When you work solo, you have to make sure new clients can “find” you.  That’s not a problem for Instagrammer extraordinaire Larisa Love.

On her Instagram account, Larisa Love (@larisadoll) describes herself as a freelance hair artist in Los Angeles and adds “currently not booking new clients.” At last count, Larisa (the single-word name she prefers) has more than 65,000 followers on her Instagram page, which is filled with wild hues, sombres, makeovers as well as classic, beautiful shades. She credits her success with hair color and social media for transforming her into the superstar she is now --with a waiting list of 500 potential clients to see her at the UBungalows by Butterfly Loft in Encino, California.

A 2010 graduate of Marinello Beauty School in Pomona, California, Larissa says success was not instantaneous. She bounced from salon to salon, in and around LA, to “find herself” and her style.

“I love doing hair, but not necessarily what I would have to do in the classic salon environment,” she says. “I wanted to do something fun and out-of-the-box.”

After two years, Larisa moved to a private studio where she was able to do more than root touch-ups and highlights. She started taking pictures of her clients and posting on her new Instagram account.

“It is an amazing platform to showcase your art with a click of a button,” she says. People started following her right away. “It happened very fast. I followed people, they followed me. Before I knew it, I had thousands of followers.”

The impact on her business was powerful. “It went crazy and people started booking,” she says.

First it was local, but then people started to come from around the world. “It’s insane,” she says. “I have clients from Australia and the UK and just about every state. They are literally from everywhere.”

Larisa points out that without Instagram, “They never would have been able to find me. I got lucky enough to get into the swing of things right when it really kicked off. It changed my life. I am humbly booked solid well into 2016.”

The beautiful thing about this success is that she does not keep her secrets to herself. Larisa shares her tips and tricks on social media as a speaker at conventions and, of course, on her own feeds. “Teaching and mentoring fellow stylists on all the amazing hair techniques and how to use social media to their own advantage is one of my passions,” she says. When asked for her top three tips, Larisa, shares these:

1. Lighting and angles: “Make sure the lighting is fantastic on your photos. It is the key to reflecting your color. Also, take pictures of all angles of your hair finish. You never know which one will stand out.”

2. Backdrop: Make sure to use a clean, non-distracting background for your photos. Larisa has a dedicated set-up for photos with a blank backdrop and great lighting.

3. Hashtagging: “This is key. I do not put in hashtags right away. I want my caption to be clean. I go in a few days afterwards or in the comment section and hashtag. It’s important to have a personal hashtag (#hairbylarisalove) and that you tag your location so that people can find you.”

What has changed my life: Social media. It is the new business card.

Key to success: Hard work, dedication and inspiration.

Clients on my wait list: 500

Motto: Do what you LOVE!

Find me: Instagram: @LarisaDoll; Twitter, Snapchat: LarisaDoll, YouTube: LarisaDoll1. Website: hairbylarisalove.com

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