comfort zone. So the Spanish speaking, they hang out together, they’re you know, they got little groups. And getting to a salon was really, really hard. Cultural wise. I told that I was that I could smile and get by but it was like, Ooh, this is harder than what I you know, I choose a really, really high end salon. Going back to my dad, like he was like, hey, just go for the best. I was like that I think I’ve gone to a salon, you know, some will have some Latino salon and I was I think is good again. All that is this one that is the best salon in town that I can go on with shop is that you should go to the best. Because that’s the only way if you go to a Latino salon, you’re going to feel comfortable, and you’re going to be comfortable, and you’re going to stay comfortable. And I will say you’re right. So I went there and I talked to the owner, I remember that I have a whole curriculum, I remember that there was no social media, you have to print, I have pictures. I have a whole folder. And there was a lot of makeup, but no hair. But then I used to do a lot of bridal makeup and stuff like that. And she was Oh yeah. Oh, thank you. But you know what, I don’t have anything at the moment not to assist not to work. And then she’s like, Oh, well, I need somebody to clean the salon. Like I need somebody to like do the towels and coffee bathrooms, you know, the cleaning chair, a cleaning company that we do deep cleaning, but also like everyday to clean plantain and all of that. And that’s what I did. So I started cleaning the Salone doing the dishes, the washes everything. But I would go like with maker hair dress up like I was a professional hairdresser. And I thought that hour will go by and somebody would recognize somehow that I have a talent that is still a beauty professional even though I was cleaning. And I remember on the weekends, I will start getting allowed to do make on some of their, you know the clients because then we’re going to innovate and we’re going to the nightclub and I would like Chris I would put a lot of my lashes everything since I was full of makeup, and all the clients but I would go with a coffee that oh my god, I love your makeup. Oh my god, you’re so familiar. Whatever, right? So they I started introducing myself to that. But when I really got to assist and then for where I got to be in my own share. I used to be commission, sharing a spade with somebody else. That’s when the whole new American culture hit me right. It was like, Whoa, I can even relate with these people. Like I didn’t even know what Kardashian I didn’t know Christo Bhutan, like I didn’t even know any brand. Anything like the first facial and manicure or pedicure. I think, like I say it was like I was a dancer, you have to cut your nose really sure. Like, I used to do a lot of contemporary dance. I never be my toes or anything like that, because you will do it today. And as soon as you do the first dance, I did pointe shoes for so long. Like, we don’t do that. So literally, it was like, I was okay. I couldn’t relate in so many levels, right. I know, that wasn’t the beauty industry. But I think the only connection with makeup. Got

Chris Baran 20:39
it? What? So if you had, what did you do to get? Because obviously there’s people that can everywhere in our world doesn’t matter if you’re in a hair business or not. They can feel the way I’m taking you didn’t was it you didn’t feel like you fit in that culture? Right away? What was that? What? Not at all? What did you do, though?

Leysa Carrillo 21:02
I didn’t. I didn’t. I didn’t return any client because I was judgmental, right? I was really judgmental. And I was judging every conversation. And I was like, Oh, look at this girl, she’s complaining about her babysitter or not being on time, whatever. And that is people that didn’t have breakfast today, my country, you know, like I was always bringing back home. This, you know, you have to separate. And I have to do a deep work with myself to like, separate things, to be able to ask people how they were to tap into my past, but as an inspiration, not leave on my past, right? And do not judge because people who has ever been to students, they felt that I woke up and I didn’t have what to eat. At one point in my life doesn’t mean that everybody should feel what I feel. Right? You know what I’m saying? So it was just like any other build that I didn’t return clients. So I started like watching the Kardashians watching TV, like kind of letting others know, like, kind of like getting into the lane or like, what was going on? You know, I remember, it was just a lot of like music. And people don’t understand if not that I was an endurance in Cuba, the American music. We wasn’t allowed, if that makes sense. So I grew up without Christmas. We don’t celebrate the holidays over there. The government took all that away. In one point they took even church, right? Because that’s what communist means, right? They want one leader and a one off to believe in one person. So if you get religion involved other things, you start trusting other things, right. So what they do, they eliminate everything. So we couldn’t listen to American music. We couldn’t watch American movie. So like, there is so many things that I couldn’t relay like, this night, I was like, the first time I went to this neck, I didn’t even like it. I didn’t even I was so happy. I was, I don’t know, I don’t connect with any of these because I didn’t watch any of these cartoons growing up, you know. So it’s just like, understanding American culture was all of that from going to Disney from a stain in expensive hotels, so I could understand the feelings from buying a better car. I could afford a better car. But I didn’t buy a better car. Because in my head, I was going every year back home. And I will see my dad driving his car from 75. And I just feel bad, right? So it was kind of like a mindset that I had to program to change and switch everything because it was affecting my business and my life here. Right? Why I was living here because I want the opportunity that America can bring for me. But I was on my headspace in a third world country mindset, if that makes sense. Yeah.

Chris Baran 23:56
First of all, I just want to say, I’m hoping that people are really listening to what you were saying. Because, you know, you’re not the only one in this in this wonderful country that we have here. That came from outside to make something from themselves. But if we would if the people, I think sometimes what happened we live in a first world country where your first world problem is that your babysitter didn’t come on time or, or that your phone isn’t working or you stubbed your toe on the on the brand new fireplace you just put in your house, you know, they’re different. I mean, we can still curse and swear at them, but they’re not the problems that everybody else has and to understand that when people are new to welcome them in and understand that that’s not a part of it as well and I I just loved how you said that. Your mindset. You discovered that while that as even as you know coming from here I go well, that’s a really stupid thing to complain about. But we do. Because we don’t have those other problems when you don’t, you know, you don’t know what to have to eat today. So it’s not about having a babysitter at all. And I think that if we people just took a little shift in their mindset and appreciated what they have, how much however little it was, I think there’s something inside there and to treat other people. I mean, that’s one thing I noticed about Julie said, When I watched you at the shows, and we’ve, we’ve really only really known each other, I think for what a couple of years now. And it’s been mostly backstage and, but I always do notice that you are always so kind, and sharing to everybody else around, I would just want to we were backstage, and Terry Heath was your assistant. And I was watching her eyes, when you were giving her tips on just how you dried textured hair, etc. And so I’d like to just to speak to that for a second. Is there is that something that you had to force yourself to do to be kind and gratitude for everybody around you? Was that something that you had to learn to do when you came here? What was What’s that like for you?

Leysa Carrillo 26:11
I mean, I’m, first of all, I’m extremely grateful for the opportunities for America, for the freedom, there’s so many things that I have to be grateful from, I mean, for this country. I was talking the other day, because now this year is going to be half of my life. I was in Cuba half of my life here. And I’m like, I don’t belong right in Cuba anymore. That’s life. But I feel like that’s how much I immerse myself here. But I think I came from nothing, Greece. And I did the dirty job for a long time. Like I used to have three or four jobs. I used to even like host in a restaurant just to have an insurance like I did everything that you can possibly imagine. And I have some of respect for anybody that is in my space. That’s a matter of for what reason it can be helping, it can be talking, it can be serving, it can be a client, I have so much respect. Because I feel like people’s time and space is a value. You know, you can be with your kids right now by you choosing here to be with me to help me my mom and for whatever reason is so valued to me is so humbling, right? Because I wasn’t excited for stole on. So for me, it’s really humbling, like having also brand myself, even with a team, like I now have a team. And I’m like, always, sometimes they look at me like a star because I say thank you million times. And I text them again. And I like Terry, it doesn’t say in person when I take Sunday, how’re you doing? I text you again. And I want to say one more time how grateful I am. Right. I think gratitude is something that keep me grounded. I would never feel that I’m above anybody, because I’m not. At the end of the day, we all just seemed right. And I want to keep it like that.

Chris Baran 28:31
Yeah, you know, it’s interesting, because it made me think to, I remember walking around in the streets of New York City and then and seeing the homeless people there. And we don’t know their history. And for whatever reason they got out but I always think that, you know, there but the grace of God go you and I, you know, and I remember one of our good friends, Chris moody said, you know, it’s just one missed one bad mistake away from some of that sometimes. And so I think that’s why when you came from you had what three jobs at the same time. And then you now you are where you’re at, you know earning the living you have making the difference, transforming people’s lives. You know, if you wouldn’t have stepped out and tried something different and no, you would have never had that you could have just sat there. But you made the effort, you know, and I think it’s that mindset that you were talking about that really had this episode is sponsored by the salon associate accelerator from trainers. playbook.com. Are you struggling with the time and cost of associate training? Do you feel like your salon is running you will get your associates on the floor, all with 90% Less time from you so you can get back to building your business. Get them world class design, finishing color and client care skills they’ll use every day For the rest of their career, while you focus on realizing your vision, go to trainers playbook.com and get the salon associate accelerator. And now, back to the show. How did you get? How did you get from the hair? And get into the education that you’re at now? What like, what was? What happened? What made what made that happen?

Leysa Carrillo 30:28
This is really, really like, I mean, it’s just happened to a tragic moment that I have, oh, my goodness, but I was doing good. I already was BC, I already have an assistant helping me like I have all my clients double booked triple book, you know, all of that success that you see yourself. Or you proceed, because I don’t think that success. Not necessary, right. But in that moment in my life, I felt really good to accomplish all of that. And I knew there was hard for me to get the answers on curly hair, we go to a lot of education, I was really big on education. And not to mention that for so long. I facilitate on my salon, like I helped the owner to hold the classes like I would like take the chairs bring the picks up, pick up the Decatur from the airport again. I did all of that to get the location for free, right? That was what I need to do I need to clean I clean but I want to wash this educator. Right. You know, it’s a point that you can afford all the education right. And I took a lot. And I always was a one a but what about your curly hair too, that this is the third? Excuse me? What about you? i Nobody ever gave me a real clear answer. I know there is so much answers right now. But back then it wasn’t. Not to mention that I remember going to the store wasn’t that many products wasn’t, it was nothing. I had to like make it happen. I remember working with Cosmograph like I did a lot of shows with them back in the days teaching. And because the distributor has to like, use different products, right. And I remember going to photoshoot with them with different brands. And I used to style my models with known currently her product, there was a nun, you know, and I was just trying to figure out how can I let the hair how can I make a child? How can you know because nobody can help me. I was like, I need to help myself. And it was this educator one day came to my salon. The model didn’t show up. And he was like, I Do I Do you hate the word. I was like, Are you sure? Like, I was so concerned. He’s like, I got you, I got you. My hair was on the floor, Chris. So I have to cut my head really short. Like I, I shave one. I shave a once for another mistake. And these are my second or my life. So this was an ending point when this happened to me, I worked as a sec, there is a gap on the industry, and even the top educators and this is me being extremely honest. And I’m sorry to be really honest. They don’t know what to do with my hair. I’m sorry, you can be really good. But you’re still not good enough to make you cannot do my hair. Right? So I lost a lot of respect, on education in points for that, because there was no response that were like, sincere, it’s like that you really did somebody like me and you had the answer. There was like always, like, theories, or Yeah, you do the same. No, you cannot do the same. And I said I lost my hair. That’s what I was gonna say I got to put myself every day at the salon. I got to call models I gonna call my friends and I got to start experiences that makes most of my friends my good good friends every time that I win an award or something they like do didn’t say my name next time. I’m gonna go there and I gotta go on stage. And I’m gonna say you you fry my hair because I’m dead. I’m gay like we suppose the very beginning you know, they just making fun of me right now. Like it’s like a joke between Yeah, they did somebody I remember what you were trying to hurt cat on my bands. Were they sure? I was I know. But I didn’t know. Right? And that’s what I did. I took it on my own experience. Like I always say based on my classes. Listen, everybody, I’m not betting on you. Everything that I’m teaching today is based on my struggles, and my students, all the techniques. And I know that I’ve been teaching for a long time, and I can see the ballgame. I can even see the new educators. I can see a lot of educators that patient today that have come to my classes, learn from me, and I’m happy because that’s what I want. I want a more diverse industry. I want more people to learn But that was that was the point. And that took me to understand some techniques here in there. And then I started sharing on social media. And then some songs were like, Oh, I’m interested in learning that. And I remember the first show I did, I have this speaker, like, I didn’t know that my class would get so many people. And three row, nobody could see what I grow because I wasn’t ready. Like, I didn’t have proper PowerPoint. I didn’t have anything. I was just literally learning from my experience and trying to teach I and I create a whole curriculum from that.

Chris Baran 35:44
So it was all self taught. I mean, let’s face it, you knew the Harry you node you the hair, you knew. But the the you had to go through the fire of learning how to teach that correct. And so it was pretty much self taught. How you how you got your style for teaching. Definitely,

Leysa Carrillo 36:05
I would say 100% That’s why I was so happy when I started with Redken and I got to the trainings because I was like, wow, I was made him based so much. Like, I was just like, I mean, I facilitate but based on what I saw the other educators that right? So I know that you have to associate you mean you have to talk about it. Like I had so many classes on the past like I’ve seen stuff expression also because I work for Cirque Du Soliel. So I used to be a character dancer at the very end character dancer are basically like, I mean, we train with the clowns. And let me like you have to like be on showcase, just read your body without talking until the holy story. So I know that I can transmit lay with my body anything, but with my mouth with my poor English, or how to practice that. I have to practice talking, I have to practice confident I have to practice being in front of the camera. I did all of that for hours, I have to put myself to the side and understand the mission behind my education wasn’t about me. So at one point, I had to remind myself constantly because I will finish a class and I would regret so many things that I that I will cry. Oh, I say this one. Oh, I say that, Ron. Oh, I shouldn’t. And then I will say isn’t about me. Yeah, what my message is, is to share what I know so how to stop so I have to like constantly remind myself

Chris Baran 37:42
Do you think that like what first of all I got a point here but what because I know you love dance? That was your life. But what took you out of it? What What took you away from dance and then got you into hair? What was the what was the turning point in your dance career?

Leysa Carrillo 37:59
In your is? In Yeah, I have a knee injury that was really bad that I worked with it for years. So I couldn’t I couldn’t take it anymore. And you know, the shows were like it’s just getting, you know, it’s just a lot of hustle, right? When you’re on the on that dance world. It’s a lot of hustle. You have to get to the audition. And then it’s like 1000s of people. And you get to I remember I did Lion King. And it was three days of audition. Like you had to repeat constantly the same thing over and over and over and then you see a major job. And then No, no, no, you’re wrong. It usually is exhausting. For me the hustling like packing a backpack now auditioning for the show you had to show for two years like another one. It was just I want a little more steady future especially because I started really young. And like I say I feel like I actually achieve a really good you know, the end retire and I didn’t get to do anything. Like I was like, Okay, I got to work for superstar like what else right? I mean, I was like, this is like I went with it. One of the best companies in the world is like it Okay, good. So if we would record now like okay, you know what I mean? Like, now it’s like, it just like that feeling that you okay? It’s okay if I retire because I did. So good. And I perform and I travel the world. I wasn’t successful dancer in some points. I was okay. It’s time. It was hard grace. I let me tell you I was in beauty school and I was still dancing. You know that I quit 100% I was doing hair at the salon and I was still dancing. It was just like, I didn’t let go that easy.

Chris Baran 39:46
I don’t Yeah, I like when people retire or have to move from one thing to the other. There’s always that certain amount of gret regret that’s going on. But do you think I always have this philosophy that you’re The world gives you what you need, the universe gives you what you need. When sometimes you don’t even know that you need it. Do you really think that? It might be just stupid thoughts? But do you think that maybe the universe saw your potential that you were going to do and whatever you did, and knew that because we all know is for dancing, etc, you might have a short career like an athlete from injuries? Do you think that the universe maybe gave you that injury? So you really could find your true greatness?

Leysa Carrillo 40:37
You know, now you’re saying that and I’m, I had never thought about it. But who knows? I think everything is on your destiny, right? And everything is right in there. But I never thought about it. Because everything has been so hard for me always have to work so hard. So So tell me like, really, there is something that have been given by the union like no, I wasn’t, I was supposed I was supposed to be as an average hairdresser. I, if I, if I was following my instance, I was just going to a salon. And just like, I did nothing wrong with that. And no, like, bashing any body on any point of their career, it was just like, I know how I am. You know, I know how ambitious I am. When it comes with like achieving when it comes with, like, leaving a legacy when it comes with like, waking up every day with like, that drive line. And I think it’s just also my background. Like everything shows, I think it’s so common on the login community, right? Everything is hard, even like I can, I can see now that I live in Florida, I have more laughing clients, I can tell the conversation between my loving clients with me and the ones that are from other countries. Like I can relay. I can see the conversations are more dramatic. They always related with things that they have to overcome problems they have to resolve. I think it’s just in our genes, right? Like we have we have to like, overcome something like fight. Like I don’t know, I just don’t know how to explain it. But is it as I know, the hair was about to be the same thing that happens to me when I was a dancer, right? Like I remember growing up is like, we only have one school in the whole country, one National School, a school. So imagine for a whole country to get to the school how hard it is. So like, I never had as a kid vacations like summertime vacation, I always was like training just to be better to make it to the school. at whatever point in my life. Whenever it wasn’t a pool when it wasn’t the beach, I was training the whole summer, maybe have a one two weeks vacation. Or taking extra classes. I always had to like put extra. So I felt like I just it was just meant to be I can say like that it was meant to be do

Chris Baran 43:11
you do you think that? Does that still follow through that, that need to get extra and to perform better be better? Does that still manifest itself for you? Is that gene pool every

Leysa Carrillo 43:28
day? Now it has differing goals. Now I Oh, now I’m taking the world. This year, I feel so powerful, just teaching internationally and like, full of life, so much energy, and I can’t wait to keep going and growing and bigger like interests. Now I have a team like you. It’s just like, it’s just never ending. I just felt like I was still when I die. I’m always looking for more looking for better. Helping others. And I’m too passionate about people, you know, and how can I improve their lives? I’m too passionate about that. You

Chris Baran 44:07
Does that ever? Does that ever? Because I’m sensing some similarities between you and I. So that’s where this question is coming from? Does that ever turn around? And because you’re so concerned about everybody else? Does that end up affecting you and your health or your mindset or whatever? Does that affect you in a different way? Is it take away from you all the

Leysa Carrillo 44:30
time? All the time. And this is something that I teach in my classes even to like when I was talking about clients, right? Sometimes I even know the questions and the conversation because I don’t want the knowledge sharing because I was finding myself going home and thinking about if somebody was sick on the family if the husband cheated on them, whatever the scenario, I was just taking it home with me. Because you know some people receive things more like I’m always bringing things Look at so now I’m having more like, plain basic conversations and I’m trying to keep them like, like I have a wall. And I tend to stay on one side of the wall always. Uh, you know, that’s something that I have worked really hard. Really hard because I’m just a giver and putting myself always last.

Chris Baran 45:20
Yeah, all of that. Yeah. And you’re probably an empath, too, you you, you take on the feelings that everybody else has when they come in and that I think as I know as as an empath, myself, I, I find that that can often drain it drains you. I mean, what about teachers always talked about it being lifeforce particles. You know, when you feel that sometimes in the movies, you see when you know that special effects, make them turn to dots and they float away. But it’s like sort of like when people they, they you have to give so much that’s like sucking those lifeforce particles out of you. You know, and then I think you’ve got to do something to regain those. I mean, like, even after the symposium, Rita and I went to, we just took five days off, and we went to visit some friends. And our good friends, Brian and Sandra Smith, down in, in Georgia, and we took five days off, can you recoup? Do you? Do you spend any time on you? Do you have people that have to tell you to take time off? Or do you you build that into your life,

Leysa Carrillo 46:26
I know, but I’m based here. I have a team that I can trust. I have a beautiful assistant, she’s in North Carolina bless Emily, she’s amazing. I do it. I a schedule, Chris. Everything, even the day that I got to hang out with my brother, like literally everything. training every day, like exercising is my biggest meditation time with myself. I book every month. You know, any beauty service could be a facial massage. It’s just all my schedule. And what I’ve been doing is, if I love the city, or the country that I’m going, I’m staying extra days, kind of like you’re saying, like I finished an event and I stay in five days. I haven’t been able to take a long vacation this year. I don’t think I will. But I’ve been taking a lot of meaning three, four days here in there. Good for you. And I know it’s gonna be really hard for me this year to take a long vacation but maybe next year, next year. Well,

Chris Baran 47:34
you know, my coach always told me Well, and and again, for if he ever listens to this, I’m sorry, I haven’t done it in the last few years. But I remember I never took any time off. And I haven’t in the last while. But I remember he says Chris, I want you to go now and book I want you to book out three to three week vacations. And I don’t care if you change them. Like if something comes up that’s a moneymaker or whatever, book it but you’ve got to you got to shift though that week or if you’ve taken five days off, put that five days in somewhere else. And so for somebody like you who’s really busy and I know the drill for somebody who is on the road like 286 267 days out of the year at one time, your hearing will come in in small pieces so you can get some of your the even just your mental clarity back. And just to think of it even if you don’t think about or do anything sit on the beach just to get back those lifeforce particles but you know, you have this this ability to teach to train. I want to talk very quickly about your the Forever curls, the programs you teach. Number one is that I know that that you still have that on I see it on your website. Is that still going? Do you still do it? Have you got? Are you so busy with everything else that that takes away? What do you still do those?

Leysa Carrillo 49:05
I used to? Yes, so I create forever calls in 2016. And it always was on the road. And on 2021 I launched the Academy. And that’s more like an in depth training that I only do now. Twice a year because it’s so much

Chris Baran 49:25
different. Your schedule? Yes.

Leysa Carrillo 49:28
I was doing a full time. Each time was four days. It was a lot. Now only two times a year. And I have a whole national tour going on. But that’s my team, not me. And I’m only in charge of the academy or the international tour. Right. And then let them now take the United States. They doing amazing I’m so proud of them. Yeah,

Chris Baran 49:57
that’s awesome. Well and good on you for because I saw and your website, how you have a whole bunch of other people that you’ve trained, you know, and that’s really what it’s about, isn’t it? It’s about how do you give away what you got. So other people get it easier than what you had to go through? Yeah. So now here, because we talked a little bit about this, because at one time, there was a bigger diversity between, you know, people that were of a certain race, they did straight hair, and everything was straight hair, straight and wavy hair. But there were a lot of people were terrified or couldn’t do. curly, curly hair, coily hair. And then you had people that you had you had clientele that would seek that out. And there wasn’t that didn’t seem to be that, that bind where you had, because you do straight hair as well, right? You just don’t do I think people get labeled you do textured, coily hair. They think that’s all you do. But you don’t do that. Do you do all textures of hair? Correct? Yeah, that

Leysa Carrillo 50:55
my client that just left is a straight like, I have like, literally, I haven’t I have one client this way that was currently, I just don’t post about it because I want to stay relevant to my message. And this is more like a branding. Yes, strategy based. That is not that I know capable to do what I’m capable to do. I don’t post about it.

Chris Baran 51:17
If you had for the people that are that are listening to this right now that people watching, and some of which, who might be terrified of doing coily hair just for the sake of what you said that they ended up having to cut their hair off because what you went through? What do you what do you think that the biggest mistakes that people make? That when they’re working with really curly coily hair? What’s the biggest mistakes that you see people making?

Leysa Carrillo 51:47
I feel that they think it is like any other hair then look at and then oh, I got it just like any? No isn’t. I feel that the biggest I feel is like their own their value, or how you say that on the estimate. Right? I’m an amazing parameter base in Colorado. How am I gonna mess that up? Right? It’s just a different texture. And that’s what I thought too. Right? Especially me, but if I was manipulating my and my friends all the time, like I used to braid their hair. Like if I show you every single my friend they have gotten married. Before I was a hairdresser, I did the hair and makeup. No even asked me how I did the hair because I wasn’t a hairdresser. I will look at the videos on YouTube or we Bray a lot like I was capable to manipulate and put on my hands. A lot of hair, there was a texture that was uncomfortable at some point. But that didn’t make me a really good colorist of color. Right is a different skill. You know, you can touch it, you can feel it, you can be I got this. But then when you put chemicals that is different reactions, because they help us even just when you do the same technique, they have both different the hair separate from the body, the hair has different personalities. I just realized that is different than a straight hair, it’s going to lay flat. Just look at it. Lay flat on the head, this forget about what texture it is just the way that expands and is separate from people’s body, you should be aware of that you shouldn’t be like, Oh, I shouldn’t do the same highlight that I always do more harm than, like, just look at it you like oh, let me ask and see how they approach that. Because it’s not going to lay. We’re headed on top of that the biggest red flag and you should be aware. Yeah, I feel like a like a because that was my first red flag was like, oh, but how can I do it? I’m currently here. And I remember the valley ash days like the ground from the valley is when the valley Ash was like, boom, right? 2000 like say six. I was in beauty school and I was like, oh my God took so many classes. If I tell you how horrible was looking at my hair crease, it was horrible. As soon as the hair moved, it was just a mess. And to always strain my hair to do it and then when I will let it curly. It will disappear. All the blame that you see on believer con. I like to have one caller. You know, that was the first realization that doesn’t 1614 When I was started doing on my hair, this the Blondie right I was like It disappeared. That’s what I’m close. I was like Excuse me? No, no, that’s the thing when I do it on my disappears like a showman. They like I was like, okay, you know, and that’s the point. They don’t want to keep asking me Do you don’t want to be that student right? But I knew I knew there was a different and I think that’s what people have to realize. Look at it just the way you move. Respect that because just the movement. It tells you a lot.

Chris Baran 54:55
So that’s I mean that’s that’s good stuff because I think that I heard you To say one time, I remember whether it was a class or wherever, at shows that we’re at together, I thought I heard you say one time that sometimes with coily hair you have you think about coloring, almost in the reverse of the way that you do on straight hair. Did I? Did I get that? Correct? Is that? Yeah. Yeah, tell us a bit about that.

Leysa Carrillo 55:21
And I tend to formulae warmer. I tend to formulate the painting the texture on the head card. Brighter sometimes sometimes. Depending on the size of the curled I just something simple, like weaving. Right? Like do you really know your highlights? I changed the way I do it the paints the Santa Claus, because if you we use except to being on the consoles, too small, is going to look really stripy. Yeah, but if you have somebody with because you can do it big. And we’ve made like those bigger sections of I have learned through my students like I always say this, I’m not saying that. This is the way I’m talking about this is my spirit, the way I visualize when I see it. It’s just different. And I feel like you have to formulate different and because it’s not gonna reflect like the same. Like heights, it gets like, like I say, it’s just the way the concentration that density some, in some cases, it’s just the translation is different. Even my base color, when I was teaching my assistants like I formulate a shade lighter all the time, when you’re working with texture hair, just to like, for example, you have somebody who has gray hair, and they have some paper or whatever Sequent situation could be if you normally follow a formula on your straight clients six, and you have to do seven, you know, it’s kind of like that, because it looks darker. It’s just that density, there’s the way just sets on the head. And we do it, we would do like the same formulation, that same base, and they will be like, Wow, you Right? Right, you can see the difference right away.

Chris Baran 57:05
Yeah, and part of it is just you have to do it on a curly head of hair to see it. You can talk all you want to me is when you’re talking about doing hair on coily hair. The analogy I think about it’s like type writing, you’re not a typewriter and a keyboard, I guess I’m showing my age here, a typewriter keyboard, you can talk about using five fingers on a keyboard and how to do it all you want. But until you actually do it, that’s when that’s when the the true learning happens in it.

Leysa Carrillo 57:34
I always tell people like even in my classes, they want to get it right no matter what but tell me what product but tell me ya know, and by halfway of my first class or the first day when they raise their hands and they want to ask something they cut themselves on days like oh lays out we know that you say Just depends but they already say excuse me I know you say Just depends but because really just the pain is like not every scenario is the same and they practice the feeling that touching is what is going to give you the experience right? Yeah, and I know that I’ve been calling now and I sometimes get really like fashionable on social media and I say things that I regret right because I don’t want to offend people but it’s really how I feel like if you’re in practice if you haven’t used lying around somebody like me like Be careful how you call yourself on social media and blogging specialist Oh yeah, you know because then you’re screwing people around me. So you can not blow my hair how you can specialize on blonde the blonde in is blonde in and you should blonde everybody I should be able to blow your hair that you have like sandpaper I should be able to blow me blonde somebody straight like blonde a little boy it has short hair and you do like pixie whatever like, blonde is blonde thing is knowing the line or how it works. And that we saw that you get in at the very end, you know?

Chris Baran 59:00
Yeah. Well, here’s what I have to say to you is that, thank you for calling that out. And please don’t stop don’t stop doing that. Because I think we have to in our industry, we’ve got to hold everybody accountable for what they do. You know, so please don’t change you don’t change that. And I don’t know what the hell I just glanced up and looked at our timing here. And we’re getting close to here but I wanted to throw out this rapid fire questions as well. So just first off that comes to your brain what turns you on in the creative process? Like when you’re doing hair and you’re being creative what really turns you on in when you’re being creative? What’s the thing that makes the challenge I love what and what stifles it what what what turns out what it just wipes out that creativity what happens to do that? I

Leysa Carrillo 59:53
mean, I love that you say that because I always say colored corporations turned me on and people would look at me like I love that. Like, I love the challenge, you know. And I love to think that’s why I got into color because that thinking I love to learn something new every day. Like, I think my higher column might Duolingo wherever they’re gonna be like, hey, what language you are now? Because every year I’m like, now I want to learn Chinese. I don’t know like, I’m always up to what is something they get my mind.

Chris Baran 1:00:33
And in life in general, what do you love? What do you love most about life?

Leysa Carrillo 1:00:40
I think the time that I can spend with the people that I love, I enjoyed us so much. And the time that I can spend years with myself is really like, the best time

Chris Baran 1:00:50
and what do you dislike about life the most?

Leysa Carrillo 1:00:54
I just hate things that I can no control. You know, like when you love somebody and it gets sick. I don’t know cancer like these either. There is nothing that you can do. And they just like, Ah, he gets really frustrating. I think Ms. ailments they made really like, I agree. I agree.

Chris Baran 1:01:18
That’s the person you wish you could meet.

Leysa Carrillo 1:01:25
Oh, my God, that’s a hard one. Okay, well, Manny,

Chris Baran 1:01:33
I know it’s sometimes these can be just some. I think sometimes we talk about it. People are always afraid they’re going to, they’re going to offend somebody by not picking them. But sometimes it’s just the first person that comes to your brain. Actually, what’s something that people don’t know about Leysa?

Leysa Carrillo 1:01:52
Oh, I don’t know. Why something that people don’t know about me. Oh my gosh, it’s gonna be funny.

Chris Baran 1:02:04
I’ll give you a little hint. Like for mine. I can turn my feet around backwards. I can so that they face the other way. When I’m standing forward. But is there something? Yeah. Yeah. What’s something that that people don’t know about? You could be private. I mean, it could be something physical could be you play guitar? It could be whatever.

Leysa Carrillo 1:02:28
I don’t know. I love exotic animals. Like I love monkeys. Snakes, like things that maybe people wouldn’t have.

Chris Baran 1:02:36
I would love love it. If you had a month off, where would you go? And what would you do couldn’t be here. And what would you do just for time off?

Leysa Carrillo 1:02:47
I would go to Europe. Either a Spain or Italy and I would just become a pastry chef a baker? I don’t know I’ve been kind of like into cooking and kitchen lately. I don’t know. I think nobody’s challenging like I don’t I’m not a good cook. So it’s been challenging for me.

Chris Baran 1:03:09
I love to cook i That’s one day. Okay, one day we’ll be there we’ll be in Italy we’ll take cooking classes together I love that please. Something that terrifies What is something that terrifies you

Leysa Carrillo 1:03:25
interest I would say like to settle to do the same thing be more like I like changes I like growing I like pain I like the good I like the bad I like relationships in the beginning like I would be terrified from like locked into something that I cannot change or we say something like that I cannot change

Chris Baran 1:03:53
don’t say it’s to me I think that’s what a lot of people in our industry when you rise up you love the change it’s not you tear and being stagnant you know, terrifies us. favorite favorite curse word

what’s your favorite comfort food?

Leysa Carrillo 1:04:14
Oh my goodness. I always say definitely Cuban.

Chris Baran 1:04:20
What dish

Leysa Carrillo 1:04:24
these are the SIR that I love that. Some people always make for the holidays.

Chris Baran 1:04:33
What’s what’s the name

Leysa Carrillo 1:04:36
is Bo new Ellis.

Chris Baran 1:04:38
When you else yeah,

Leysa Carrillo 1:04:39
when you I was and that is fruit that I grill exotics. They only are on the islands that I made a lot like a wish if I can eat one of those.

Chris Baran 1:04:48
Yeah. If you had one thing you could do over in life. What would that be?

Leysa Carrillo 1:05:00
Or I would definitely move again to another country. I think I wouldn’t do it. I would do at one point. I will retire maybe somewhere. It would be my where would

Chris Baran 1:05:14
you want to retire? Europe? 100%.

Leysa Carrillo 1:05:18
European citizenship. That’s why I also like oh, yeah, to my grandpa. So good, good. Yeah. So later on in life, I think I have maybe illegal place to be.

Chris Baran 1:05:32
There, you will see Reid and i Our goal is, is one day, we want to be in Italy. And we want to have her own vineyard, more than everybody else can, that can make the wine and we’ll just sit back and drink it. That’s our goal. So when you can be there you can be taking the the, your courses, and we’d get together and cook and drink wine.

Leysa Carrillo 1:05:51
Please create let me know I want to do that. Olive oil. Oh.

Chris Baran 1:05:59
Love it, especially when you can have all of us with your wine. That’s awesome. Okay, tomorrow, you couldn’t do hair? And they said, You can’t do hair anymore? What would you do?

Leysa Carrillo 1:06:14
I wouldn’t be a motivated speaker for sure. Love

Chris Baran 1:06:17
it, and that you would do? Well. I’ve got one more, I’ve got one more question for you. But just before if, if people want to get a hold of you, if they want to know about you, like how can they get you to come in to do some work for them? Or how to get how to find out and get a hold of you for your classes for the Forever curls, etc. How do they get ahold of you?

Leysa Carrillo 1:06:41
My website, my social, their website, we’d be forever close by Leysa. The way you spell my name is LEYSA and on social media or my social medias, that is a link in bio that will take you everywhere. And you can find all the information you need. Okay.

Chris Baran 1:07:04
So if you had one last question, if you had one wish for industry, what would that be?

Leysa Carrillo 1:07:12
To be more diverse?

Chris Baran 1:07:15
Yeah, bless, John, that one that’s there. Yeah. So I just have to say first off for, for all the people listening and watching right now, if you really did enjoy this, as I’m sure you did, especially with our lovely laser. If you could just go to your favorite sites and just give us a give us a push or to recommend this just to somebody else so that they people can understand more about the diversity of coily hair, etc. You give us a rating on that, that would be awesome. So we get up more to other people. And Leysa, I just want to say it was a pleasure seeing you at that symposium. But it was even more of a pleasure being right here right now and actually get to know a little bit more about you personally. So I just want to thank you for your generosity and being here with us. I’m giving up your time for being with our with our peeps with head cases. So thank you so much for being here.

Leysa Carrillo 1:08:08
Thank you so much. I’m, like grateful for the opportunity. I always enjoyed talking to you. I think I gravitate to that when I see you. I like doing less talk. I feel like I always learn something when I’m by your present and I’m grateful for that opportunity.

Chris Baran 1:08:26
It’s a pleasure and thank you again so much. We really appreciate you