Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Kimberly Ruel. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Kimberly, first a big thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and insights with us today. I’m sure many of our readers will benefit from your wisdom, and one of the areas where we think your insight might be most helpful is related to imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome is holding so many people back from reaching their true and highest potential and so we’d love to hear about your journey and how you overcame imposter syndrome.
I’ll be the first to say I’ve had a long battle with imposter syndrome throughout my career thus far. It’s a natural feeling though, I think. When your social media is inendated with exceptionally talented artists that never seem to have an off-day and have hundreds of thousands of followers; how could you not feel a bit inferior? It’s so hard not to compare your journey to theirs. What did they do differently to get such a following? So many opportunities? Get noticed in general? To compare, I’m not the Bobby Flay of cooking or the Taylor Swift of pop music in the hair industry right now. But, I know the self taught chef and the relatable girl who lacks the vocal range of her peers probably had imposter syndrome too when they started, right? But look at them now. We all have to start somewhere.
Now I’ve never wanted to be a celebrity stylist by any means but there’s something to be said about having the respect of so many others in your industry and your IG handle being known by the masses. But I’ve learned that isn’t everything and as long as you’re proud of your work, that’s truly all that matters.
I’ve had my own unique accolades of these past 9 years to be proud of. Some include making it in the industry in general, building a full clientele in a new city by myself, opening my own successful salon suite, and becoming an educator with one of the coolest brands in the industry right now.
You’d think I’d have an insane amount of confidence, right? But there’s still times I think of all of my success as a fluke. There’s so much talent out there in the hair industry, why would someone come to me specifically? Why would I get noticed by clients or a brand?
But I’ve worked tirelessly over the last few years on changing my mindset to combat my imposter syndrome. My amazing husband was a huge part of my mental shift for the better. He always reminded me that I’m a talented, bad ass salon owner. And he would always encourage me to celebrate my much deserved accomplishments. I sacrificed a lot to get where I am today. I put in long hours, devoted my free time to as much education as I could possibly consume, and I bet on myself regardless who was standing in my corner with me. I didn’t let a lack of followers dictate my self worth, and I realized followers didn’t always equate to financial success in the industry. I’m busy, my clients love their hair, and I’m making more than my goal amount to provide for my family. What else could I want?
I recently went to a training for the brand I educate for where we actually touched on topic of imposter syndrome. Before the training, one of the artists was adamant on speaking “our mantra.” I didn’t quite remember what it was but it went something like:
“I am a talented artist. I am worthy. There is space for my talent. No one can be me.”
It was so impactful and reflective of my journey. The brand saw my talent for what is was and picked me to represent them regardless of my following. If anything that’s more impressive being picked on talent alone rather than a following, wouldn’t you say? I had to relish in that and be proud.
I have my own story and battles with imposter syndrome and everyone has their own unique one as well. Today, I use my imposter syndrome to learn as much as I can from those artists I admire the most and utilize it into bettering myself and my craft. And when all else fails I just remember, you can emulate a hair color and cut but no one can emulate you.
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?
I am a hair stylist and salon owner in Austin, Texas. I specialize in balayage, vivid hair, and modern cuts. Color is my pride and passion, and I crave constantly learning and perfecting all the latest color trends and techniques to bring back to my clients. I love nothing more than seeing my clients ecstatic about their transformation, and our vision beautifully translated onto their hair.
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?
The three qualities that were most impactful in my journey were confidence, ambition, and perseverance.
At the beginning of my career I was one of those people that maybe didn’t think I knew everything, but I thought I knew enough to succeed without anyone’s help. And boy, was I wrong. It’s so important to align yourself with the right mentor and a salon who won’t use you to rinse bowls but to develop you as a stylist. You need to be confident while you’re building your skill set, ambitious enough to put in the time and training it’ll take to master your craft, and persevere when it gets hard (i.e. when you get that client that’s never happy or that negative review). Don’t take that personally and harp on it, but use it as fuel to make you a better stylist. Most importantly, always stay humble and keep learning and growing.
Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?
My husband and my peers have have been the most helpful in my journey and overcoming the challenges I’ve faced on the way. My husband is my greatest support system and cheerleader. He always reminds me how talented I am and really pushes me to go for every opportunity that’s given to me.
Now that I’m an educator, having a national network of stylists I can now call my friends has really helped me find inspiration again and encourage me to be better and strive for more in my career.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.livefreehairstudio.com
- Instagram: kimruelhair
- Facebook: Live Free Hair Studio
