Tell us about your Journey. What inspired your path, and how did you get started?

Being a hairdresser was not something I dreamed about as a child or thought of as a career path. It wasn’t part of my plan. I began my journey as a receptionist at Eric Fisher Academy for a business internship class I took in high school. I got to be a model for NAHA, and it really opened my eyes to a new world of unique opportunities. Everyone was so creative. I felt a community of artists, all dedicated to supporting each other in the craft.

What do you find most rewarding about being a hairstylist?

The most interesting part of my job is the day-to-day conversations with beautiful, intelligent, hard-working, and tremendously successful women! I get to see behind the veil of how their successes worked out … as well as the struggles they faced along the way. It feels like a privilege!

What is the biggest challenge you faced, and what did you do to overcome it?

The biggest challenge I faced in my career was Johnny Ramirez, and I say that in the most loving way possible. He was very tough with me, but he trained me to be a machine. Together, we could conquer anything and believe me – obstacles tested us. Being in a different city every couple of weeks, teaching classes all over the world, and making sure every single client is in LOVE with her hair when she leaves took its toll. I was forced out of my comfort zone time and time again – and now that I viscerally understand why and who I became to survive, I am so eternally grateful for the experience he gave me.

What is the best advice you’ve received professionally or personally?

The best advice I’ve received is that there’s plenty of hair to go around. LA is a tough city to make a name for yourself, but every day a girl gets highlights for the first time. There’s no need to compete with your peers. We are all in it together, and we need to love and support each other. So, if I have a client asking for something that isn’t what I love to do or not my strength as an artist – I send them to a friend who I know is amazing at that part of the craft.

What motivates you?

What motivates me currently is discovering my truest self and finding joy for what my life has delivered.

What’s your favorite part of working in the beauty industry?

The beauty industry as a whole is made up of the most creative, inspiring, fun individuals I’ve ever come across. My husband works in the film industry, and when he’s on set, he somehow always gravitates to eat lunch with the hairdressers because “they are always having the most fun no matter how bad the day is going!”

Do you have a daily ritual you can’t live without?

I really love pushing my body to understand the deepest principles of Yoga and meditation. It seems to keep me balanced in life. I did yoga teacher training a few years back to expand my personal practice and ended up getting an entirely new outlook on how you can find joy within. Carving out time for self-care, reflection, and growth is necessary for me. Self-care is different for everyone, but it’s something I enjoy talking about with clients. So many juggle being business owners, wives, mothers, sisters, and friends. They can’t fill all the cups around them if their own cup is empty.

What’s next?

I am so grateful and happy for what I’ve accomplished so far in my life. I can’t imagine it getting better! I’m constantly learning and finding new paths of growth, so I imagine it will continue to blossom as my understanding does. Being a planner, I think a lot about the human impact on our world and what it will be like for future generations. I truly have high hopes of finding a way to help stop and reverse the damage that’s been done to our environment on a large scale. It speaks to me like a higher calling.

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