Like many aspiring performers had been doing for decades before him, a young Ryan Weeden went to New York City to realize his dream of being an actor. And like most aspiring performers, he eventually realized it was just not happening. 
“I realized the life of the starving artist wasn’t all it was cracked up to be,” said Weeden. “I was hanging out with people in their 30s, 40s, 50s – just doing the same thing I was day in and day out [and it] was not attractive. They didn’t have families, they were just hustling and bustling, and the wrinkles kept getting deeper and deeper.”
He only considered a career in hairdressing when the mother of a girl he was dating, who was a hairstylist herself, suggested it. “She’s like, ‘Ryan, you know, you’re not doing anything else. I think you’d be really great at hair,’” said Weeden. Noting that his girlfriend’s mother had had much success in her career, including being able to support her children and purchase a home, Weeden began extensively researching the industry. Upon deciding that he was going to give it a shot, Weeden received his training from Redken and Tony & Guy Hairdressing. 
Always having dreamed of California, Weeden moved west and started his new endeavor, which today can only be described as flourishing. And he’s excited to be opening Salon Spruce, his very own storefront salon on 7527 Girard Ave. after renting from Phenix Salon Suites just down the road. Weeden calls it his “dream spot” and noted that while it’s larger than his old digs, it’s still small enough not to feel impersonal. 
“[I] don’t want a big, booming salon,” he said. “I still want it to be intimate. My clients appreciate that.”
Weeden counts Yelp as a huge component to his having done well, estimating that he gets about 90 percent of new clients from the review site. After an initial appointment, he will always follow up to be sure they are happy with the service, another strategy he credits with his ability to retain clients. Jeni Weeden, his wife, manages the business side of the salon. 
In addition to working with clients, Weeden also does hair for magazine photo shoots and founded the company Masters of Balayage, which he describes as a showcase site that he started on Instagram to connect Balayage artists. Now that the site has more than 61,000 followers, Weeden’s profile has grown to such an extent that he now is invited to events around the county and even to Canada to give presentations about the natural-looking hair dyeing technique. Weeden also has the distinction of being an educator for the Australia-based company Kevin.Murphy, which entails visiting salons and teaching the stylists how to effectively use the company’s products.  “They have great products,” said Weeden of Kevin.Murphy. “They have their ethics in place – they never hurt animals, people or the environment, so I really like that.” Next on his to-do list: putting the finishing touches on his book “Suite Success: How to Make Six Figures in a Salon Suite.” 
For more information, visit www.salonspruce.com and www.mastersofbalayage.com.