”Vanity”
noun
1. excessive pride in or admiration of one’s own appearance or achievements.
Madison Miranda has always believed in embracing life in her own way, and has seldom given time to what “traditional” standards may exist in terms of beauty. She loves to embrace new trends, explore extreme styles, and claims she was always the girl in school with “the crazy eyeliner.”
Earlier this month, Miranda put all those things she is passionate about and harnessed it not only into her own personal brand, but a place to allow all women to explore their own inner vanity.
Vanity Salon opened May 15 at 210 W. Main St. in Owatonna. As a 2013 Owatonna graduate, Miranda was happy to return home to her stomping grounds to bring her own flair to the local cosmetology scene. At 29 years old, she was able to secure one of the city’s forgivable loans to make the former insurance office, boutique and vacuum service center into everything she could possibly dream of.
“I wanted to make an oasis for women,” she said as she showed off the inside of her salon suite. Decked out in pinks, purples and golds, Miranda made it known the inside of the salon embodies her own essence — simple luxury.
Journey to the salon
Though Miranda always enjoyed doing hair and makeup for friends as a teen, she admits she never really considered it a career choice while growing up. During her senior year of high school, she enrolled in the Art Institute in Minneapolis yet was still unsure what she would do once she arrived.
“I figured I would study advertising or fashion, but I wasn’t really sure,” she said. “I just knew I didn’t want to go to a traditional school.”
She then took a course at OHS that allowed her to explore different careers and schools, and she decided to tour the Aveda Arts and Sciences Institute. Immediately, Miranda said she was drawn in by the environment.
“Everyone had crazy hair at the school, it was so artsy and funky,” she laughed.
A year after her high school graduation, Miranda was a licensed cosmetologist, picking up her first job at Salon-E-Clips in downtown Owatonna. In 2019 she started renting her own chair, giving her that first taste of business ownership.
“That really helped me build some skills I hadn’t worked on yet, like inventory and tax planning and even keeping my own schedule,” she said. During the pandemic, Miranda transitioned to renting a chair in Waseca, where she remained until opening Vanity.
“It is something I always wanted to do, but it never felt like the right time,” Miranda said about stepping out to open her own salon. “In 2020 I actually met with the same landlord I have now and looked at another place, but it wasn’t right yet. Still, it sat in the back of my mind.”
It was finances, however, that kept Miranda from pulling the trigger four years ago. Instead, she said she felt a lack of support from the people around her at the time. Now married and living in Medford, that’s changed.
“It is really important to surround yourself with the right influences,” she said. “When you’re happy in your personal life, you will excel in your career, and receiving support from others who just believe in you makes a huge difference — having people say they believe in you and your dream.”
What Miranda was feeling is not uncommon for young entrepreneurs, according to Sean Williams, executive director of the Owatonna Area Business Development Center.
“When it comes to the younger generation, the game has kind of been rigged against them — housing seems just out of reach and wages are staying stagnant while cost of living increases,” Williams said. “Entrepreneurship may not be the only path forward, but most see it as a way to invest time in themselves rather than someone else.”
Williams said it is crucial for young entrepreneurs to feel they are putting their energy into something that is worth it, and having a supportive community gives them that perspective. And while Miranda didn’t use programs at the center to get her dreams off the ground, Williams said they are just one option for aspiring business owners to connect to resources and feel less alone.
“Entrepreneurship can be a lonely endeavor, but it doesn’t have to be,” he said, noting both the city and the center have programs that can greatly assist getting new business off the ground.
Advice for making dreams come true
Owatonna has been the birthplace of many businesses, ranging from small salons like Vanity to international giants like Wenger Cooperation. And Williams hopes to see even more develop, especially from the younger generation.
“What I like about young entrepreneurs in general is they have a fresh perspective on the community and the problems and gaps that exist,” Williams said. “The youthful energy is a huge component to what they bring to the table, too, and they are only going to go all in on something they are passionate for.”
Miranda couldn’t agree more, and advises that anyone looking to kickstart their self-employed career consider adapting the mindset she was happy to have in your teen years.
“If you are looking for a career, pick something you think is cool, even if it seems super out there or far fetched,” she said. “It’s a sign that you will succeed and love doing what you do.”
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