Larisa Love, one of MODERN's favorite artists, is sharing her five rules to success, or more importantly FIVEMISTAKES NOT TO MAKE:

1.    BRAND YOURSELF

"Make sure you show your best work on social media and post only what you want the world to see. Avoid posting random pictures, and don’t post excessively about non-related topics (food, everyday life, etc). Instead, focus on posting what you want to promote, and when you do post pictures, make sure that they are great quality! You want to take branding your business seriously. If you do want to post about other topics, I suggest creating an account that is separate from your professional one."

2.    KNOW YOUR SELF WORTH

"Stylists can easily get overwhelmed by trying to take in every client and offering low rates. At the end of the day, if you exhibit good, quality work, charge what you are worth. You do not want to be taken advantage of, and when you overbook yourself, you may put the caliber of your work at risk. I cannot stress enough that if you know you are sincerely good at what you do, then your prices need to reflect that (charge what you’re worth)! Your clients will come back to you because they value the results and because nobody else can compare."

3.    CHOOSE QUALITY OVER QUANTITY

"You’ll make more money if you focus on the quality of your work rather than the number of clients you have. I focus on perfecting my work with each client, and I make a point to never leave a client unsatisfied. If you focus on quality, you'll build a reputation that's irreplaceable and word of mouth will spread like wildfire. Be sure you don’t rush your work and always give it 120%!

About a year ago, I colored a client's hair, but I wasn't completely satisfied with the outcome (there was no love effect for me). I knew I could have done better, and even though she was pleased with the result, I asked her to come back the next day, so that I could master it. I truly care about my work, so I wanted to ensure that her hair matched my initial vision."

4.    STAY CURRENT

"Don’t get stuck by focusing on only one style. While it's fine to perfect a style, trends are constantly changing, and you need to stay current to stay ahead. It's one thing to know your trends, but it's even better to create your trends. Educate yourself and be bold.

When I started in Beverly Hills, I didn’t feel current because I was only performing root retouches and highlights. Therefore, I moved to a new salon in Melrose with a younger, edgier clientele because I wanted to be aware of the up-and-coming trends. If you are not ahead of the game, you risk losing your clientele."

5.    AVOID DRAMA/GOSSIP

"This one is HUGE. Gossip not only affects you as a stylist, but whether you realize it or not, the negativity deriving from gossip also affects your clients. You always want to radiate amazing energy! My clients find themselves at peace when they are at my studio, which is what I love about having a private space. One of the main reasons I decided not to work at a salon is because there is so much gossip and drama that goes around. When I am with a client, I solely focus on my work, and I don't have other stylists crowding the space. 

When you don’t focus on the drama, you are going to focus more on your business. Negativity affects your work and your clientele; they’ll be able to notice (trust me). Whether you are a hair stylist or not, wherever you are working, you need to be professional and promote positive energy."

“We all make mistakes, have struggles, and even regret things in our past. But you are not your mistakes, you are not your struggles, and you are here NOW with the power to shape your day and your future” — Steve Maraboli

For more from Larisa Love, visit

and her Instagram @larisadoll.

Larisa Love