Meet Trailblazer Allie Cox

Today we’d like to introduce you to Allie Cox.

Allie, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
When I left high school, I did the typical “go to college and get a degree” thing that we are always pressured into doing. I got my bachelor’s degree in Fashion Marketing and Apparel Design, and when I went out to the real world, I quickly learned my degree would get me nowhere, but retail management, which I knew was not right for me. I’d always had a passion for hair and makeup and always wanted to go back to school but never really had the courage to just do it. One day I was sitting at my job, trying anything and everything to pass the time and I got online and started looking at beauty schools. I signed up and quit my job the next day. Three years later, I’m opening my own salon suite, and I’ve never been happier, more passionate about something and more emotionally and financially stable.

Has it been a smooth road?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. Beauty school was hard. I was 25 years old, surrounded by a bunch of unmotivated and irresponsible 18-year-old girls who didn’t understand why passion for what you do is important. In all honesty, my school was a joke. It was overcrowded and understaffed, and we didn’t get half the education we were promised. Once I was graduated, and in the salon, I faced a daily struggle that no one is perfect. I gave a few bad haircuts, I over bleached a few girls’ hair and I thought I let myself down a lot. It’s really hard to admit when you need help and when you need to learn from your mistakes, but there is also something so amazing in that journey. I surrounded myself with talented and empowered women who taught me so much in the beauty industry. I think the most important thing is to realize learning never stops. I still make mistakes, but it’s the perfect opportunity to learn something I probably would not have otherwise.

We’d love to hear more about your career so far. As a hairstylist are there particular services or styles that you specialize in?
I’ve been a hairstylist now for almost two years. I specialize in dimensional and organic color techniques- primarily blonding and balayage. I have a passion for long hair and also specialize in extensions. I’m most proud of the passion I have for what I do, and I strive to educate my clients and give them a personalized look that suits who they are. I think what sets me apart from other hairstylists is that no matter who is in my chair or the obstacle in front of me, I never take short cuts. I strive to give everything I have to my clients and don’t intend to stop at “good enough” for them.

So much of the media coverage is focused on the challenges facing women today, but what about the opportunities? Do you feel there are any opportunities that women are particularly well positioned for?
I think we’ve always lived in a culture that compares women to men and that we should be or could be doing whatever they are doing, which I agree with. But I think as women we are given the opportunity to stand out in our own fields and show everyone that success isn’t measured by the title in your job but by how successful you can be doing the things you’re meant to do. When I went back to school, everyone close to me thought I would be making minimum wage cutting hair and instead I’m making women feel beautiful every day and thriving financially. I think we can take every opportunity to empower each other and strive to be the best at whatever we are. We have opportunities men don’t have- being mothers, wives, sisters, daughters and on top of that, having the freedom to be anything else we want to be.

Pricing:

• Balayage starting at $170
• Highlights starting at $180

Contact Info:

• Address: 11177 Dransfeldt Road, Suite 135, #8
• Phone: (307)223-5854
• Email: allieincolorland@outlook.com
• Instagram: Instagram.com/allieincolorland

Image Credit:
@allieincolorland

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