Life and Work with Katelyn Austria

Today we’d like to introduce you to Katelyn Austria.

So, before we jump into specific questions about your business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I was that kid who enrolled in college to get a degree, not knowing what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I grew up thinking that college is the norm; more of a requirement, not an option. My parents encouraged me to be a nurse or a doctor so that I could easily find a job and have a stable career. I come from a family of doctors, nurses, lawyers, and business entrepreneurs, so it was kind of expected of me to be the same and follow in their footsteps. I started taking prerequisites like chemistry and biology and realized how much I dreaded every single day of class. It wasn’t until halfway through college that I discovered my passion for beauty.

I was 17 when I first met Denise Tanigawa, who is now the owner of the salon I work at, Vidogi Salon. She would do my hair and makeup, dress me up and take me to photo shoots and small-time fashion shows. It was through
Denise that I got exposed to photoshoots with AZ Weddings and events like Hair Wars. Eventually, I started tagging along on weddings with Denise and visiting her at her previous salon very often. When she bought Vidogi Salon in 2014, I started helping out with reception work and becoming more exposed to the cosmetology world. I saw her huge success, creativity, and love for her craft, so much that I began to crave it for myself. It was then that I decided that I wanted to become a cosmetologist.

My parents were not happy with my decision, to say the least. It was endless nights of crying and arguing with them to let me pursue my passion, and that I didn’t want what they had dreamed for me. I wanted to drop out of college and enroll in cosmetology school right away, but (thankfully) my parents didn’t let me. We finally compromised and made a deal: I finish college with any degree and then, only then, would I be allowed to go to cosmetology school. I knew that science and I didn’t click, so I switched to the business school at ASU. I figured that if I’m going to get a degree, it may as well be something that I can use in any field of work. In the winter of 2015, I graduated with a Bachelor’s in Business Communications. In hindsight, I am so thankful that my parents made me see my college education though. I learned a great deal about management and marketing, things that translate well into the bridal beauty and salon industry. I was able to mature and really take pride in the fact that I earned a bachelor’s degree in business.

In 2016, I started cosmetology school at the Studio Academy of Beauty with a 13-month program. I’ve heard from many that it sucks and that they hated their experience. I ended up having a great experience at my school. I absolutely loved my teachers and my classmates. I mean, school is what you make of it. I was so determined to finish and enter the cosmetology world, so all of the nonsense and drama from other students around me didn’t get in the way of my own education. I would stay late all the time and come in on weekends so that I could graduate early. In the end, I was able to graduate 1 month early!

Hair coloring and cutting is one side of my passion with the other side being bridal beauty. I joined Lidia Huynh, owner of Bridal4theWin, in addition to doing weddings with Vidogi Salon. Weddings are a huge passion of mine. It feels so good to know that I can help women feel good on their wedding day. The energy and vibes are always great and I get to meet people that come from all over the country and even all over the world. I started getting referrals and inquiries on my own that I decided I wanted to create a name for myself. I wanted something that encompasses both my salon side and my bridal side. That is how Bridal and Beauty by Kate was created!

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Definitely not! Not everything we want in life comes easy, am I right? The biggest obstacle would be telling my parents that I didn’t want to do what they had dreamed for me. It hurt me to see them upset and not believe in me. It took time for me to prove that I could make it and that I wasn’t wasting my time (or their money). My biggest advice would be to believe in yourself because if you don’t, then no one will. My parents are now one of my biggest supporters… now, they ask me once a month to do their hair!

What do you do? What do you specialize in?
In the salon, I specialize in balayage, coloring and blonding. In makeup, I specialize in bridal and often do proms, photo shoots, and other events.

I am proud that I maintain a good relationship with my clients. Beauty is such a personal thing, so communication is key to make sure that my clients and I understand each other. We end up becoming friends and staying in touch!

Do you think there are structural or other barriers impeding the emergence of more female leaders?
Competition. This is something that I hear about all the time. Women playing against each other instead of together. Women in my industry have at least one thing in common; we do hair and/or makeup! Why is it so hard for some of us to get along? I think a lot of it has to do with wanting to be better than the other at our craft. I am so lucky to be around a group of women at my salon that is always willing to lend a hand and give advice for formulas, cutting techniques, etc. We always praise each other’s work and compliment each other’s talents. If we want to learn something, we’ll teach each other. It’s simple. When we work together, we succeed together!

Contact Info:

• Email: kaustria93@yahoo.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bridalandbeautybykate/

Image Credit:
Erica McNicol Photography, Sharom Rosas Photography, Katie Hoss Photography, Kayla Fisher Photography

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