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Life and Work with Abby Lebsock

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Today we’d like to introduce you to Abby Lebsock.

Abby, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I started cosmetology school very spontaneously shortly after I dropped out of college. I thought I wanted to be an elementary teacher because I love kids (and people, in general), educating, and being in control. After two years of college, I realized I would not be able to support myself financially with that career, and it came with a lot of baggage. I knew being a teacher was not my ultimate dream and that I had a lot more to offer than what a 9-5 allowed me. School, in general, was always dread to me from a young age but where I grow up you go to college, get a degree, get married and move back home. I always knew I was good at hair and makeup, but never thought I would have anything to do with this industry. I loved that this field offers a wide variety of jobs and positions not just only behind the chair and the financial result is really up to you. I could be my own boss, work with people, educate, and still make a living.

So, I attended 2000 hours of cosmetology school in Bozeman, Montana hating every single day of it. My school experience was a very negative one. The education was lacking, the business was unprofessional, and the environment was toxic. I went to school 36 hours a week with two jobs working 40 hours a week. I cleaned a three-story professional building on my own, and reception at a salon where I knew I could watch and learn from experienced stylists. It was the most exhausting time of my life but I stuck with it because I knew what I could do with my career after graduating in that specific area and moving was not an option. Because I had attended two years of college there and met so many people and friends (and of course I was good at what I did), I had a full clientele right out of school so I chose to booth rent. I rented at an amazing salon with an amazing owner for seven months, saved up enough to get out, and moved to Arizona.

With moving to such a large city and not knowing anybody, I knew I would have to be an employee/commission stylist to start. The thought made me sick knowing I just left a very well paying job with a full clientele so shortly, for just the opposite, but MT was never for me, so I was determined to figure it out. I have always said I don’t care how wealthy or comfortable I am if I’m not happy it means nothing. I searched for the top rated salons in Scottsdale/Old Town because I knew that was the place to be and I wanted the best education I could find. I landed a job and did everything I could to get my name out there. I walked the street and handed out my card, I was active every single day on my social media showing my work and I treated my clients I gained through the salon like gold. I would arrive early, stay late, and go in on my off days to work around them and earn their loyalty.

When I had first moved to AZ, I started my second Network Marketing Business that helped me with my cosmetology career in so many ways, especially with the building of relationships in order to maintain a strong foundation with my clients and also learning how to work with different personality types. My Network Marketing Business is the entire reason for my mindset shift and changed my life in every single aspect for the better. The culture was unlike any other NWM business I knew and it awakened me, I finally knew my purpose in life. I hired a business coach, and both my hair and my NWM biz started to grow. I decided to travel back to MT once a month to see my old clients because by doing so I could save up to get out of the salon sooner than my goal date, I was starting to go crazy working for someone else. This March of 2019, I quit my job (two months sooner than planned), found an amazing salon suite, put the down payment on it before I even had a salon license (i make very rational decisions, regardless of any one’s opinion or advice) and used all the money I saved from MT to invest in my new space. I am now completely independent in my own salon, happier/healthier both physically/mentally, and have the most amazing clientele to support me.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It has not been a smooth road in the slightest. I had to work a lot of different jobs, and always more than one job at a time to get where I am. Money has been an issue my whole life up until this point. I didn’t get to go out to eat, shop, play, etc every night in college like my friends did. I didn’t get to have my hair, nails, and lashes done like the other girls. I always borrowed my friend’s clothes to look the part because they had nicer things than me and shopped at Goodwill (still do today). I was taken advantage of financially and even stolen from by multiple bosses. I had to work 80+ hr weeks for almost three years. But all of those struggles taught me so much value that has shaped me into who I am today, especially when it comes to how I run my successful businesses. My advice for young women who are starting their journey is to always remember why you started in the first place and where you want to be long term. Success doesn’t just happen, it’s planned, executed and earned. Never dream too big and never feel sorry for yourself. Life is not fair and the world does not owe you anything.

As soon as you rid your ego, the real growth happens within and without. I think the difference between successful people and not is consistency and commitment. Not giving up when times are at their worst will reward you in tenfold, it’s all about perception. The bad is going to come regardless, so learn to cope with it in a healthy way. As a young female who has been through so much, I always stress to take care of your mental health above all. I have been in a very dark place before, and it isn’t spoken about enough. Be very careful who you choose to spend your time with because you are who you hang out with and the relationships you hold will affect every aspect of your life. Always lead with love and always do the right thing no matter what.

Please tell us about your work.
I specialize in color, specifically balayage, blonding, and color correction. I pride myself on my communication skills to know exactly what my client wants and what they will have when they leave my chair. I always over-promise and always over-deliver. A lot of the work I do in a one appointment sitting is something most stylists would break up either because lack of education to keep the hair healthy, or they don’t want to spend more than three hours with a client. I always choose the health of my client’s hair over anything, no matter what. I also always talk about budget and pricing and make sure we’re on the same page before I do any work. There will never be any surprise charges at checkout. My client’s hair is always healthier when they leave than when they came, even if we use chemicals. It is a huge deal that my profession is able to touch other humans, and I take that very seriously. Proper sanitation is so important to me as someone working on the public, and believe it or not, most stylists don’t even disinfectant their everyday tools that touches hundreds of heads.

I am most proud of the relationships I hold with my clients. They are much more to me than that, I genuinely care for them and respect them.. after all, they put food on the table, gas in the car, and a roof over my head. Most of my clients (even first timers and strangers) are telling me their whole life story within 10 minutes… and I love that. It’s very humbling that people feel so comfortable around me. The personal connection we hold is very dear to my heart and a huge reason I love this job so much.

Were there people and/or experiences you had in your childhood that you feel laid the foundation for your success?
My childhood and my parents have everything to do with my work ethic. I have eight siblings, so money was tight. We all had to get a job in the summer or the off-season in high school to pay for our own cell phone, school clothes, gas, etc. They taught me the importance of saving and spending and we opened up checking accounts at a pretty young age. Having that many people under one roof taught me how to live off survival, and I love that. We didn’t have a big house with nice cars and clothes and fancy things. We had what we needed to live and we were okay with that. Neither of my parents went to college and my dad started his business from the ground up on his own. It showed me the possibility of having my own business one day and proved to me you do not need a college degree to be successful. I truly don’t know anybody as hardworking as my parents and am so thankful for how I grew up. I naturally gained a passion for the grind and a drive within me to want more out of life than the standard or average.

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