Julie receiving the NAHA award for the Texture category in 2017
I started at Casal Aveda Institute with huge dreams and little knowledge of what this industry would bring to me. I knew where I wanted to see myself in 3 years, 5 years, and so on.
I just needed to take the leap and make it happen.
“Never say no, and never ever ever turn down an opportunity to learn something new from anyone. ”
Throughout my time in beauty school, my passion for editorial work and session styling became all I could think about. I found myself styling mannequins in my spare time at home, messing around with any of my classmates' hair that would let me, searching through thousands of images online, and studying NAHA finalists' and recipients' work.
Julie receiving the NAHA award for the Texture category in 2017
I made certain that not one of the guest educators that walked through the school doors left until I asked them for advice about how to advance my passion to get me to where I wanted to be. Whether it be another class to take or another artist to talk to, I was open to any suggestion someone was willing to share with me.
After graduating from Casal Aveda Institute, I continued my career at Casals Dé Spa and Salon Howland, where I was very fortunate to go through the assistant program with Priscilla Cambert, someone who influenced a lot of my career. I learned quickly that, just like in life, not everyone is going to like everything you do or create. Having a supportive mentor however, truly helped shape me into a hard working and appreciative stylist, and I owe so much to her for the education she provided to me.
In 2015, I made the choice to move to Chicago and accept a position I had only dreamed about. I immersed myself into a team of well respected, hard working, and genuine artists that I had so much respect for. I am so grateful to have now another insanely talented and influential mentor and friend; Sal Misseri. My life since then has been a whirlwind of experiences that I have longed for since the beginning. I am so grateful to be apart of Kaizen Education and reside at Reverie Salon. This year, I entered NAHA for the first time after wanting to do so for 5 years, and I am honored to have won the title as the 2017 NAHA Texture winner.
Education, hard-work, dedication, and always having an open mind are truly your best friends when you're trying to turn a dream into a reality. Never say no, and never ever ever turn down an opportunity to learn something new from anyone. Be willing to step back and admit that you don't know everything. Put yourself in a situation that isn't entirely in your comfort zone. Take the class. Enter the competition. Work late. It is all worth it in the end.