Meet Danielle Starr

Today we’d like to introduce you to Danielle Starr.

Danielle, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I started my cosmetology career in 2007 at the Aveda Institute Denver. When I graduated, I didn’t really have any mentors or personal connections to the beauty industry. This I believe to be the main reason I bounced around so much for my first several years in the industry. I wasn’t completely aware of what all my options were or how to weigh all those options. I started at a commission salon, next went booth rental, then tried a couple barbershops, before ultimately working for two corporate salon environments. It was within the corporate structure that I found education, which would turn out to be my ultimate passion within my career. Being a full time educator for The Salon by InStyle as well as an independent educator for Matrix has given me not only the financial freedom to pursue my personal goals within the beauty industry, but also has allowed me to travel all over our country and educate stylists, students, etc. to highlight how important and vital continuing education is to our industry. Being an educator gave me to confidence to excel as a Beauty Underground Artist, as well as aiding me in building and promoting my person brand: D. Starr Hair.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I actually had my contract terminated at Aveda two weeks before graduation because my attendance percentage was 2% lower than it could be. I struggled with migraines a lot in beauty school which caused me to miss some class, and so rather than just allowing me to make up the 2% I needed, they terminated my contract and told me I had to retake the entire last phase, as well as pay for it. This was a really defining moment for me, of deciding how badly I wanted to be in this industry. I chose to enroll at an Empire Beauty School to make up the hours I was missing only, and actually graduated four months after my class. It would’ve been really easy to lay blame for this situation, and quit. But I’m so glad I didn’t. My biggest struggle after actually graduating was just finding where I fit in this industry. When I found Education, I truly knew I had found my niche.

D. Starr Hair – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I started D. Starr Hair as a way to promote myself as an individual artist, educator, and beauty specialist. I needed a way to brand myself outside of my corporate career, as a lot of the work I do doesn’t fall under that umbrella, and isn’t associated with any company other than my own. D. Starr Hair is my personal brand for editorial work, Independent Education events both nationally and internationally, Award Competition Entries, on-location bridal hair, and Denver Fashion Week shows. My goal for my personal brand is to promote inclusivity above everything else, and to be the example that promotes the image that you can be and do anything you want in this industry. There’s room for you wherever you desire to be, and you can work in as many different facets within this industry as you desire.

What is “success” or “successful” for you?
I can only speak of success for myself and my own experience, I believe every person has a different personal definition of what success is to them. For me, I define success as waking up every day, excited and passionate about what I do. Waking up and loving my career choice, appreciating the steps and hurdles it took to get here, and ultimately being happy with the work I’m putting out there and sharing with others. Success to me as an educator, is watching those light bulbs turn on for stylists; watching them grasp the information you’re sharing, and become passionate and excited about understanding and growing themselves within their own careers.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.daniellestarrhair.com
• Phone: 7204340266
• Email: deedoeshair@gmail.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/deedoeshair
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/daniellestarrhair

Image Credit:
Photographers: JJ Constantine, Jonny Edwards, David Rossa

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