Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Nichole Gustas. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Nichole, thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?
I would probably say it’s the result of a combination of; learning from example, and a necessity for survival. I learned early on from my Gram, who raised my little sister and me, that hard work is required for most things worth having. It doesn’t mean what you’re applying yourself to will always be hard but most of the time the first steps require real dedication and perseverance.
We didn’t have much when I was growing up and my Gram had to work twice as hard to keep a roof over our heads and food on the table. Watching her come home from long shifts at the grocery store where she worked 8- 10 hours 5-6 days a week so we had a “normal” life made me realize that I’d do anything it took to take some of the weight off her shoulders. I started applying to jobs when I was 14 and when I was turned away for being too young to legally work, I started helping a family friend clean a local bar on Sunday mornings, prepared food for poker tournaments held by the bars owner, cleaned his properties after school…basically anything I could do to help earn money for the household. When I finally turned 16 I got my first job, and was able to really begin helping out with the finances at home. It felt amazing and I became a little addicted to that feeling of accomplishment.
Until I started Beauty School I worked 3 jobs to help make ends meet and only with the help of a partial scholarship, FAFSA, and grants through our local Vocational rehab facility, was I able to quit one so I would be able to attend my classes. I worked in the mornings before class, attended 8 hours of school Mon-Fri and worked after class everyday for 2 years. It was exhausting but it’s what set me on my path to success.
I started from a place that felt like it began half a mile behind the Starting Line, so in my mind I had a lot of extra ground to cover. No one was going to do it for me, so I put my head down in the direction of my goals and just worked my way to where I wanted to be.
Now the work load is only as heavy as I decide to make it, and I have the ability to pivot and experiment with new projects whenever I want to. All because I worked (very) hard to lay the foundation early on in my career.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
Hi! I’m Nichole. I am the owner and stylist of Rituals Hair Studio in Encinitas, CA.
As a Taurus through and through, I strongly believe in the power of self-care. Not only for outer appearance, but for the deeper belief in knowing that you absolutely deserve the joy, peace, and confidence you experience from letting someone else pamper you.
At the end of the day I’d say my greatest love in my career is helping my clients realize their own beauty through the art of hairstyling. There is no better feeling to me than when a guest stands a little taller, holds their chin a little higher, and smiles with a “Hey, I know you” sparkle in their eye after looking in the mirror.
Whether we are adding extensions after post-partum hair loss, creating a fresh haircut after a big life change, or blending out “wisdom streaks” aka greys, my goal is always to magnify confidence. It’s already there. I’m just here to help you see it.
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.”Wherever you are, be there.” I was told that phrase at the very beginning of my career. It has followed me for 15+ years and applies to almost anything. It reminds me to be mindful and focused.
It taught me that to be successful in any new venture, whether its a new project, hobby, relationship, etc. requires you to give it the focus and dedication it deserves. It ties back into having a good work ethic in my mind. It doesn’t mean that the work has to be hard, but it has to be treated as something worth doing.
If you can only give something you’re working towards 3 hours a week. Spend those 3 hours completely focused on what you’re trying to accomplish. Basically, Make whatever you’re doing worth your time.
2. Being inspired by someone is very different than comparing yourself to them. If you are busy trying to emulate another person and the way they do things, you may overlook your own strengths. Learning from someone you idolize is amazing but be mindful to follow your own path. Remember the importance in the lessons learned from trying everything you are interested in and leaning into the things that are uncomfortable. Those challenges usually have the biggest pay off in terms of growth.
3. You will never regret being kind and having a positive attitude. If you can learn to look for the bright side of a situation, even in the darkest of times, you’ll realize that there is always one to be found. No matter how small. Even (or maybe especially) when dealing with someone who doesn’t have the same ability to be kind and share positivity. You will be able to hold your head high knowing that you didn’t compromise who you are. Knowing this can actually act as your silver lining when things aren’t going the way you’d hoped. It keeps a little section of your mind clear when you feel lost. The bright side can be a little beacon to your life boat out of the dark moments.
We’ve all got limited resources, time, energy, focus etc – so if you had to choose between going all in on your strengths or working on areas where you aren’t as strong, what would you choose?
I’ve worked a large part of my career in one specialty or another. I like diving head first into a new skill and trying my best to master it. While doing that in barbering, color corrections, asian hair cutting, and extensions I’ve picked up specific tools from each that I am now able to apply to my work across the board. I’ve also taken lessons learned outside of my direct job title , like finance and marketing and used them to better understand the business side of my industry which helped me open Rituals Hair Studio.
It is amazing and impressive to master a specific skill set but making some effort to branch out and learn things surrounding that skill set or even something completely off topic will make you more competent in all areas.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://ritualsencinitas.com/
- Instagram: @ritualsencinitas
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/rituals-hair-studio-encinitas?osq=Rituals+Hair+Studio
