Behind the Chair to Entrepreneur: Balancing Passion & Purpose

00;10 -   02;16

00:00 (CARLA) I was in corporate, and I hated it. My sister reminded me that I loved hair when I was a kid, so I was like, ‘Oh, okay, well, I'll just go to hair school.’ I thought I was too old because I was 28. I'm so grateful that I did it older because I just had a different perspective and more of a drive. I didn't have the time to waste. So I was like, ‘Okay, let's get this going.’

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00;21;10 -   24;12

00:21 (SHANALIE) Today's guest has built a career on transformation. Behind the chair. Behind the mic. And behind a bold movement empowering the next generation. Carla Zuniga is the creator of Her Power Pins, Co-host of The EFF IT MADRES podcast, and a stylist and educator with over 15 years of experience. She's worked with top salons, mentored countless stylists, and continues to push the industry forward with creativity, honesty, and purpose. Carla, we're so excited to have you with us.

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52;24 -  01;02;15

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 01;16;21 -  01;18;29

1:18 (SHANLIE) Carla, thank you so much for joining me and Daniel. It’s a little bit of a reunion between the three of us. 

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1:24 (CARLA) It’s been a long time. 

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1:25 (SHANALIE) Yeah, if you ever worked with the three of us together. I'm sorry. No, I’m just kidding. 

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1:31 (CARLA) Especially me. God. 

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1:33 (SHANLIE) Dude, that’s another episode. But for anyone who hasn't had the chance of meeting you, please introduce yourself and tell us about how you got into this industry.

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 01;43;15 -  01;45;18

1:42 (CARLA) Okay, my favorite question. My name is Carla Zuniga and I have been in hair for 15 years now. I was in corporate, and I hated it. And my sister reminded me that I loved hair when I was a kid, so I was like, “Oh, okay -  I’ll just go to hair school.” I thought I was too old. I was 28. But I went there and one of my classmates was 50 starting over, so I was like, ‘You know what? Okay, I can do this.’ I went in curious. I left loving it. And then after I graduated and I busted through it in like 9 months cause I was like — can I cuss? 

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2:17 (CARLA) Sorry, I'm old. I need to get through this real fast. So instead of ten months, I did it in nine. And then like three days after I graduated, someone said, “Oh, Galvin Benjamin is opening up. You should go apply.”  And Daniel and I got hired on the same day. Although no one told us we were hired, right? 

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2:37 (DANIEL) Yeah.

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2:38 (SHANALIE) You just kept coming back? 

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2:38 (CARLA) We did a three-day trial and we’re like, ‘Did anyone tell you you got hired? Did they tell us to come back tomorrow?” No one told us anything.’ 

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2:45 (SHANALIE) That’s hilarious. You know, it's so funny cause you saying 28 is old and, like, what? Carla was a baby at 28. You're so young still. 

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2:56 (CARLA) I’m 43, Jesus. 

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 02;55;24 -  02;58;11

2:58 (SHANALIE) Well it’s been a whirlwind, but it flew by. But no, you’re still so young. Yeah, cause so many people jump out of it from high school and jump right in so you felt like ten years late, I can imagine. 

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3:08 (CARLA) Yes, I felt really late but I’m so grateful that I did it older because I just have a different perspective and more of a drive. Not to say that younger people don't, but like, I just didn't have enough - I didn't have the time to waste. So, I was like, ‘Okay let’s get this going. ‘

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3:24 (SHANALIE) You were hungry. 

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 03;24;25 -  03;29;16

3:26 (DANIEL) In 2024 you launched Her Power Pins which is such a special brand. What was the spark for the idea and what did it take to bring that to life?

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 03;33;09 -  03;39;06

3:34 (CARLA) I'm sure, Shanalie, now that you're a parent, you’ve heard like when you have a kid all your childhood sh*t comes up. 

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 03;39;06 -  03;40;06

3:40 (SHANALIE) Oh, yeah.

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 03;40;06 -  03;41;00

3:41 (CARLA) And so once I had her, I realized, Oh my God, I was raised very much in an environment of not a lot of encouragement.  A more critical sort of environment versus encouragement. And so it made me realize that I based all my decisions in my life on that framework that I had wired my brain. And so I was like, ‘F*ck that I’m not letting that happen to our daughter.’ She’s gonna know she can do sh*t. Like she can do everything that she sets her mind to.

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 04;09;08 -  04;15;23

4:09 (CARLA) Since she was one and a half, I mean, obviously she didn't speak then, I would hold her up in the mirror and I would look in the mirror with her. And I'd say, ‘I’m strong, I’m brave, I’m capable, I’m worthy, I’m going to do all the things that I set my mind to because I believe in myself.’ And to this day it's part of her morning routine. She doesn't get – if she doesn't change and then go to the mirror, we're like, you need to do your morning talk. She goes to the mirror, and she says “I’m strong, I’m brave” and she does the whole thing. Gives herself a high five in the mirror and says ‘I love you Nava.’ 

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4:36 (SHANALIE) I love that. 

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4:37 (CARLA) So I was just like watching her do that one day and I was like, it would be so great if there was something tangible that she could have on her that would remind her that she is these things, she can do these things. And so I was like, well I do hair, and I’m very crafty. So why don't I create hair pins? So yeah, that’s how Her Power Pins came to be and they all have ‘I am’ affirmations on them. But when you buy one, you get one. And that one is for that little girl who's initially getting it to give that one to another little girl to encourage her and empower her. And, I feel like right now we need that. 

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 05;15;13 -  05;27;10

5:16 (SHANALIE) Yeah. Girlhood for sure. I love that. So that's not easy. You know, going from behind the chair to developing your own brand, right? Talk to us about that journey. What was that like?

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 05;27;10 -  05;30;13

5:27 (CARLA) I mean it’s still very much the journey. 

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5:30 (SHANALIE) Yeah, I can imagine. 

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5:31 (CARLA) And I’m like a one woman show. So, like, I'm doing everything from rolling the clay, to baking it, to you know, doing the online store to all that stuff. So in the midst of also, clients are my main thing. And so I have to juggle that and then also have a kid. So it's alot. It’s a lot to have to wear all these hats. But you know, it's a passion of mine and I really want to see it grow. So the goal is to ultimately hire a team of women that are trying to get back on their feet. And have them be the ones to make the pins so the empowerment’s full circle. So it’s not just for the little girls but it’s the moms and the women. I hope, that’s what I want. 

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6:14 (SHANALIE) I love that  - that's such a beautiful goal. You don't hear that always. 

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6:18 (DANIEL) Yeah. That's an amazing brand story.

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6:20 (CARLA) Yeah, so we’ll see. Fingers crossed. 

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6:21 (DANIEL) You also work with IIes Formula. And what drew you to that brand? What's that experience like? 

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6:27 (CARLA) I mean you all heard me. Everyone rolled their eyes when I would always talk about IIes Formula. So it is a brand that honestly to this day I don't think there's anything as good as that brand. Like, since I first met Wendy Eyles. She handed me that signature collection. I love telling that story because I was the only manager on at that particular golden hour that she walked in. I was never the person to pitch to. I felt so bad for her because I have really bad RBF. I was like, mhmm. 

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6:57 (SHANALIE) You have a great poker face for that, though. Cause you know in that pitch moment, right?

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7:01 (CARLA) Yeah, maybe I don’t know. I have like permanent stink face. But anyway, she was like, just go home and try it. And I did. And I was just like, holy sh*t this is amazing. And like forced Ben who was like whatever, okay. And yeah, like since then it's been obviously a long time that I've tried - I’ve tried other products in between, but when I go back to it, it's like, this is it just works. And so I manifested this position because I knew when we first brought them on to Benjamin, I was like, I’m gonna work with them some way. I don't know how.

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7:33 (CARLA) I was talking to Ali, the sales guy, initially, and he was like, well, Wendy wants you to be a salesperson. I’m like I’m not a f**king sales person so no. I’m not ready for this, I don’t want it. And then last summer, I reached out again and I was like, “Are you guys ready for an educator now?”  And she was like, “As a matter of fact, we are.”  And so, I was like, ‘yes.’ I’m their first educator that they’ve hired. 

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7:54 (SHANALIE) You know, educations complicated with salons and hair stylist, colorist,  wrangling them. You remember what it's like when we were managing, right? So how do you approach that now? Like when you walk in, what's your process like to get them all going? 

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 08;05;21 -  08;11;08

8:06 (CARLA) You know,  it is intimidating to walk into salons and be the person that they're like, “ who am I learning from? Who is this person?” But honestly, the best approach is to just be you, you know. I can be quirky and I can be weird and I just own it. I  just go in and I'm inquisitive and I ask them what they want to learn. I end up doing what I want to do anyway. But,  like, you know, I always ask. I'm open to also learning from them. I think walking in and being very humble because, yeah, sure, I'm teaching them some things, but I want to learn and be open to learning from them as well. 

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8:38 (SHANALIE) Oh, I love that. 

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8:40 (CARLA) Yeah. So I think it's really important to, as an educator, have that energy because it makes for a very collaborative class.

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9:15 (DANIEL) Is there something that you wish more owners understood about educating their teams?

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9:20 (CARLA) I mean everybody learns differently. That's something that, when I learned from a particular person, it was this way. And look I get that there is techniques. You've got to learn the technique. But the approach could be a little softer. You know, when you're told that you're sh*t and you're doing it wrong, is not very motivating. So finding ways to talk to that particular person's learning ability is really important. And I think that just takes listening and patience, with each person. So it is time-consuming to be an educator because you're working with each individual person, but it's important.  You’ve got to listen. 

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9:59 (SHANALIE) Yeah, we had an awesome conversation earlier in the season as well about how it doesn't matter what you're doing within your business. You have to have education with any initiative to roll out and be successful. And you have to tap back into it. So with a product like this, what would you recommend to owners as they're trying to maybe increase sales or things like that? How can they incorporate education more frequently with, you know, whether it be IIes or something else?

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10:27 (CARLA) I mean, I think that they should take it serious when brands - if they're interested in bringing a brand on that they set up, that PK that initial PK class right away. And they make it a requirement for the staff to come. I mean, I know the employment statuses. It's hard for certain people to show up, but the ones that are employed, it has to be a requirement for them to be there, especially the assistants. Because they are the ones that are eager and hungry to learn. Those are usually the classes I love the most because they are so hungry and so open to drink up the information. So, I think, yeah, setting those classes up and having it be a regular thing. Get it to become routine so that people automatically know - it’s like a muscle they flex. Like, “Oh, I have to go to this class. I have to go to this class.”  So I think that's really important.

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11:16 (SHANALIE) Yeah, that's a great point because someday people will be out on their own, doing their own thing, and they gotta constantly be training as well, just independently. Like even without someone forcing their hand. So it's a great point.

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11:28 (CARLA) Yeah, but training can look different these days with YouTube and all that sort of stuff. There's things that I still watch and I spend days learning how to do certain do’s or whatever - that is training nowadays, too. As long as you keep it up. You keep the curiosity it’s really important. So that's something.

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11:44 (DANIEL) So you've been in the salon world for 15 years now. Do you have any wild client stories, horror stories or anything that you can't forget?

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11:55 (CARLA) I mean, God they’ve been so many, I think there’s like a blur - it’s like a blur. 

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11:58 (SHANALIE) You need a Burn Book. 

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12:00 (CARLA)  Yeah. Know what I think is a funny story? I wouldn't necessarily say it's a horror story of a client but it was a -  it was a story with another stylist. I won't name names. But this person came in and he had quite an ego on him and he would always come up to the front desk and throw a f*cking hissy fit if someone wasn't greeted right, or they didn't text him and let him know, or didn't send his assistant up. And I was terrified of him. I may have looked mean, but I was terrified of these people. Yeah, Shanalie was always like – 

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12:32 (SHANALIE) I was like, “You said what?’ 

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12:32 (CARLA) But I was always scared to deal with him. And I just got to the point this particular day that I had had it. I walked to the back room and I said, ‘Next time, next time you have a problem, you do not come to the front desk and say it in front of my face.’ And you could just see him go, “uh uh okay okay.” And it was at that moment where I was like, “Oh so easy to handle these personalities.” And then immediately after that, our relationship changed. And I was like, ‘Don’t yell at me. Don’t this, don’t that.’ So I remember that being – I was so terrified in the moment because I hated confrontation. But I was like, oh man, right when you. Right when you hit him with it, they're like, ‘oh okay.’ 

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13:14 (SHANALIE) I know, it’s not a comfortable feeling but sometimes you’ve got to meet them where they're at or it's like, hey, boundary. Like I'm not accepting that behavior. So like, turn around, come back and redo it. Yeah, I love that.

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13:27 (SHANALIE) So you know you've worn so many hats, Carla. But, you've also started an awesome podcast called EFF IT MADRES, which has built such a strong female community. I love that. We'd love to hear more about those conversations and what really drove you and Romi there to create that podcast.

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 13;40;27 -  13;58;22

13:41 (CARLA) So it's interesting. The podcast was really the catalyst for, like, all of these other things that I'm doing because it was – we I had gotten to a point in my life and I she had obviously got to that point too, where I was kind of looking around one day and I'm like, is this it? Like, life is good, but this can't be it. I need more. And so I invited into the universe - some little woo -  and so I invited into the universe like - I want to be uncomfortable. And man, did it throw it my way. And the conversation organically happened with her where we’re like, “why don’t we just f*ck it.” F*ck it, that’s where it came from. F*ck it, let’s just start a podcast. And why don't we talk to other women who - we focused on moms because we’re moms and we were having this Eff it moment where we were realizing something needs to change. And to make a big change, especially as a mother, when you have a spouse or a kid, it can be a lot more risky to do these things. And so why don't we interview those people? Why don't we interview these moms that have had these eff it moments?

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14:45 (CARLA) And man, it was so empowering to talk to women who have had these eff it moments, like where they realized that they could no longer be in their marriage with a man and married a woman, or like they left abusive relationships and with all their kids, and they didn't know what they're going to do, and they just left. And but every eff it moment, whether it worked out the way they wanted or not, was for the better cause their life changed for the better. So just talking to these women, first of all, and like doing the podcast itself for me was very uncomfortable because I don't like to be like this right now. I’m actually sweating. 

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15:20 (SHANALIE) What we’re doing right now? 

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15:22 (CARLA) But, my friend, she's been on a reality TV show, so she was very good at, like, really like holding the conversation. I was like the small few words, wise words type of person. Well, I wouldn’t even say wise but whatever. But anyway, it was the catalyst for all of these things because that was the first thing that really put me into that uncomfortable seat. And then the last year we signed like a PR, like a small boutique PR agency and they’re like we’re going to send you out to speaking gigs. And I was like, what? So I was like, well, you know what? If I'm going to do this, then I’m going to join Toastmasters. I joined Toastmasters and it helps with public speaking. And I was terrified. But yeah, I would do it and I got really good feedback. And I’m like maybe I’m not so bad at this. And so then that lead on to other things.  Then I went into educating and that being in front of people was like comfortable. And then they want me doing hair in front of people, which I was like -  but I'm okay with it. So like it really started me on the podcast, like, oh, I love what we did. We did it for two years. We did it consistently of over a hundred episodes, and it really was what changed me into thinking the fear that I get is something I should look at versus run away from. So now I get excited when I get scared because I’m like, ‘Oh this something that I need to do.’

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16:44 (SHANALIE) You know, it's so funny to hear you say that because I feel like since the day I met you, I’ve only looked at you as, like, someone who can do public speaking and is in front of a group like I've always known you as, like Carla who's a manager who's got, like a group of people listening and you're doing all this stuff in front of and educating and all the things. So it's pretty amazing to see behind the curtain a little bit where you were like, freaking out the whole time. 

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17:04 (CARLA) I was dying inside. 

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17:05 (SHANALIE) I never knew. 

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17:06 (CARLA) Like, the gurgles you know? 

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17:12 (SHANALIE)  Well, any staff meeting can be chaotic. So it's a little bit of, you know, sugar and spice in those. I don't blame you on that one for sure.

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17:21 (DANIEL) I think your journey is so inspiring. It's so multifaceted. You've constantly added something new again and again and again. So, you know, whether it's the podcast or educating or Her Power Pins, like what's next?

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17:32 (CARLA) I don't know. Maybe we’ll live somewhere else, I don’t know. I don’t know. Honestly, I mean, I just want to get to a place where I feel at peace with everything I’m doing. Right now, everything still feels like I’m building and I’m building and sometimes I feel like I'm going multiple steps back. I just want to get to a place where I feel good where everything is, and just be on a steady path of growth. So like, where do I see myself? In like a physical setting – well as a founder. Founder of this brand that I hope expand to other things but always focused on girl empowerment would be amazing. And, in regards to educating I love being in front of people and meeting people. So I do hope that that expands into something else whether it's with IIes or not. I mean, I hope that it's something that's still part of my journey because I like to teach. I like to teach, so. 

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18:24 (SHANALIE) Yeah, that’s amazing. What advice would you give to a salon owner like, you know, whether it be for 2025 or onward?

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18:31 (CARLA) I think the really important -  and I think this transcends salons. I think anybody that is like running a team of people, needs to listen to their team. Like you need to listen to their team. Doesn't mean you need to take on everything they say, but you need to at least let them feel like they have a voice. I think that's really important because that will help you get to your vision faster when you have people on board, but they're only going to be on board if they feel seen and heard. I know when I feel seen and heard, I want to help much much more. So I think that's really important for salon owners. And owners in general to take on with their teams. 

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19:07 (SHANALIE) So true that collaboration and communication goes such a long way. It's such a simple thing and it's often forgotten about. 

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19:15 (CARLA) Yeah. And like be open to the multiple paths that could get you to that desired outcome, not just the one way or the highway type of way of thinking I think that's too rigid.

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19:25 (SHANALIE) Yeah, I also think people just don't think that way anymore. If you look at the workforce, people want to be collaborative. They want to be – even if there's problems, they want to be involved in them to figure out the solution. Right. So I think that's so important. That’s a good one. Yeah. Any final thoughts, Carla? 

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19;42 (CARLA) No, I’m good. I’m hot. Not in that way. Like, physically hot. 

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19:46 (SHANALIE) You’re so hot. 

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19;48 (CARLA) Like weather hot. That you can edit out. 

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19:52 (SHANALIE) But Carla where can everyone find you, whether it's Her Power, EFF IT MADRES? 

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19:56 (CARLA) For my hair, go to my hair stuff is Carla Zuniga Hair on Instagram. That’s what I have for Illes education for just my clients and then Her Power Pins for the pins. And if you want to get political you can find my personal one, but don’t need to go there. But, anyway. 

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20:16 (SHANALIE) Awesome, thank you so much, Carla. This has been a blast. 

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20;19 (CARLA) Yeah, reunion. 

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20:20 ( SHANALIE) I know. Andy Cohen’s on his way. 

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20:25 (CARLA) Where’s the champagne and the shrimp we throw? 

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