WS Chronicle

For as long as she can remember Aubrianna Lash has had aspirations of owning her own hair salon. Lash, who is a native of Winston-Salem, said her passion for doing hair began at the age of six when she started doing her mother’s hair following a procedure that left her unable to do it herself.

“Around that time my mom had surgery on her left shoulder so she couldn’t do hair with that shoulder, so I decided I would help and from there it just sparked my interest,” Lash said.

As she grew older, Lash continued to perfect her craft and with helpful tips from her mother, at the young age of 12 Lash became the youngest person in N.C. to obtain their natural hair licensure. During a recent interview with The Chronicle, Lash said although the 16 weeks of cosmetology school were hard, she was determined to push through and reach her goal.

“At first I didn’t think I could do it because hair school was really hard. I could do a lot of stuff when I enrolled, but one thing I couldn’t do was braid, so learning how to do something new that you’ve never done before can be really complicated, but I just kept working towards my goal,” continued Lash. “… I feel very accomplished because nobody my age has done this. It was kind of difficult, but I got through it.”

After working from home for a few years, Lash continued to entertain the idea of opening her own salon. After looking around, Lash found the perfect spot at the Aspire Studio on Coliseum Drive. Lash said, “There were a few spots that we looked at, but I liked the way that this looked,”  while sitting in her salon earlier this week.

“… It’s cute and it’s simple. I like to work by myself because I can get distracted. So I feel like if it’s just me and my partner, I can focus more and it’s a nice location right in the middle of the city,” Lash said.

From humble beginnings in her mother’s bathroom, this weekend Lash’s dream of owning her own salon will officially become a reality with the grand opening of Aubrianna’z Kreationz on Saturday, April 6. While reflecting on her journey to become a licensed cosmetologist and entrepreneur, Lash said all the hard work was worth it.

“There were a few times where I wanted to quit or give up because it was hard, but it was all worth it because I get to do what I want to do,” Lash said.

Before wrapping up her interview, Lash had a few words of advice for other young people in the area who may have dreams or aspirations that seem impossible to reach. She said, “You can do it.

“It’s going to be hard and at times it may be really complicated, but if you really want something, you have to work for it. Nothing is going to be handed to you,” continued Lash. “If you really want something, you have to go out and do it. There’s really not much to it.”

The grand opening of Aubrianna’z Kreationz is scheduled for Sunday, April , at 5 p.m. The salon is located at 720 Coliseum Drive, Suite 127.