Exploring Life & Business with Kat Blamey of Ametrine Collective

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kat Blamey.

Hi Kat, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Setting up a driveway farm stand to sell garden veggies and lemonade as a child should have been a giveaway that I had entrepreneur leanings. Being raised by a mother who (successfully) worked for herself selling first beauty products and eventually, houses, was definitely also an inspiration to someday own a business. In my early 20s, I left my career in coffee to pursue a hairstylist license (inspired by my stylist/mentor in Boulder) and moved down to Denver in 2012.

Falling in love with a salon proved to be harder than I expected, especially after changing my lifestyle completely in 2013. Eventually, Ametrine Collective (originally Ametrine Salon) opened in a studio suite on 16th Street Mall in November of 2014, becoming Denver’s first 100% vegan salon! Oway (the color + styling brand used at Ametrine) was introduced to North America within two years of my opening, allowing me to source a cleaner and lower-waste line, while still only using plant-based color + styling products. After a year downtown, I found a space in the Santa Fe Arts District – a 230 square foot storefront built in the 1940s. I grew there for four years until the current studio in the Speer neighborhood became available. In August of 2020 (yup, mid-pandemic) 84 Penn became the new home of Ametrine Collective!

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Does anyone say yes to that?? Balancing multiple jobs for years, burnout, depression, figuring out who I want to be when I grow up, finding space to rent, imposter syndrome, self-doubt… Relatable experiences that many of us have gone through at one point or another.

Doing things only the way society says I’m “supposed to” has rarely appealed to me, which seems to be the entrepreneur’s way. Creating my own path was, and still is, the only way for me to feel fulfilled. Growth is a core pillar in both my business and personal life: learning new information, developing fresh skills, moving in any direction – all brought me to hair, creating Ametrine Collective, working together with clients.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Ametrine Collective?
Ametrine Collective is a nature-focused + holistic hair studio, committed to reducing packaging waste, using low tox products, and exclusively carrying cruelty-free + vegan products.

I specialize in customized haircuts, grey blending, and low maintenance balayage (hand-painted highlights, more natural grow out), however full grey coverage and vivid colors also bring me joy!

As always, appointments are one-on-one; the sunlight in the studio is amazing; my plant collection has grown, adding warmth + life to a clean, mid-century modern/minimalist space.

Have you ever visited a new stylist, and they’ve barely spoken to you for 3 minutes before starting your services? That’s not how I operate: new client visits have extra time built in at the beginning for our consultation – and we only begin when we’ve both agreed on a plan! During every subsequent visit, we sit down together prior to starting any services, check-in on how you felt about your last cut and/or color, and collaboratively decide what changes to make (if any). I want you to love your hair AND your experience!

I’d be a great fit for you if you: love animals, want to reduce your environmental impact, and enjoy learning + growing!

*All my prices are tip inclusive/tip-free – the price I provide you/you see when booking is your total cost for services!*

Have you learned any interesting or important lessons due to the Covid-19 Crisis?
Definitely! The pandemic reinforced what business owners already know (but like to ignore) – no one will (or can) care about your business as much as you do. It highlighted how inefficient the systems that lend to small/micro businesses are and the lack of resources for many folks. Also, plan for emergencies, save for retirement, and invest NOW – even if you can only put small amounts away, everything you do for yourself now will support you when shit happens (because shit happens).

All the above lessons aside: The inspiring humans who trust me with their hair, continued to visit the salon during scary times, and checked in with me just to say “hey, how are you?” — they are why I’m still open, why I built this space when many people would close shop. They are more than clients – they are friends, folks who support me as much as I support them, and people I’ve built foundations with. I’m so grateful to be able to continue seeing their amazing smiles (even if at times they’re under masks) – and I can’t wait to meet more new wonderful people in the future!

Pricing:

• $119 – New Client Mid/Long Cut
• $238 – New Client Half Head Balayage
• $50 – Hard Water Treatment
• $38 – Virtual Haircare Coaching

Contact Info:

• Email: hi@ametrinecollective.com
• Website: https://ametrinecollective.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/ametrinecollective
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ametrinecollective
• Other: https://pro.shopmyshelf.us/ametrinecollective

Image Credits
Rachael SaBell, Roo Photographs Kat Blamey, Ametrine Collective