Meet Amee Lind

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Amee Lind. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Amee, so good to have you with us today. We’ve got so much planned, so let’s jump right into it. We live in such a diverse world, and in many ways the world is getting better and more understanding but it’s far from perfect. There are so many times where folks find themselves in rooms or situations where they are the only ones that look like them – that might mean being the only woman of color in the room or the only person who grew up in a certain environment etc. Can you talk to us about how you’ve managed to thrive even in situations where you were the only one in the room?

I have taken a journey as a hairstylist in order to get me where I am today. I started off as a part-time receptionist and trainee to booth renting to commission and now I own my own studio with my very first employee. My dream is to open my own studio building to empower other women that they can run their own business and be their own boss while making a dream income.
In 2013, my business was impacted greatly. I was working at a salon that was commission-based and did not see eye-to-eye with the owner. I had signed a non-compete which sent me with a full clientele heavily based in East Wichita to the West side of town. To say I felt like I was “the only one in the room” is actually spot on! I know there are a great number of beauty professionals that have also been in this position and it’s a scary one. You are stripped of what y0u thought was a supportive environment into a single room where you have to muster up the strength to be your very own CEO, CFO, HR and oh yeah, the service provider too.
What I didn’t realize was my business wasn’t based off of a salon, it was based off of me. And as I fell into the role of being a business owner, I thrived having the sole responsibility for the services I was offering. From here, I sought success through other beauty industry professionals that were alot like me: driven, always learning and wanting to grow. One of my mentors, Tera Harvell owner of Harper Ellis Hair Co., always says to put yourself in the room with the people that you are striving to be. I have sought out those people. I take their advice. I implement their teachings. This is h0w I have been able to be effective and successful when I am the only one in charge of my own destiny!

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

From day to day, I work as a hairstylist behind the chair. I love to create relationships with hard-working women that need a break to refresh before going back to the grind. I know hair salons can be loud and noisy and distracting. My goal is to provide a comfortable space where women can slow down and take a break from the noise. I truly enjoy getting to know my clients and allowing them the space to feel heard. This industry can be a busy one and sometimes it’s hard to find a beauty professional that actually listens to what you want.

I have a passion for other hairstylists like me. Ones that started out thinking they couldn’t do this on their own. Running your own business is hard but there are so many tools out there to help now. I want to help those stylists that don’t know where to start. I had to overcome a lot of trial and error before I felt confident with the direction my business was going. I would love to share what I’ve learned with others so that they can experience the freedom it brings once you really start to see success.

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?

Perseverance. Keep working to figure out the hard stuff. It pays off every time.
People skills. Seems like a no-brainer but customer service is valued so much and GOOD customer service is hard to find. Look people in the eye. Shake their hands. Listen to what they are saying.
Become an expert in your field. Act like you are an expert, talk like you are an expert. Believe you are the expert.

Is there a particular challenge you are currently facing?

Imposter Syndrome. It is so hard when you are putting yourself in the room with people that you look up to. Instagram reminds you constantly of all the things everyone else is doing. Then they really drive it home by sending you more and more people that you “should” Follow which puts me into even more of a tailspin. I attend networking events and educational classes to better my skills and sometimes it seems everyone else has it more together.

Stay focused. That is what I keep telling myself when the distractions start to become debilitating. I can only do what I can do. I have to set goals and then celebrate them so I can see how far I have come.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.ameelindstudio.com
• Instagram: @ameelindstudio
• Facebook: Amee Lind Studio
• Linkedin: none
• Twitter: none
• Youtube: none
• Yelp: none
• Soundcloud: none

Image Credits

Ashley Gillogly