Today we’d like to introduce you to Brittany Kelly.
Brittany, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Ever since I can remember, I never wanted to do anything but be a hairstylist. My mom is a hairstylist and I spent hours while growing up watching her do hair in our kitchen.
I couldn’t wait until I was old enough for cosmetology school. I attended vocational high school because that meant I could start as soon as possible. I’d have alternating weeks of traditional academic classes and cosmetology classes. Sounded perfect to me. I took my state board exams in January (2002) of my senior year and have worked full time as a hairstylist since.
After over 10 years of working for someone, learning and absorbing everything about the industry I could, I decided it was time for me to create my own brand and run my own salon business. I had built an amazing clientele and even though it was nerve-wracking, I knew I could do it on my own.
I became a self-employed independent stylist in 2015 creating Brittany Kate Hair. I found a space that had the vibe to attract my tribe and have run with it. I work for myself in a salon with other stylists who are also self-employed. We work as a team and collectively share the same ideas on a salon culture. I get up every day and am excited about what the day will bring and each head of hair I get to work on. I honestly feel like I have the best job on the planet.
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?
It’s been a pretty smooth road. I was lucky enough to start my career in a busy salon and built a clientele quickly. Honestly, I think one of the biggest struggles I’ve had is working with people whose passion for hair wasn’t at the level that mine was. Maybe they enjoyed something else, had their passion elsewhere and working behind the chair was just a job for them. Looking back, I should have just focused on me more. I stayed a bit too long at my previous salon, I didn’t want to settle on a space and was waiting for the right opportunity. I’m so glad I waited because I ended up finding such a great salon.
My advice for new women in this industry… hang on, there’s no industry on the plant quite like ours.
Take as many classes as you can. There are so many free resources that were never available before. YouTube and Instagram are pouring with industry influencers and educators demonstrating with how to tutorials. Watch them! Podcasts, I love these ones, The Hair Game, Hairbrained Conversations, The Thriving Stylist Podcast, Bleached, and The Goal Digger (not beauty based, but great for all creatives). Ask other more seasoned stylists in your salon if you can watch them work while you’re not busy. Assist, you can learn so much by helping someone else work. Find a coach or a mentor, I’ve recently started to work with a mentor, I cannot believe what a life-changing experience its been.
Take lots of pictures of your work and build an online portfolio. Social media has been HUGE for the beauty industry and it’s not going anywhere.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Brittany Kate Hair – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
I’m a hairstylist. Men and women of all ages sit in my chair, and I cut, highlight, color, and style their hair. I specialize in color and blonding services mainly because that’s where my passion lies. I love hair color. I love soft lived in highlighted blonds, bright fiery reds, and rich chocolate browns. It’s so much fun to me to give your hair a subtle new glow or drastically change your color and have you leave feeling like a new and refreshed person. That smile, when I show you your finished hair, that’s what makes it worth it for me.
I most proud of the way I can make someone feel better by pampering them while they sit in my chair. How by changing or freshening your hairstyle, I can make you feel new and improved. We all move so fast through life and rarely put ourselves first, while in my chair I hope you can take a second to slow down and relax. I’m a great listener which in return I think really helps with my consultations with my guests. It’s so important for me to know what kind of effort you’re going to put into your daily hair routine and what you don’t love about your hair. I’d love to see that hair inspiration pictures you’ve brought along but I also want to make sure it’s the right style for you.
There’s a wealth of academic research that suggests that lack of mentors and networking opportunities for women has materially affected the number of women in leadership roles. Smart organizations and industry leaders are working to change this, but in the meantime, do you have any advice for finding a mentor and building a network?
As I mentioned, I started to work this spring with a business mentor specifically for people in the beauty industry. Shout out to my girl Britt Seva, and my fellow Thrivers! Her Thrivers program is open for new members twice a year and I 100% would recommend her coaching program to anyone needing a little direction on the business end. Even if you work for someone, in the hair industry you’re still an entrepreneur. You’re in charge of that guest sitting in your chair for the second time. I also love listening to the podcasts as I mentioned above, I listen to and from work, I find them super inspiring. I always take something away that either the host or the stylist being interviewed has said. There are so many amazingly smart people in this industry wanting to share their wealth of knowledge. I’ve always had a great network of stylists to lean on, I’ve been lucky enough to work and know some amazing hair stylists. If you don’t know other stylists, reach out to others in your community. We’re so open to helping a newbie out!
Pricing:
- Haircuts from $50
- Bayalage from $140
- Highlights from $105
Contact Info:
- Address: 260 Arlington St, West Acton, MA 01720
- Website: brittanykatehair.com
- Phone: 978-877-8015
- Email: brittanykatehair@gmail.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/brittanykatehair
- Facebook: facebook.com/brittanykatehairandmakeup
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.
