Check Out Katie Amezquita’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Katie Amezquita.

Hi Katie, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I started cosmetology school while attending my senior year of high school in Orange County California. Graduating in 2008 right when the recession hit it was a difficult time to start in the industry. I dove deep into getting an education and made a ton of mistakes along the way. It was a lot of hard work to become successful because I had very little guidance.

I then found something called Thriver’s Society which gave me the tools to grow myself and my business. This allowed my husband and I to relocate to Phoenix where I could start fresh and it was the best decision. We have been loving our new home and now have a beautiful daughter. I began working at Arcane Hair Parlour in Downtown Phoenix in 2018.

I have grown so much more in my career at Arcane because it pushed me out of my comfort zone. We have so many unique guests that always allow us to create new and different looks for them, I find immense joy from what I do every day and I am so grateful to have amazing guests and that I get to work every day in an environment that allows me to flourish.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
As I said, starting in the recession definitely slowed me down and it was a very different time in our industry. It was essentially the dark ages because this was before Yelp, Instagram, and all the things that we know today that allow us to grow our business. Back then, a guest would often walk into the salon and go to anyone that was available. It would be very hit or miss if they found a good stylist.

There was also a lot of struggle because cosmetology school, unfortunately, teaches you how to get your license but the education to be a great stylist is mediocre at best. With a ton of continued education and lots and lots of trial and error, I found a group of like-minded stylists in a group called Thriver’s Society which goes into depth about how to grow and market yourself as a successful stylist. Social media has allowed our guests to see our work and make an educated decision about where their investment is going. It has also allowed us as a stylist to showcase our best work and our specialty.

Navigating this new world of ever-changing social media is challenging but it is also what sets you up for success in cultivating your dream clientele and working with the most amazing people. Moving was very challenging in the beginning because I had grown very comfortable with my long-time guests and meeting new people every day can be a struggle.

I am so glad that I did it because it really helped me grow into the stylist I am today and I absolutely love everyone that I work with now.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a balayage and long hair specialist. I work with my guests to create healthy dimensional (both Natural and Vibrant) color that is personalized to their style. I love doing color that is lower maintenance so that my guest can enjoy having colors that still look great even when they are coming back to refresh them.

Often times a guest who is looking for something like a vivid is committing themselves to a ton of work. (I’ll be honest it still is a lot of work) I typically encourage my guests to balayage or peekaboo their vivids so that as their color grows out they can simply refresh the vivid until they are ready to balayage again.

It is my absolute favorite when I am able to have a guest who had hair that needed a bit of TLC and I can get it healthier for them over time with our amazing treatments, regular trims, and great color.

Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
If you would like to work with me you can book an appointment with me at Arcane Hair Parlour or email me to collaborate on things such as for photoshoots or weddings.

Contact Info:

• Email: katie@arcanehairparlour.com
• Website: www.katieamezquita.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/katieamezquita
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/katieamezquitaartist

Image Credits
www.studiodevriesphotography.com