Meet Lee Aven

We recently connected with Lee Aven and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Lee, so excited to talk about all sorts of important topics with you today. The first one we want to jump into is about being the only one in the room – for some that’s being the only person of color or the only non-native English speaker or the only non-MBA, etc Can you talk to us about how you have managed to be successful even when you were the only one in the room that looked like you?

As an androgynous person it is impossible for me to blend in to a room when i step in; In the beginning of my self love/healing journey this attention made me fell painfully percieved and judged. Now a days i have decided to thrive in this type of situation and be a rainbow in a sea of vanilla. Being unique and different is what drives because it’s incredibly empowering.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

Hello! I go by Lee and i am a Hairdresser extraordinaire! In the beginning i wanted to become a hairdresser because no one could ever get my hair quite right….after i started working, however, i realized that hairdressing is just as much therapy as it is simply getting a hair service! There is so much pain happening in the world, i just wanted to offer a judgment free, safe space where we can close the door and you can tell me all the ups and downs on this rollercoaster called life. As we talk about our lives we release any tension we didnt know we were holding and you will feel amazing upon leaving from the inside and out! Beauty comes from within afterall!

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

1.Communication. Communication is how we get on the same page as our clients. Most of my early on mistakes were from assuming or not asking enough questions. I am a visual learner so if i cant seem to find a good way to communicate with words i ask them for refrence photos. Im extremely fortunate enough to be bilingual which has come in tremendously handy for my career so i can help more people.
2. Honesty is the best policy! If i feel like i am not a good fit or if the client is asking for something i do not have experience in i believe in being honest with the client. That way with the facts in place we can come up with a good game plan for any situation and avoid a the client leaving unsatisfied or not seeing the value in the money they spent.
3.Creativity! Essentially we are all artist and our beloved clients are our walking canvasas so i highly recommend taking seperate time out to create what i like to call Hair Art on a model, wig or dollhead. Most of the time we create art thay the client wants for themselves but this is our chance to do whatever we want for fun! No time limit, no budgeting, no problem!

Hairdressing is essentially repetition so my advice to anyone thinking about joining this industry is to not be afraid to get started. The more you do a service the better you will become but we all had to get started somewhere. Dont be afraid to start working behind the chair. Even if the hair doesnt quite come out right, if you are honest with your client, and if you dont try to hide anything from them they will come back even while your learning. There are many people that will try to convince you not to join this industry and/or that no one will help you. As a neurodivergent person with learning disabilities such as dyslexia i can assure you that i have always been helped along the way and if i can do it with my social anxiety you can too!

Before we go, any advice you can share with people who are feeling overwhelmed?

When im feeling overwhelmed i like to spend some time in nature hiking or visiting a beach or lake and forget about everything except focus on my breathing. I enjoy mixing calming teas as well to create my own brew. Clearing my energy is essential with a chakra alignment thru a guided meditation or binaural beets. I also love working with crystals to help clear my energy. I also like to remind myself that the unpleasant feelings are only temporary and the good feelins will be back agaain before we know it.

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