SalonCentric’s annual Women’s History Month Brunch isn’t just an impressive event—it’s a celebration of the beauty industry’s most unstoppable, inspiring, and trailblazing women. This year, the brunch took place at Sugar Baby Café (@sugarrbaby.fl), a cozy, woman-owned gem in Seminole, FL, where beauty pros and salon owners came together to uplift, connect, and find inspiration in a charming, creativity-fueled setting.
From the moment guests walked in, the energy was warm, inviting, and vibrant. Custom drinks set the tone for a morning full of meaningful conversations, while a build-your-own flower bouquet bar encouraged attendees to celebrate their womanhood and channel their inner florist.
One of the highlights of the day was a live styling demo by SalonCentric #ItTakesAPro Team Artist Shayla Tapilova (@samirasjewelry), who captivated the crowd with her styling expertise and passion for her craft. Guests also had the opportunity to get creative and express their own personal style, customizing trucker hats from Patches OTR (@patchesotr), a woman-owned business known for its adorable, trending designs.
At the heart of the event was a sense of community—women supporting women in their personal and professional aspirations while connecting on shared experiences in the beauty industry. Keep reading to discover the top tips and takeaways from Shayla’s Q&A session (or check out the full interview above).
WHM Q&A With #ItTakesAPro Artist Shayla Tapilova
Shayla Tapilova is a highly sought after bridal hair and makeup artist, educator, social media content creator, and SalonCentric #ItTakesAPro Team Artist. Through her immense talent and dedication, she has amassed a loyal following of more than 1 million people on her TikTok and Instagram accounts. Currently based in Naples, FL, she’s known for incorporating gorgeous accessories and jewelry into her hairstyles and creating viral looks that can be found trending across social media.
Here’s what Shayla had to share about her journey to success as well as the most important women in her life, social media tips, and more:
SalonCentric: Many stylists have a defining moment when they realize that this industry is where they belong. Did you have an “aha” moment that made you realize the beauty industry was right for you?
Shayla Tapilova: Yes, absolutely! My “aha” moment happened toward the end of cosmetology school when I attended Premiere Orlando for the first time. As soon as I walked into Premiere Orlando and saw all of the brands in one place, I was shocked. There was loud music, models walking around with those crazy hairstyles, makeup demonstrations, brands throwing free gifts, and everybody’s screaming—you know how it is, it’s really fun! There was one booth in particular that caught my eye, the Pink Pewter booth. I was immediately drawn in by their huge pink booth with the pink wedding theme and shiny accessories.
The girls were doing beautiful braids on stage and they had these cute microphones and I remember just staring at them. The shiny accessories really caught my eye because I used to sell jewelry and I remember thinking, “I want to be like those girls. I want to do those types of braids and I want to be on stage one day.” I stayed until the show was over and my kids and husband were waiting outside all day—I just didn’t want to leave! After I left, I could not stop talking about how I wanted to go back every year and eventually be on the stage. That was my goal. I wanted to become one of the best braiders on that stage teaching with those brands, and, eventually, I made it happen.
SalonCentric: Women’s History Month is all about honoring women who break barriers and inspire others. Can you tell us about a woman who has influenced your journey in a meaningful way?
ST: It was actually my mom. I started my career as a hairstylist, and when clients started asking me if I did makeup as well, my answer was always, “Not yet.” My mom would encourage me and tell me, “What are you doing? Just practice, tell them yes, and just do it.” I’d tell her that I couldn’t afford a makeup kit, but she pushed me to pursue it anyway. My mom has been a caretaker in New York for a long time, and one day, she sent me $200 and said, “Buy yourself whatever you need to start.”
The funny part is that she thought that’s what it was going to cost—but you know how expensive makeup kits are. Nonetheless, I thanked her and went to Walmart, where I bought some of the essentials I needed, like lipsticks and foundations. Then, I went to MAC and bought my first-ever MAC foundation—I only had one in my kit and I remember being so proud of it. So, I started my kit with these drugstore basics and my mom was the one who pushed me and told me not to be afraid. I believe she’s the main person who helped me succeed in this industry.
SC: Success in the beauty industry often comes with moments of self-doubt. Have you ever experienced imposter syndrome in your career, and if so, how have you overcome it?
ST: Many times! There’s a lot of pressure to be on top of the game in the beauty industry, especially with social media. What I did to overcome imposter syndrome was change my mindset. It’s okay to feel self-doubt and you need to realize that everybody has their own unique way of growing and we should never compare ourselves to others—we should only compare ourselves to who we were before.
I remember that, when I started my bridal business, I had two or three “bridezillas” who really put me down, but you learn from those people. If we don’t pass those people, how are we going to move on to the next one? I came home crying, saying that I’m never going to do weddings again, but then I slowly worked on myself and realized that no matter how good you are, you can never make everybody happy all the time. We should focus on not taking it personally and just continue working on ourselves. Do your best and good things will come.
SC: Social media has been an amplifier for your work, sharing your artistry with hundreds of thousands. Was there a specific post or a moment when you realized social media would be a game changer for your career?
ST: Yes, there was. When I started my social media around 2016, I didn’t have any models, so I would do my daughter’s hair. When she was 11 years old, we did a balayage on her hair just so that I could see the dimension on the braids. This content was doing okay on social media, but then I started buying colorful wigs and putting them on her and taking photos. One of these photos got reposted on Beyond the Ponytail’s Instagram page and that was the moment everything changed.
After that, Behind the Chair, Modern Salon, SalonCentric, and a lot of different brands started promoting my page and reposting my content. That’s when it really clicked that social media is a game-changer for growing your clientele and audience. The clients that I was getting from those brands were super supportive, too.
SC: Brand partnerships play a major role in today’s social media landscape. What values and qualities of a brand make you excited to say ‘yes’ to a partnership?
ST: Firstly, it’s the quality of the product. I need to believe in and trust the product if I’m going to recommend it to my clients and followers. I also look for authenticity in a brand. I want to work with companies that are honest and true to their values. Sustainability is another big one—I love when brands care about the environment. Creativity is important, too. I appreciate when brands allow artists to be themselves and to be creative. And lastly, I love brands that appreciate education and support hairstylists through resources like classes or events like this one. It’s truly the best!
SC: As someone who’s continuously evolving as both an artist and social media influencer, can you share any next steps?
ST: Definitely! I believe that we need to keep practicing, continually evolving and improving our skills. With social media’s algorithm constantly changing, consistency is key. The more you post the better, especially on Instagram with the algorithm being as hard as it is right now. If you look at my Instagram insights for this week, I’ve lost 2,500 followers and I gained around 4,000 followers, so consistent posting is crucial for maintaining that balance. Otherwise, your following keeps dropping.
Looking ahead, I'd love to continue collaborating with more influencers and brands and potentially create my own tools in the future. Another dream of mine is to open my own academy one day that focuses on upstyling and makeup. Those are my goals and I’m excited to see what the future holds.
To keep up with Shayla on social, give her a follow @samirasjewelry on Instagram or TikTok and don’t forget to reserve a spot in her popular bridal hair classes, like her Glam Waves 101: Bridal Edition Virtual Class.
