The Big Plan

When my career in the industry began 15 years ago as a way to support my daughters and myself, I never anticipated I would love it as much as I do. It was basically a means to an end that turned into a great career path for me.

After working in a small salon, I knew I wanted more from my career and started working for the biggest salon in Boise at the time.  Though it was more challenging, I was restricted to using one product line and I got roped in to doing a lot of stuff that goes into managing a salon: IT, inventory, payroll and bookkeeping.  After eleven years working at that salon, I knew my career was headed in a direction I didn’t like. I wanted to do CREATIVE work, not clerical work, and I wanted to do something that allowed me to explore my potential. It took me awhile to finally break free, and when I did, I started working at a smaller salon with no restrictions on products or hair design style.  I was actually encouraged to explore! Wow!  This was a turning point for me, and I was finally awakened to what I really wanted to do with my career.  

Realizing now how amazing all the things I have learned in the past year and how good it felt to explore and be creative led me to a crazy idea I hatched one sleepless night. I never wanted to be just an average hairstylist who finishes beauty school and never takes another class.  I’m always interested in new products, new techniques, and new styles, and the few times I’ve gone to big three-day shows, I’ve come back so inspired.  I’ve always tried really hard to educate myself with products so in turn I could educate my clients with the proper tools to recreate their styles at home. Now that I’m ENCOURAGED to experiment with an endless array of products, I feel I can’t learn enough or try enough products or techniques.

So back to the crazy idea. I haven’t always had the opportunity to travel far to take classes and although Boise has grown these past years, the local beauty industry is still lacking in innovation, creativity and personal development. I also haven’t had the opportunity to see much of this vast country of ours, so I started thinking I should combine my love of learning with my yearning for adventure. The plan? Six weeks. Multiple cities. Multiple classes or shows I’ve been dying to take from people I’ve been dying to meet in salons I’ve only read about or seen on TV.  So far, my journey starts in Atlanta, Georgia at the end of May. Next, I’ll head to Orlando, Florida June 4-6 for the Premiere Orlando International Beauty Event, then it’s on to a few states I’ve never seen before hitting New York City June 12.  Then I’ll be in North Hampton June 18-22 for a hair technique class (stay posted for more dates and cities).

Given that I LITERALLY live on cutting coloring and styling hair and I’ll be spending money rather than making it for four weeks, this journey will inevitably mean sleeping in my car, staying in a few less-than-four-star hotels, hitting a few camp grounds (anyone who knows me knows I’m not a camper!), and getting out of my comfort zone.  I thought for a brief second making a documentary of my travels, but since I  can’t stand the sound of my own voice I’ve decided to blog and post pics of  this whole trip so I can share my experience with friends, family and anyone else who wants to come along for the ride.

Along the way, I’ll be posting more information of where I’ll be and what I’m doing.  You can be part of the adventure by playing my Road Trip Trivia game on Facebook (Hey, I gotta keep myself entertained somehow driving alone for days on end!). If you’re going to be where I am on any given day, feel free to send me an email at kimberlyaessmaker@hotmail.com, or just reply to my blog posts.

I would like to thank all the salon owners, directors, educators and stylists that I have spoken with in the past several weeks. Everyone has been so helpful and open to this crazy idea. A big thank you to Dina Reilly from Hair Design TV who has taken my countless phone calls and answered my many questions, and a REALLY big thank you to all my clients that have been so amazingly supportive! I look forward to meeting everyone on my journey!