Tonight’s Meet a Mom is Meagan Feliz, part of the dynamic owner duo of Davis Feliz Salon. Along with her husband, Davis, after the salon he was working at closed in March 2020, they opened their own fabulous salon on Greenwich Avenue! Overall, the salon prides themselves on the quality of their service, both the hair services themselves and also their relationships/customer service with the guests.
Meagan shares with us what it is like running a business with her husband, how she is able to balance entrepreneurship and being a Mom of 4, as well as how the skills she has learned throughout her career have served her so well in this new role.
In addition, she shares her favorite tips for how to find the best stylist for you, how often you should be getting your hair done, and what trends she is seeing for gorgeous hair!
Can you please tell us a bit about yourself personally? Names/ages of kids, etc.?
I’m Meagan, and my husband and I own Davis Feliz Salon in Greenwich. I have four kids: a 7 year old son, a 4 year old daughter, a 1 year old son, and a beautiful bonus daughter in college! As you can imagine we have a super busy but crazy fun household. My faith and my family are my priorities in life. I was a stay-at-home mom before starting this endeavor with Davis, but am loving the working-mom life.
Where do you live in Greenwich and what do you love about Greenwich and your neighborhood/ what made you decide to move there/ how long have you been there?
Greenwich has so much to offer. I really enjoy walking the avenue with the kids, of course with a stop at Funky Monkey. We also love the beaches. Anything low-key is right up my alley!
For those of us who aren’t familiar, how would you describe Davis Feliz Salon and what makes it unique?
Overall we pride ourselves in the quality of our service, both the hair services themselves and also our relationships/customer service with the guests. First, we genuinely care about people! We want each guest to feel loved and welcomed from the very first interaction with us and feel confident and radiant even after they leave. Also, our team of technicians is fully composed of educators in the industry who are all incredibly talented and true masters of their craft!
Can you please share about your professional background and career highlights – how did you come to run Davis Feliz Salon with your husband?
I bopped around from jobs for much of my early adulthood, but it helped me gather a wide set of important skills. My background was mostly in non-profit administration, working in strategic organizational roles and management. Davis (my husband) was working at Fekkai, an acclaimed hair salon here in Greenwich, that ended up closing in March of 2020. He obviously needed to find a new place to work but it was always his dream to open his own salon. So, during the Covid shutdown we pulled together, him on the creative side and me on the business side, and were able to open our own hair salon in the exact location where he was working before! It was truly miraculous how everything came together. We started with an amazing team and we are so thankful we were able to hit the ground running!
What are some design trends you’re loving in terms of both color and cuts?
Right now I’m really loving the “lived-in” trends, both in color and style. This trend has darker (natural, grown out) roots and soft blonde ends. The style side tends to be chunky layers that are perfect and super easy for wash and wear: my go-to as a mom on the go!
What do you think are some important factors in choosing a salon/ colorist/ stylist?
Oh, there are many! I think first, you want a salon that makes you feel comfortable. Do you feel like the team at the salon values you? Do you feel like you are a number or a beloved guest? I think these factors are very important. Every salon has a different vibe – some are super casual, some are peaceful/spa-like, others are “fancy.” There is a place for everyone and every personality. Then, of course it’s important that the stylist/colorist fits your style. We love posting our work on instagram and many have found their “perfect match” based on the look they wanted to achieve.
What is your favorite part of owning a salon?
The people! I have met so many incredible people in this journey. Every person has a unique story and I really love to learn about them. I also really love seeing transformations. I’ve seen lives changed because of amazing hair transformations. It’s beautiful! On the other end of it, I’ll also admit I’m a numbers-nerd and I love the strategic side of growing a business. It’s a lot of hard work but totally fun!
What is your current cut/color routine?
I get my color done about 3-4 times a year. I love the rooty, lived-in balayage look. Davis cuts my hair, and I let him do whatever he wants! I fully trust him and I’ve never been disappointed. He knows I like (or to be honest, need!) the wash-and-wear style so I don’t have to worry about styling my hair every day. To keep up with the style in between services, I LOVE the Shu Uemura Izumi Tonic spray and Ultimate Reset Duo Serum. I use both every time I wash my hair. Keeps it healthy so I don’t have to worry about breakage before my next haircut.
How often do you recommend one should be getting their hair both cut and colored? Any other treatments you love?
The length in between cuts and color varies widely depending on your goals/style. If you like a lived-in look for color, you can actually get away with only getting color done every 6 months. If your hair is long (including if you want to keep growing it!) haircuts should be every 8-10 weeks. Damage travels up the hair shaft, and everyone gets damage and split ends, so you want to cut them off before they create a bigger problem. Single Process (root coverage) color and short pixie or bob-style haircuts can be anywhere from 3-6 weeks depending on how fast your hair grows. Again, many variables! If you feel like your hair has lost shape or vibrancy, it’s probably time to book an appointment.
What do you find the most challenging and most rewarding parts of being a business owner?
Overall, the work-life balance has been the most difficult part of owning a business. We started this business without financial help during a global pandemic. We have a great team who do amazing work and helped us put in roots in Greenwich. However, because our team is still small the bulk of business workload is on me. I’m ready for our first real vacation in a while and some quality time with my family! Now, the work is hard but the results are amazing. I really do love seeing people glowing when they’re finished with their services. There’s something so special about showing someone how beautiful they really are!
How do you and your husband successfully run a business together?
I’ve always heard you don’t want to mix home or friendship and business; it seems like it never works out. But, Davis and I make really great partners! He is incredibly strong-willed, creative, and a great visionary. I am strategic, love numbers and graphs, and with a pen and paper can make things happen. Our relationship is built on our faith and our love for each other, and because of our firm foundation, together we’re a force.
How do you find a balance with motherhood and entrepreneurship? Any tips for the rest of the Moms out there?
I invest all my home-time into my family. I make every moment count. Each night we have “family conversations” where we discuss our day, highs and lows, and we take time to pray for each other. I am so proud of my kids and I am so proud that I get to be their mom! We also take the weekends and make sure we spend individual time with the kids rather than spending the entire day catching up on chores or running errands. As a result, my house can be pretty messy but we are a happy family!
We love to support local businesses. What are your fave places when you are in Greenwich to:
Grab coffee – CFCF, I love their Turmeric Latte
Workout – at home 🙂 Still working on this one
Order Takeout – Arcuri’s or Grigg’s St Pizza
Go on a date night – Capital Grille in Stamford
Go out to dinner as a family– Abis Hibachi on Greenwich Ave
Get your hair done – Davis Feliz Salon of course 🙂
Get your nails done – Posh on the ave!
Have fun as a family – We love our church, Harvest Time Church up on North Street.
