Going out on your own can be daunting.

After realizing that she was not happy with her established salon and clientele, Larisa Love decided it was time for a change. The independent stylist started from square one and left her salon to re-build her client list by creating eye-catching dramatic transformations, color melts, edgy cuts and more to post on her Instagram account, @larisadoll.

Not long after, she was tapped as a brand ambassador for CosmoProf and opened her own eponymous salon in Studio City, California. With more than 500,000 followers, Love’s ambition has opened doors to opportunities to inspire stylists from around the world—and she strives to make a difference in the lives of her clients as well as the hair industry.

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