Why Did It Take Me 15 Years Behind the Chair to Build a Personal Brand?

Let’s be real. Cosmetology school doesn’t teach much. At least not from my experience attending beauty school in 2010. I learned the basics: How to hold my shears, how to apply color, how to fake like I did the finger waves or rolled that perm on the mannequin that everyone in my class would pass around for weeks to get their sign offs checked. And most importantly I learned how to get along, or to not get along sometimes, with 50 plus other women of different ages and backgrounds while spending 8 hours a day around each other. 

The truth is most stylists graduating cosmetology school only learn the very tip of the iceberg to what hard and soft skills are actually needed to be successful in the beauty industry. And unfortunately most salon professionals don't make it to year 5 before they stop renewing their license and leave the industry.

For a long time, I thought doing great hair was enough. If I delivered amazing results, built relationships with my guests, and continued growing as a stylist and leader, opportunities would naturally come and my book would be full. And honestly? For many years, that did work.

But the beauty industry has changed.

Today, talent alone is not always what gets noticed. Visibility matters too.

After 15 years behind the chair, I finally decided it was time to intentionally build a personal brand. Not because I suddenly became passionate about social media or because I wanted to become an influencer, but because I realized that building a brand creates opportunities, expands impact, and gives stylists more control over their future.

So why did it take me so long?

I Finally Understood the Real Impact of Marketing

As a stylist, I used to think marketing was just posting pretty hair pictures online and asking my friends and family to share my posts. Which is crazy because I have two business degrees. But my main focus was always leadership, coaching and growing my technical skills. I believed if I gave the best blowouts in town or wowed guests with incredible color, word-of-mouth alone would keep my chair full. But the truth is there are a million amazing hairstylists that give amazing blowouts and do phenomenal color services, and most are in the same boat I'm in. We are all fighting for visibility.

Now I understand that marketing is much bigger than that.

Marketing is:

• Building trust before a guest ever sits in your chair

• Showing your expertise consistently

• Positioning yourself as the go-to person for specific services

• Creating visibility that increases guest retention and income

  
  

The more I grew in leadership, the more I saw how branding directly affects business growth. Stylists who market themselves effectively often build stronger request rates, attract their ideal guests faster, and create more stability in their careers.

I started realizing that I had spent years helping other people grow their businesses while barely investing in building my own name outside of the salon walls. Watching newer stylists succeed through social media and build strong brands and loyal clientele within just a few years forced me to look at the industry differently. Some of them were not necessarily more experienced than me behind the chair, but they understood visibility and marketing in a way my generation of stylists was never taught.

 I felt left behind.

Like I had somehow missed the memo on the new way to build a clientele in this industry. It was frustrating realizing that I had been behind the chair for over a decade, had business degrees, leadership experience, and a strong work ethic, yet still wasn’t seeing the level of growth I wanted for myself or my salons.

That realization changed everything for me. I had to acknowledge the skill set I had neglected for years: visibility and marketing.

I started attending social media marketing classes, reading marketing books, and listening to podcasts on salon and beauty industry growth. For the first time, I began looking at myself as not just a stylist or salon leader, but as a brand.

I Started Thinking Bigger Than “Just a Stylist” or “Just a Salon Leader”

I love being behind the chair. I still love the creativity, the conversations, the transformations, and the confidence boost that comes from helping someone feel beautiful. But I also realized I have more to offer than just services.

Over the years, I’ve grown into:

• A mentor

• A coach

• A multi-unit salon leader

• A business-minded creative

• Someone passionate about education and growth

At some point, I had to ask myself: What do I want my long-term career to look like? I’m 36 years old. I won’t be able to stand on my feet for 8-12 hours a day forever. 

Building a personal brand allows me to expand beyond the traditional limits of the beauty industry. It opens doors to education, other leadership opportunities, community impact, writing, content creation, and eventually helping shape the future of the industry in a bigger way.

For years, I kept waiting until everything felt “perfect” before starting.

Perfect portfolio. Perfect website. Perfect content. Perfect confidence.

But growth does not happen after perfection. Growth happens because you start.

I Want to Set an Example for Future Stylists

This is probably the biggest reason of all.

I want future stylists to see that they can build something bigger for themselves earlier in their careers.

So many talented beauty professionals wait too long to put themselves out there because they doubt themselves, overthink everything, or assume they are “not ready yet.” I understand that mindset because I lived in it for years.

But if building my brand becomes successful, then I can teach my team and future stylists from real experience — not theory.

I want to help stylists understand:

• How to market themselves professionally

• How to build long-term guest loyalty

• How to grow income strategically

• How to create opportunities outside of simply taking appointments

• How to think like both an artist and a business owner

  
  

The beauty industry needs more educated, empowered stylists who understand both creativity and branding.

If I can become proof that it’s possible to evolve, grow, and reinvent yourself even after 15 years behind the chair, then starting late was still worth it.

Final Thoughts

The truth is, I probably should have started building my personal brand years ago.

But maybe I needed those 15 years first.

Those years gave me:

Experience

Leadership skills

Confidence

Business knowledge

Real stories

Real lessons

Real perspective

Now I’m finally combining all of that into something bigger than just doing hair.

And honestly?

I think I’m right on time.