Photo by Maggie Vaughn
Kayleigh Rucktenwald became profoundly deaf at 19 months old but that hasn’t stopped her from pursuing her true passion, hair styling and design. A graduate of Vici Beauty School, she opened her own salon, Have a Good Hair Day!, in March 2015. Rucktenwald talked with the Shepherd Express about some of the challenges and perks of being a small-business owner.
What inspired you to go into the beauty industry?
Growing up, I always had a passion for hair styling and design. I loved playing with my friends’ hair. It was such a creative outlet for me, and it sparked the idea of doing hair styling for a living. I tried different majors in college and went to two universities without finding something that really ignited the kind of passion I was looking for. One day, my sister asked if I could cut her hair into a fauxhawk/pixie cut and I jumped at the chance. I went in blindly, with no experience or training, and she ended up with a great cut and tons of compliments. At that moment, it hit me that I needed to pursue my passion and become a cosmetologist. Once I started that journey I never looked back.
What made you decide to start your own business?
On both sides of my family, there have been a number of entrepreneurs and business owners for generations. As soon as I began beauty school, the dream of owning a business began to take shape for me. The idea of being independent and starting a business that reflected my own creative vision was very appealing for me, and to have a career that I could be very proud of really inspired me. In this industry, it is not easy to find owners who completely understand their employees’ or renters’ needs and visions. I wanted to have control over my career and my business, and I also wanted a great place for other professionals to be able to be independent, excel and expand their businesses.
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What were some challenges in starting a small business, especially as a deaf woman?
After years of experience in the industry, and with sights set on my goal, I moved forward with determination and the innate belief that I could make this happen. Growing up, I always had to work harder to prove to people that deaf people can do anything they set their minds to. That mindset helped me in the real world and prepared me for opening my own business. I had so many challenges along the way in making this vision a reality. I had to go above and beyond to convince investors that this business would be successful. With business plans, research, projections and great confidence, I needed to prove that I wasn’t defined by my deafness—that I would be successful, a risk worth taking, a top-notch business owner and an inspiration to the disabled community. I was so determined to open those closed doors and prove that this dream was possible even for a deaf female.
What’s your favorite hairstyle to do for a client?
Oh gosh, that is a hard question! There are really no hairstyles or color techniques I don’t like to do. What I love is when a client comes in and either wants a drastic change, or just wants to change it up after having the same look for a while. It allows me to experiment and get creative, especially if there is a real change in length.