“Well, what do you want to do?” 18-year-old Jenny’s mom asked when Jenny conceded that college wasn’t part of her plans. “I want to cut hair,” Jenny replied. Together, Jenny and her mom interviewed a variety of hair schools and found the perfect fit. “It was the best decision I ever made,” Jenny reflects. A bold personality with a mind of her own, Jenny became an independent stylist after just three and a half years at a big salon. She was in her twenties and had to work a few jobs to get by, but the experience and work ethic left an indelible mark.

Jenny started to tear up when cutting her son’s hair, because she realized she missed her job during the pandemic shutdown. She missed clients, connections, laughter and play. Jenny’s loves beyond hair include her two sons, Charlie and Anthony, her golden doodle Isa, house projects, and her circle of friends. Oh, and she has two sun tattoos. It was meant to be.

Kristin grew up playing with her doll’s hair, and spent hours styling her aunts’ and mom’s hair when they were willing to comply with her visions and plans. “I knew I wanted to do hair since I was 13,” said Kristin. She shadowed stylists at JUUT salon in high school and saw what making a career out of her passion could look like. Kristin understands that hair is personal and makes your mood. “When someone has a bad haircut as a young person,” she observes, “like a perm or pixie gone wrong, approaching them with a scissors can bring on a panic attack.” Kristin helps clients develop a hopeful new relationship with their hair.

A master of making the most out of situations, Kristin savors spending time with her husband and sweet baby Greta, whom she ardently wished and hoped for. When their little family walks around the neighborhood, Kristin takes it in and feels a deep gratitude for it all.