Rising Stars: Meet Beverlee McMillen

Today we’d like to introduce you to Beverlee McMillen.

Hi Beverlee, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
My Mom and Aunt both worked in Salons in the North Dallas area and growing up, I had always been around the Salon Industry. After going to a bit of college, I decided that I was a more of a “hands-on” type of person, so I enrolled in Cosmetology School in Plano, TX. Shortly after graduating Cosmetology School, we made the decision to move to beautiful Colorado. As much as I loved Texas, we wanted to see Colorado had to offer, especially since I had not laid down roots yet with my career.

I started working in a Paul Mitchell Focus Salon, where I was an assistant. I was a fun start as I attended PM shows and classes and learned a lot of things I had not learned in school. After that, I wanted to grow a little more and started a Salon in a Redken Elite Salon where it was required to be an assistant before you could be a Stylist. I grew as a person working there. I went on to be a Stylist and taking my own clients. After expanding my book of business, I got remarried and moved to Highlands Ranch and went on to a larger Salon, where I took the jump to booth rental. I made the decision after three years of booth rental to move to a Salon Suite where I was the owner and stylist of my own LLC.

It took a little adjusting to being the CEO, CMO, CFO, COO and Talent of even just a smaller salon. I have the freedom to make my own set hours and have open and candid conversations in my private Suite. My clients love that extra one on one experience that feel special and relaxed. There is no drama when my clients come in to get their services done. I feel in the 20 years that I have been a stylist, six of them being the owner of my business as well, that things are always changing with educating and techniques. I am always eager to learn and grow. I still have that Southern Hospitality in beautiful Colorado and strive to make each client feel like they are coming in to have an experience, not just another appointment.

But, there is more to me than just a Salon Suite owner! I am a wife to such a supportive husband, mom of three amazing and well-balanced teenagers (one being my bonus daughter) and have three rescue dogs. At times, I foster dogs from a local rescue group who save dogs from euthanasia. Being a mom, fur baby mom and sometimes foster dog mom has taught me more about patience and compassion than I have ever known.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It hasn’t been a smooth road. The struggles mostly were when I moved to Highlands Ranch and had to run the Groupons and really put myself out there to try to establish myself as a Hairstylist. I knew that most of my clients from Wash Park would stay in that area, I did have a handful follow me down South and still do to this day!

I also struggled as being the owner of a Salon Suite at first. Trying to figure out the profit and loss and really get that down was a real challenge at first.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a Hairstylist and specialize in Color, Highlighting Services, Cutting and Brazilian Blowout Smoothing Systems. I specialize in brunettes who are looking to have some dimension added to their hair with Balayage. I still love getting my blondes blonder and don’t shy away from redhead either! I feel that I am really great with thicker-haired clients as I have very thick hair myself and it doesn’t intimidate me in the least.

I am most proud of the detail and passion I put into my craft and also the guest that sits in my chair. It’s not only how beautiful their hair looks when they leave; it’s about how they feel on the inside as well. We all need to feel beautiful inside and out. This past year with Covid has really changed how the industry has been. I want to feel that they can come in and get that attention, relaxation, killer scalp and neck massage (yes, people do talk about it!) and feel just feel rejuvinized when they leave. I feel that the world was lacking the kindness and lack of human touch in the past year more than ever. I had always stood by this before Covid and will continue this in my business.

Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
I was (and still can be shy) growing up. I was the little girl who loved either giving their barbies make-overs or cutting up Barbie clothes to make cuter outfits. I had a great group of friends and was pretty social and loved to hang out with my friends on the weekends. I also loved to read.

You could say I was a strong-willed little girl and had a good head on my shoulders. I always wanted to be the boss of my brother or wanted things to go my way. As I got older when I worked, I put my all in. I never quit a job before it had been carefully considered or wasn’t a step up from the current job I had.

Contact Info:

• Email: info@nuancehairstudio.com
• Website: www.nuancehairstudio.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/beverlee.nuancehairstudio

Image Credits
www.kateschwindtphotography.com