Meet Brianna Lark | Hairstylist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Brianna Lark and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Brianna, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?
My work life balance has changed tremendously over the years. As my child grows and gets involved into new endeavors within school and her social life, I changed my work schedule so I can be there for her. I literally work around my child’s schedule and for me to still have the amazing clientele that I have and to be fully booked is astonishing. I’m truly blessed to have the clientele that I have that are always there for me through sick days, cheerleading competitions, and snow days. When I’m at work, I give 110% and the clients get my undivided attention. I love for my clients to feel appreciated, beautiful and handsome when they get out the chair. I think that’s what led me to have this amazing clientele.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
What set me apart from other Stylist is that I give that up north flare to all my designs. I’m passionate. I’m understanding and I listen to my clients. It’s not about the hair sometimes sometimes it’s about the therapy they get. I don’t just do hair sometimes we cry in the shop sometimes we laugh in the shop but either way it’s gonna be a good time.

I’m most proud about working with a few of my celebrity clients and getting to do their hair while they’re on tour. I got to meet some of my favorite bands and artist like Boyz II Men and TLC and Goodie mob while working with the Brownstones. My up-and-coming male rap artists clients gave me a whole new perspective on creativity to their hair.

I got where I’m at today professionally by hard work and learning from other amazing talented Stylist. When I outgrew a ceiling, I moved to another place where I can keep growing until I reached another ceiling that has kept me and my goals, pertinent to my future.

It wasn’t easy, I left my hometown right after our city had gone through some devastating gun violence, and I felt that that was the last straw. When the salon down the street from us got shot up I knew I had to leave and there was no looking back.

The lessons I learned from moving from Cleveland, Ohio in 2015 to Atlanta would be to keep God first and he will keep showing me the way. When one shop didn’t work out because of creative differences, another door would open and lead me to more promising clients. And when I grew from working in an open concept salon to working in my suite, the ceiling rose even more.

What I would like the world to know about me is that I’m still just a kid from Cleveland, Ohio, who grew up in Bedford Heights that just wanted to dream of bigger and better things. And now that I have my beautiful daughter Riley, I see so much more. She keeps me trendy and she keeps me on my toes. When I’m looking for new inspiration and styles I go to her. She’s the new future.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If my best friend Amara was coming down from Cleveland the first spot we would hit would be Spondivits. And maybe on Tuesday we will go to Copper Cove and go to R&B nights where we would sing karaoke all night. Then maybe on Thursday we would go to Howell Mill station and check out all the bars and maybe do sandbox VR because I’m still a big kid. My girl loves different types of food so we would also go to the Works on Chattahoochee ave and explore all the different options of food and drinks. We probably will settle the evening with Topgolf or Ponce city market and go to a wine bar. Now Saturday sounds like a spa day. We will go to SpaLand to rejuvenate and detox. To finish it off we’re heading to church on Sunday at Change church in Duluth.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would love to shout out my mom. She was my main cheerleader when I first decided to go to Hair school when I first got out of high school. I went straight into college at Tuskegee University and I loved it there, but I knew Hair was the career for me. I came home And I went to CNA school so I could support myself and put myself through Hair school. Plus I graduated from Hair school. I did CNA and hair for two years until I can support myself solely on Hair. My mom would always be my rock and let me try new styles on her and my aunts. She would keep me focused on my goals and what was next in my life. When I decided to move from Cleveland, Ohio, and move to Atlanta Georgia. She was there to support me and throw me a going away party. If she’s not a phone call away she’s a flight away. She would always come down here and make sure that I’m good cook for me and my daughter and clean the house. She always wanted me to at least try going to college first so I can get the experience and then go and do my craft. I love her for that. Thank you mom.

Website: https://braiderbae.booksy.com/a/

Instagram: https://Www.instagram.com/yannistrandz

Other: Braider Bae by Yannistrandz on Google

Image Credits
Arin Jackson -Singer “the Brownstones”
Alexis Jones- Singer “the Brownstones”