We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Heather Taft. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Heather below.
Hi Heather, thank you for being such a positive, uplifting person. We’ve noticed that so many of the successful folks we’ve had the good fortune of connecting with have high levels of optimism and so we’d love to hear about your optimism and where you think it comes from.
Honestly, its a compulsion I have. Why not be optimistic? One of my favorite point of views are: They say “ohh, well what if things don’t work out? Then they stop right there and don’t even try and that opportunity immediately gets cut off . What if you turn around and entertain the idea and say, “well, what if it DOES work out?? Then what? Try pondering on the positive effect you’d get .
Alright. If you fail- leads to my other favorite little saying, “but did you die??”
Take the leap of faith
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
Hello! My name is Heather. Originally from Tampa Bay Fl. I am a hairstylist, traveler, lover of music, bonfires, photography, learning, creating art and meandering around random areas. I have moved my way across the country over the last decade gaining life experience and recently landed in Los Angeles to further peruse my ongoing dreams.
After 15 years of working behind the chair, I decided to shift my career away from cut and color salons and focus on the styling side of the industry. I’ve been traveling, styling bridal and event hair for a couple of years now.
Ideally I want to work my way into styling hair for film, music videos and entertainment.
My esthetic is geared towards avante garde, Nordic/viking, edgy, and era based.
I feel most excited about taking on the challenge of being a film hairstylist. I understand the complex journey and hard work it takes to get to that point, and up for the task. I’ve never been complacent, so why not keep going?
The biggest aspiration in my career has always been to style Lady Gagas hair. Oh man….that would be it for me. I believe in manifesting and I envision exactly what that would look like when it happens! I will create a customized style just for her, so when I meet her one day, I’ll be ready. She is such an incredible person and artist. I envy her boldness, kindness, and multi talented abilities.
I’m currently building a website. If I want to be taken more seriously and show off my portfolio in a more organized way, I must stop relying on social media as my business platform.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Resilience Passion
Knowledge
Developing quality skills and characteristics takes a lot of persistent dedication. It’s ok to fall off the path sometimes, life is extremely overwhelming for nearly everyone these days. It’s impossible to keep up with the grueling to do list that never actually ends. So do what you can and what you can’t accomplish that day, that week or that month, well you just can’t and you’ll get go it when you can ! As long as you don’t become complacent in the process and find a way to gain that momentum back up; utilizing what you already learned or experienced and try again or harder for sed goal.
Passion is just that. Being passionate about something is integral to being a great artist. Cooking for example, you can tell when it’s made with love and when it’s not! A little secret…I suck at cooking! It’s a chore to me. Figure out what you’re passionate about or even good at and roll with it. Not sure? Ask a friend or family member what they think you should explore based on your personality and interests. You might be surprised and least expected at what they say.
Knowledge is a big one. Education is imperative to any journey. Isn’t that the whole point of a journey ? To gain new experiences, wisdom and insight; to challenge thy self and move away from the comfort zone. The more information and skill you gain, the more valuable you are as an asset.
One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
I am definitely looking for other artists to collaborate with! That’s a huge reason I moved to Los Angeles. Because the sky is limitless here with opportunities. My dreams are HIGH. I’m not competitive and want everyone to win.
I aim to take my hairstyling abilities to the next level and be a part of the beauty departments for film, entertainment and music videos. I think finding a film school to volunteer at would be a good place to start. I also joined Backstage.com for other gigs in hopes to be accepted to something soon. I have several connections saved in general all over the LA and surrounding areas, I just need to stop being a pansy, realize I am good enough and connect with them!!! #heard
Lastly, I love photography! I just collaborated on my first photo shoot where I did hair and shot photos. I was pleasantly surprised at how well the photos came out! Especially since I am a new shooter. I might even try and submit them to a print magazine. I’ll be sure to add a photo from the shoot on this featured page, guess which one it is 😉
I’d like to be known for my edgy and elaborate hairstyles. Specialize in difficult styles that most professionals would say is too complex. Such as those insanely beautiful and intricate Russian and Indian styles you see on Instagram. Wow they are so amazing! I’d love to learn how to do that one day. I highly enjoy festival braids too. I am still learning what installation method works best for me.
I have so much pent up talent and energy, I can’t even say this lightly…I’m ready to explode with creativity ! And I’m in just the right place to do it.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hairbangr/
Image Credits
Kimberly Parker Janay Beauty Team Brianne Buishas Getty Images