Today we’d like to introduce you to Lauren Smith.
Lauren, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
After high school, I knew I wanted to be a hairdresser, however, I was encouraged to go to college. I was told I wouldn’t have a good quality of life as a hairdresser. So, I listened to my family and went to a community college. I changed my major multiple times because I did not know what I wanted to pursue as a degree. Meanwhile, the beauty industry remained a dream of mine. I watched endless YouTube videos and learned how to do makeup. I went to Elizabeth Grady and became a certified makeup artist and did makeup on the side. I finished my associates degree and got a great job as a recruiter in Boston. While I loved helping people find work, I kept thinking “what if” regarding hairdressing school. Finally, after a summer of daily meltdowns and anxiety attacks about going to a desk job and sitting behind a computer for 8 hours, I made the decision to quit my job and enroll in the Toni & Guy Hairdressing Academy in Braintree. Now, I work my dream job at Charles David in Hanover, and recently got my first stylist day behind the chair.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
This journey has been the hardest thing I have ever done. I left a salary with benefits and job security to pursue my dream. Thankfully, I had the support of my family who saw how unhappy I was. I moved home with my grandparents and waitressed through cosmetology school. As difficult as living at home again was and working 4 nights a week while going to school full time was, I had never been so happy in my life. I saw a future for my self. After 8 months, I graduated and began the assisting program at Charles David Salon and Spa in Hanover. It was my goal to work there from day 1. I was a little wary about the program as it took 2 1/2 years to complete. At 28, I was nervous that that was too long. I almost quit. However, Buddy, the owner convinced me to stay and that it wouldn’t take me that long to get a chair of my own. Since he believed in me, I trusted him and agreed to be his assistant. Being his assistant, I learned so much about hairdressing. I have been at Charles David for just over a year and I recently got my first day behind the chair. It hasn’t been easy mentally or financially but there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Every day, I ask myself if I would have done things differently. Every day the answer is no! It is still an uphill battle today but I will never look back on my life and think “What if?’
What should we know about The Hair Stylist Chronicles? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Makeup was my first love. I looking at a face like a blank canvas and enhancing what is already there. As for hair, I love coloring and cutting. Balayage and foils are my favorite thing to do. Tying it all together with a great blowout is the icing on the cake! I am most proud when I have a client who comes in unsure of what to do. Nothing is better than the look on their face when they see the finished product. What sets me apart from others is how I listen. Being a hairdresser is not just about making someone look beautiful. Often times, clients come to you with the weight of the world on their shoulders. My goal is to give them a few hours where they can relax and be taken care of.
What do you feel are the biggest barriers today to female leadership, in your industry or generally?
Often times, women aren’t taken seriously simply because we are women. Another reason I think women are held back is that of how we treat each other. Women often feel intimidated by each other when we should be cheering each other on. When more of that happens women will excel!
Contact Info:
- Address: Charles David Salon & Spa
222 Webster Street Hanover MA, 02339
Charles David Salon & Skin Bar
61 Long Pond Road Plymouth MA, 02360 - Email: lrs1989@yahoo.com
- Instagram: @TheHairStylistChronicles
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