Life, Values & Legacy: Our Chat with Summer Olson

We’re looking forward to introducing you to Summer Olson. Check out our conversation below.

Good morning Summer, it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? Who are you learning from right now?
The youth. Their interests, trends they’re creating, all of it.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Summer Olson, the founder of Stash House Az. Our shop began its journey in 2014- making us the longest running and largest independent nail artist collective in Phoenix, Arizona. Since our inception, we’ve grown to include hair and skin services, making us now a full service salon.

In the new year we’ll have a surprise “vendor in residence” that we’re excited to bring on board. We’ll also focus on making branded merchandise- something that I’ve always been a bit apprehensive about, but I’m confident in our team’s creative direction, so better late than never!

What makes us special is our ability to maintain relationships in this industry. We feel connection to others is crucial for longevity in any industry. We know we have some strong competition out there but we appreciate being known for our benevolence in such a cut throat and sometimes petty industry.

Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
I wanted to be a wife and mom for as long as I can remember. I wanted that fairy tale so many young people in my generation dreamed about. After those two things took a different direction, I decided it was time to go against the grain yet still tap into building a family- just not in the traditional sense.

My biggest wish for people is to really tune into who they are and recognize their capabilities outside of “tradition”. You can turn tragedy into something amazing if you think outside of the “norm”.

If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
YOU ARE CAPABLE.

Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
That people have to have the best content on social media. That they need to have something about their brand go viral. That they need to have the most expensive and trending products.

If you’re an amazing artist, you can use tools from a dollar store and make something look amazing.

We need more visionaries in our industry who don’t have sponsorships. .

Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. When do you feel most at peace?
When I’m working alongside co-workers I’ve had for over ten years and we’re all busy yet enjoying each other’s company. That’s RARE in the beauty industry.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/StashHouseAz
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stashhouseaz?igsh=NXJpazN6MGJlYTRs

Image Credits
Nails: @Arizonails @yayaartistanails