Welcome back to the Joust About Careers podcast! I’m your host, Brian Bratt, and this week’s guest is 2010 VB graduate Silver Viera. In this episode, Silver shares how her education at The Ohio Academy helped her start in the cosmetology field, how it took time to build her customer base, why she values having her salon, Silver’s, in downtown Findlay, and much more. Whether you are interested in a career in cosmetology, want to own your own business, or are still exploring your options, I hope that what Silver shares today will help all of you make better career decisions and have fulfilling career journeys. Enjoy the show!1:12 - A typical day for Silver as a cosmetologist and entrepreneur1:48 - Silver’s typical hours2:32 - Silver provides a variety of cosmetology services, including for weddings.3:56 - The interest in a cosmetology career has always been there for Silver.5:00 - The decision to gain her education at The Ohio Academy.7:04 - Program options at The Ohio Academy7:48 - 1,500 hours were the minimum for Silver to become a licensed cosmetologist.8:51 - There are quite a few cosmetology schools in Ohio.10:40 - Moving to Cleveland after graduating from The Ohio Academy was a bit of a struggle.12:40 - Trust is a huge factor in this career because customers care about their hair.14:02 - Supporting downtown Findlay businesses is important to Silver because it is her community.15:49 - Silver is part of a retail association of downtown businesses.16:56 - Being her own boss is a great aspect of Silver’s career, but it does create a lot of responsibility.18:22 - There was limited business training at The Ohio Academy.19:11 - Salon owners must have licensure in addition to being a licensed cosmetologist.20:11 - Salon owners and cosmetologists need to have and exhibit confidence.21:50 - Creating a business plan is essential to anyone wanting to start a business, especially since there are over 50 salons in Findlay.Questions?Connect with Silver on Facebook or Instagram (@SilversFindlay). Connect with Brian on LinkedIn (linkedin.com/in/brian-bratt/) or e-mail ([email protected]).