Hi, my name is Joe Lee and I feel being a stylist is a lot like, when I first moved to Texas. I knew no one here, I had no place to live, no job, and no family or friends. Although I was experiencing so many unknowns, I was feeling completely free and brimming with excitement to discover new things at the same time. While there was so much to discover, I found myself like a young child exploring the world for the first time. Let me share some key things from my childhood.
Like many of you, I grew up in a middle-class home. I am the youngest of, five and I have 3 sisters and 1 brother. My parents were determined that their children were going to have a better life than they did. Dad was an auto mechanic – he has a love for cars, that I will never have – down at the local Ford dealership. Mom was a stay-at-home mom, and along with taking care of a full household and countless errands, always had her make-up and hair done on point and dinner on the table every night before dad got home from work.
My parents constantly told me to get a good education so that I could land a secure job. Dad pushed all of his children and constantly explained the value of a good education. After graduating high school, I pursued a degree as a mechanical drafter – and spent 13 years in the trade.
But, There was a little voice, a powerful voice that kept saying deep down inside of me that, “Joe, this is not for you.” I wisely chose to listen to my inner voice.
Then, one day, I gathered the courage and walked away, and took my life in a completely new direction. I made a decision that would change my life forever, I decided that as long as I could do what I wanted, how I wanted then that career was for me. I decided to enroll in beauty school to start my new journey in life. After finishing beauty school, I embarked on a new chapter in my life as a hairstylist. The road was not easy… as the saying goes, it is not what you know that gets you in trouble, it is what you do not know that gets you in trouble.
I struggled to build a clientele like many stylists in this business. I wanted to become the best stylist I could be so I started asking questions and learning from highly accomplished stylists. I attended courses and seminars, attending lots of color classes, and what I discovered was there are two types of hairstylists – creative and technical types. Who knew these two groups existed!
Aha!
I became giddy with delight that my former technical training and engineering could finally be combined with my creative side . It was easy for me to see the shapes in haircuts and my client’s face.
As I sought to apply my learning and aha! discovery, I struggled to find my own personal style that would make the difference in the confidence and natural beauty of my clients. This struggle turned out to be an 18-year journey.
While attending a class in New York in 2019, I had discovered a new way of looking at trends… everything from the classics… to boho inspired by the hippie era… all the way up to the extravagant avant-garde that we see walking the run-ways of New York and Paris. This new way of “seeing” allows me to help my clients find their own unique style.
I’m more than happy to sit down with you and make a consultation about achieving your goals and what your desired look, while at the same time being realistic about what we can achieve.