Today we’d like to introduce you to Justine Piecuch-Clifford.
Justine, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Hair for me started out before I was in double digits. From trying to achieve the perfect Bob on Barbie (without it sprinting out) to cutting friends hair. In my teenage years, it was my excuse as to why I didn’t need high school or barely made it to class. I knew I was destined to do something else than go to college and sit at a desk. After high school, I fell into a dark period of drinking and drugs, hair school was a struggle but I managed to pull it together and submerged myself into my work, there was so much more to life than what I was doing. Things were incredibly difficult in my home life and I was determined to not end up like those I was surrounded by. I began working in my hometown, cleaned up my act and quickly built my clientele, this wouldn’t cut it, I wanted more.
I took a job at a salon in Boston on Newbury Street in November 2007. I had gone from making a substantial income for a 22-year-old back home to barely enough to buy food. To top it off, I got a phone call 5 days before Christmas that a massive fire took place and wiped out our whole salon. The only thing salvageable was our scissors. All stylist was sent to our sister salon and since I had just started and had no clientele I was given the worst schedule 14 hours a week. On top of this nightmare, I was in a terrible relationship in which I was trying hard to get out. With no money and barely a job things were looking impossible. I decided at this point to make up for my lost income I would work my crappy hours in Boston and call all of my clients back in my hometown and travel to peoples houses doing hair to make ends meet. I got out of my crappy relationship and things started to look up. Hair became my therapy. The harder I worked the better life got. It’s amazing what you put out into the universe and through it all, I became friendly with my future mentor, Jeffrey Lyle.
I began building my career in Boston and continued my side hustle back home. 2 years later I was asked if I wanted to get into education this was such a great opportunity and I dove on it, I became an educator for L’oreal Professional. I worked non stop 6-7 days a week, morning noon and night. The excitement of all this at 24 was unreal. At this point, I had a great car, sweet apartment, a whole new crew of friends and hopped on airplanes a few times a month to share the knowledge and passion I had with other hairstylists all throughout the Northeast of the country. At the peak of all this, I found Jeffrey was opening a Salon and I wanted so badly to be a part of it. I called him up on a Sunday and by Sunday night I had the job. To me, Jeffrey was my vision of success and for him to take me under his thumb was the icing on the cake to my success. His business sense was something I lacked and knew he would be the perfect mentor in helping me add this to my talent.
Our success at the salon happened fast. We were all booked with a huge waitlist within the year. I had received a promotion with L’oreal as well and was now working with the some of the best hairstylists in the country. Life was nuts, I had officially gotten everything I had set out to do in my career and was only 25. I’ll never forget being in New York City on a sunny Monday afternoon finishing the first training of my new gig and got a phone call from Jeffrey. I had won an award for Best of Boston High-End women’s stylist. I had officially realized at that moment I had pulled out of all the nightmares I was so afraid I’d become.
From here, it was all work and no play 24/7. I never had a day off and the more it went on the harder it was to pull out. A few years of this and I started to question if this was my idea of success. Maybe it wasn’t about all the money and names in your column. Maybe there was so much more to life than just work. I was burning out badly and needed to take some time for me I began having substantial health issue due to not caring for myself and new I had to start cutting back, there was no other option. Funny how things work because at this point I met my husband.
The second I met my now husband, I knew he was the one. After almost a year together, we had come back from a week of surfing in Costa Rica to find we were 6 weeks pregnant. Pregnancy was a breeze. I had left L’oreal and cut back a bit at the salon. I had my first daughter in November and I loved her more than anything but came down with major postpartum depressions and anxiety. I struggled for 6 months, barely able to get out of bed, when I did I questioned why I would bring a child into this chaotic work. I thought the world and everyone in it was against me. I couldn’t figure how to have everything I wanted. This society is not for the working mother and it felt impossible to have both a successful career and family. I threw in the towel and quit everything. On top of all this, I found out I was allergic to just about everything I was eating and could barely function. This was an all-time low point when everyone else kept saying this was the best part of life. I completely shut down.
Thankfully I found an amazing salon in my hometown (Newburyport, we had relocated up there from the city.) Every woman in this salon was strong, had a family and a busy career. I had now had the talent, business skills and now began learning how to balance. I became obsessed with food and obtaining the optimal health. I had my 2nd daughter and when she was 4 months old on top of working full time I began a year-long course to become a health coach and found so many other women have struggled with exactly what I did. I now use this as a platform behind the chair. After 3 years of working in Newburyport with these amazing woman and getting my life together, I felt stronger than ever and called up my old mentor again.
I began working back at Jeffrey Lyle October 2016. At this point in my life, I have realized we can have it all. We can have children and successful careers without burning ourselves out. We can have that balance if we don’t contort ourselves into everything our anxiety-ridden society wants. We have choices and options to say no and the more we live for ourselves the more people around us will give us the respect we deserve. In January 2018, I gave birth to my third daughter. I hope to teach them to listen to their gut, to listen to the universe and trust that if you put in the work it will pay off, high school or barely made it to class. I knew I was destined to do something else than go to college and sit at a desk.
After high school, I fell into a dark period of drinking and drugs, hair school was a struggle but I managed to pull it together and submerged myself into working knowing there was so much more to life than what I was doing. Things were incredibly difficult in my home life and family and I was determined to not end up like those I was surrounded by. I began working in my town and cleaned up my act and quickly built my clientele I knew I needed more. I took a job at a salon in Boston on Newbury Street in November 2007. I had gone from making a substantial income for a 22-year-old to barely enough to buy food. I got a phone call 5 days before Christmas that a massive fire took place and wiped out our whole salon. We all were sent to our sister salon and since I had just started and had no clientele I was given the worst hours that brought in no clients. But my chair ended up being next to Jeffrey Lyle, this is where I met my future mentor.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Not at all! You have to keep pushing. I’ve had a few points in my career where I thought I was hitting the end. I had to really tune into my life. After I had my second daughter, I was sure I wanted to change careers and took a year-long course to become a health coach. Every time I began a business plan to do that it just didn’t feel right in my gut. I felt incredible sadness when I when I would write down my goals to leave my career. I knew it wasn’t supposed to happen. Your gut/instincts will tell you how to navigate through your journey you have to trust it. One of my biggest lessons in life is to not listen to others. This is your life, no one else’s and only you know if a choice is worth it or not. I will be the first to say it sucks starting out! Trying to prove yourself and gain approval from colleagues is brutal but this is part of the beautiful process of becoming a professional and very necessary.
Please tell us about Jeffrey Lyle Salon.
I’m fully trained in all hair services but focus mainly on cutting, color and balayage. My work is natural, relaxed and doesn’t require massive amounts of time to put together in the morning. With haircuts especially I dry cut to tailor precisely to each and every guest. I will happily say no if I don’t fully believe the look is the best for an individual. Personally, I am a perfectionist and I honestly give my all to everyone that sits in my chair. I’m set apart for a few reasons: 1) I listen; 2) I educate. I ask a thousand questions and they don’t just pertain to hair. I dissect what’s going on with your hair and treat from the inside out; 3) I actually want to know more than just your hair. I want to know about your life. I want to feel a real connection to everyone in my chair.
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?
Yes, hundreds ha! I honestly can’t say there is one thing I go to, I have too many. I love health blogs and cookbooks, obsessed! Against all grain, it’s all good and the minimalist baker is my go tos for healthy living. I love anything spiritual that will help me ground when I need it. I’m all over Instagram for hair inspiration, that takes up most of my evenings after I put the kids to bed. I’m just getting into podcasts and I’ll be having a few dates with Oprah! 🙂 I’m a huge book nerd and love historical fiction that is my escape.
Contact Info:
- Address: Jeffrey Lyle Salon 135 Newbury Street
- Website: Jeffreylylesalon.com
- Phone: 617-391-0551
- Email: info@jeffreylylesalon.com
- Instagram: Instagram.com/jpiecuch26
Image Credit:
Jeremy Fraga
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