Today we’d like to introduce you to Melissa Pease.
Melissa, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I’ve always been creative. Even as a child, I always wanted to create something. I’ve always wanted to go beyond my fear. My biggest fear was public speaking, deciding to become a hair stylist was more about me finding something that would allow me to be creative while pushing me to put myself out there and lose my fear of public speaking. I’ve had an incredible journey in my 26 years of being a stylist. I have checked many dreams off of my career list: 1. Become a Color Educator – I became so much more! I’ve traveled nationally and internationally to train stylist and fellow educators in the art and science of Hair Color. 2. Become a Stage artist – I’ve had many opportunities to present my craft on stage in front of hundreds of stylist. 3. Become a Color Director – I had always wanted to be the one that knew all of the ins and outs of a hair color line. I had that opportunity with a boutique brand called J Beverly Hills. I got to work behind the scenes and really dig deep into the science and technology of Hair Color. What I did with that information was train and develop an International Team of Color Educators in the art of explaining technical information in a way that all stylist could understand. 4. Become a Salon Owner – This happened 2.5 years ago. I needed to slow down and embrace the life that I have with my family. I’ve always felt that the Metro West area deserved to have great hair without going into Boston to make it happen. I am on a mission to create a salon that is a community-based destination for great hair. I also have a team member including Ilianexis Gonzales, Nancy Leach, Nancy Hopkins,Sandra Tetreault and Sal Tantillo.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Smooth road… no. The thought of opening a salon without having a single client was scary, to say the least. My husband and I decided to purchase our salon from a man named Sal. He has been a salon owner for over 40 years. He had a team of two lovely ladies Nancy and Sandra. They had a business that allowed me to build my clientele. Now, I’m ready for the next phase… build my dream team. The balance of family and career is something that I’ve always struggled with. The career that I had traveling and teaching was a dream come true… but it did not allow me the time I craved with my family. I have two young boys and an amazing husband. Without their support… none of my dreams would have to come true. Hair in Harmony is about me creating harmony and balance in my life while having the career that I love and being able to never miss a moment of life with my family.
We’d love to hear more about your work.
I have a unique ability to create a personalized design for my clients. I am able to look at each individual and create a look based on their elemental personality. I have trained myself to apply the art of Feng Shui to my consultation. Clients may not be aware of this, but I assess everyone into personality types. Earth – Nurturing, caregiver. Fire – Passionate, Creative. Water – Sensitive, Visionary. Metal- Structured, Organized. Wood – Active, Achievers. This, of course, is an oversimplification of what I do, but in a sense, everyone is dominated by one of these elements. Creating Harmony is balancing their look with their personality. An example would be a client that is very Earth – calm, quiet and always doing for others might need to add some Fire element to warm them up and bring some spark to their personality. I can do this for them by suggesting subtle or strong adjustments to their cut or color. I specialize in color but am becoming known for my cutting ability.
I love curly hair and have a very organic approach to cutting curls. I learned this from a friend of mine from Germany and I know that this is something that also sets me apart. I also take my time to really understand my client’s wishes and I take the time needed to create the design. I am looking to develop a team that will also be trained with the same philosophy that I have developed. Another thing that sets the salon apart is that we are Green Circle Certified. This makes us a sustainable, environmentally friendly salon. All of the hair that we cut is collected and will be used to help clean up oil spills. All of our waste chemicals will be turned into renewable energy. Statistically, 85% of our Salon waste that would normally end up in a landfill is now recycled or re-purposed. That is something that I am proud of. Creating beauty should not harm the beauty of the earth.
What were you like growing up?
Growing up… I was an introvert. Extremely shy and spent my time reading and creating art. I was everyone’s friend and confident. I loved people but had this intense fear of speaking to them. I still love to do all of these things but now, I get to create with hair as my canvas.
Pricing:
- Hair Cuts range from $35-$55
- Single Process Color ranges from $74-$90
- Balayage starts at $180
- Consultations- Always Free
Contact Info:
- Address: 86 B Powdermill Rd Maynard, MA
- Website: www.hairinharmony.com
- Phone: 978-897-7500
- Email: hairinharmony1@gmail.com
- Instagram: hairinharmony1
- Facebook: HairinHarmony1
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/hair-in-harmony-maynard
Image Credit:
Joy Leduc Photography
Getting in touch: BostonVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
