The Story of a Beauty Girl - The Evolution of My Career
"I vividly recall the first time I draped a towel around a client’s shoulders. My hands quivered with a mix of excitement and apprehension. As an apprentice, I felt like a small fish navigating a vast ocean of expertise and beauty.
I graduated from Cosmetology School in 2016, to be honest, just barely. While I had always been an A and B student, it was not because I studied hard, but because I had a natural talent for enjoying and retaining information. Being a self-taught artist, I often found myself among the top 1% of creatives and channeled my creativity into crafting elaborate homework and projects. These same skills served me well in Cosmetology School, where I made great friends and embraced my evolving beauty skills and appearance, all while juggling part-time work at a retail job. I was a free spirit, relishing the valuable knowledge I gained from being part of various institutions." - The Protege Project
Navigating all of this taught me the power of absorbing as many skills and knowledge as I can, using everything I learned to be brave enough to pivot when I was divinely called to.
The Transition No One Warned Me About
Cosmetology school teaches you how to pass your state board. Apprenticeship teaches you how to survive—and thrive—in the real world of beauty.
There’s humility in starting at the bottom. Shampooing, folding towels, sweeping hair… it might seem like grunt work to some, but I saw it as a backstage pass to mastery. Every shampoo was a lesson in client care. Every blow-dry I assisted with was a chance to study technique. Every stylist I observed gave me insight into confidence and communication.
I worked tirelessly in the role of an Apprentice. The vast difference of a Stylist behind the chair and an Apprentice really sat in the space where you are the go-to person for a number of people: stylists, clients and management alike. Working with so many personalities in a single workday truly built my mental fortitude and ability to swiftly put out fires, and in my first salon upon graduating, at the premier curly salon Ouidad, the level of professionalism and luxury client experience instilled in us became my foundation as a beauty professional. I am a rock of knowledge, strength and talent like no other and I credit that to my career as an Apprentice.
My journey didn't end at Ouidad. I worked at many salons, from locally owned spaces in Brooklyn and White Plains to well-known brands and celebrity owned spaces. Every salon had its own energy, rules for engagement, dress codes and signature services. They even had their own way of curating apprenticeship education and after my second salon position, I realized the apprenticeship education was the gold anyone who decided to work in a salon was searching for. Paying closer attention to this discovery, I came to understand that there was one common thing missing:
Structure.
Every salon had its “system,” but those systems often existed only in someone’s head. Apprentices were left guessing: What comes next? How long until I get to take clients? What does growth even look like here?
I learned quickly that without clear guidance, potential gets lost.
The Aha Moment That Changed Everything
As I moved through different salons, I started noticing a pattern. The ones that thrived weren’t just the ones with talent. They were the ones with culture and clarity.
The salons without structure? They were chaotic.
Stylists burned out.
Owners overwhelmed.
Assistants stuck in limbo, unsure of how—or if—they’d ever grow into the role they dreamed about.
That’s when it clicked for me: this wasn’t just a technical problem. It was a leadership problem.
And if we want to elevate this industry, we have to elevate how we grow people. Apprenticeships shouldn’t feel like an endless waiting game or a maze with no map. They should be intentional. They should build confidence. They should teach more than skills—they should teach professionalism, mindset, and culture.
Why I Pivoted—and What It Means for You
Fast forward to now: I’m no longer just behind the chair. I’ve pivoted into something bigger—something that lights me up in a way I can’t even describe.
Today, I help salon and spa owners design salon cultures and apprenticeship programs rooted in creativity, structure, and leadership.
Because every stylist deserves a roadmap.
Every owner deserves peace of mind.
And every client deserves an experience that feels effortless and elevated.
This isn’t just about creating systems. It’s about creating legacies.
If you’re a salon or suite owner, I want you to know this:
You don’t have to do it all alone.
You can build a team without burning out.
You can create a culture that inspires loyalty, creativity, and confidence.
And I can help you get there.
✨ Ready to build the salon culture you’ve been dreaming of? Let’s design it together.