Westlake Word

If you look up the word “entrepreneur” in the dictionary, you will most probably find a picture of our own Westlake junior, Dylan Agosto.

 

Unfortunately,  students have had the experience of being called “lazy,” or adults believing we are uninterested in working at all.

 

However, my experience has been different, as many of my friends have held, or currently hold, part-time jobs. One friend, in particular, Dylan Agosto, has taken the idea of working to another level by launching his own company, Braids by Dylan. Recently, I hired Dylan to style my hair for my Sweet 16, and was impressed with how serious he took his job, and a number of great ideas and equipment he brought with him each time he came to my house.

 

That’s when I decided to find out more about his story and why he wanted to start his own business. As early as the 6th grade, Agosto started styling hair because he watched his mother (a hair stylist herself) helping students participating in the school plays with their hair. From that moment, he knew he had an interest working with hair.

 

Working side-by-side with his mother, she saw he had a knack for it and helped Agosto advertise his Braids by Dylan business. At first, it was strictly family, but eventually, this led to several jobs requiring Agosto to go to people’s homes in the area for birthday parties where he would braid and style the partygoers’ hair.

 

Agosto has gained even more experience, having worked in three different hair salons, taken hairstyling classes and expanded his business to include working Sweet 16s (including my recent party), proms, formals, charity events, school musicals, and weddings.

 

Agosto said, “I love how there are infinite ways you can twist and turn hair to achieve pretty much any style you want. There really is much that I don’t like about this field.”

Although he is young for the business, Agosto sees being younger as an advantage when it comes to hairstyling. He said, “Adapting to new hairstyles may not be as easy for someone who has been doing the same styles year after year.” He elaborated, “For some people, getting their hair done can be a very stressful experience, and I believe that by being younger and more enthusiastic; I can ease their nervousness.”

 

The future is looking brighter as Agosto wants to expand his business to become a celebrity stylist. He would love to work in the fast-paced, competitive environment of runways and come up with new and never-before-seen hairstyles.

 

“I love the way you can make some people feel by changing their hairstyle, and bringing a little fun into the whole experience. It’s more than just a job for me,” Agosto exclaimed.

 

Thank you, Dylan Agosto, for helping prove that high school students are no different than any other generation.