Like so many kids I spent most of my days dressing up my Barbies and styling their hair, and as I grew older, style became something I actively observed. At church on Sundays, I would look out for the best-dressed ladies. I loved noting the way they presented themselves — their shoes, their hosiery, how a particular woman styled her hair — and cataloging these details came naturally to me. As a preteen, this sense of observation and play evolved into the clothing, makeup, and outfits I wore myself. Evoking a sense of style was not something I necessarily strived for, it merely arose out of my love for it.
Hat | Hourglass Eyebrow Pencil | OGEE Sculpted Face Kit | Tarte Amazonian Clay Foundation
Beyond being a time when I realized my love of creative self-presentation, my formative years were also when I discovered a character whose independence I admired above all else. Like many of us in the West Michigan bubble, I grew up in a loving household that was also very religious. Predictably, as a young child I was not yet capable of understanding the character of my family’s faith as both protective and fulfilling; I could only grasp how it felt: rigid and restrictive.
When “Pretty Woman” came out, starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere, it was a known thing that I would never, ever be allowed to watch it. (Word to the wise: never tell your children they're completely forbidden from doing something, it will only make it more enticing!) It didn’t take long for my mother to realize that I had indeed watched the movie at a sleepover. Of course, she was upset, and in her heated anger she said: “Let me guess you probably want to be just like Julia Roberts, don’t you?” You might guess the same, but I remember feeling in my gut: "I don't want to be Julia Roberts, I want to be Richard Gere." My fascination with his character wasn't about a hired hooker, it was about him being able to command a room, an office, or any space he occupied. His ability to spend money at a whim in any way he chose, and all while driving a car terribly—which did not put a dent in his worth or confidence. It was his freedom that captured me.
Getting My Start | My Career
I began working towards my sense of freedom when I was 14 years old. A shop that made custom-dipped candles let me get my start in a retail position (the business is still open at Dutch Village in Holland, Michigan). Despite my rather emboldened intentions, I was horrible at it—as probably any 14-year-old working a first job would be. But, there were plenty of things that I learned and I'm so grateful that they were even willing to entertain such a young person working for them. Afterwards, I enjoyed working at a local bakery before settling into retail during my high-school years. Above all, my various positions allowed me to discover I was a quick learner and showed real attention to detail.
I was a bit peculiar in that I didn’t really enjoy being a kid because being one came at the expense of my autonomy. (Little Quinn yearned for sovereignty, the likes of Richard Gere!) Determined to chart my own path, I set my sights on doing cosmetology school during my high school class time. I spent my senior year at the local technical center, where I discovered my suitability for helping others achieve their style. In my second year of cosmetology school, I became a receptionist at a local hair salon, where I’d eventually have my first position as a licensed Cosmetologist. Ever the fast learner, I was able to earn the admiration of the salon’s owners: Diane and Sharon, and grew quickly.
There were quite a few bumps in the road, my salon’s ownership fluctuated, and amid that turmoil, I married my high school sweetheart at age 18. Three months after my vows, I was pregnant. Looking back now, I have to laugh while thinking: “Wow, that was certainly a strange way to jumpstart my life!” Two more children quickly followed to equal three total, each 15 months apart: Jack, Brady, and Summer. Unfortunately, the joy brought by our children was followed by a nightmare. Divorce is bitter for everyone involved, and unfortunately, being the kids we were, neither I nor my ex-husband had the emotional maturity to handle such a painful and volatile event with the tact that such a situation so desperately requires. Despite the tension and friction that existed post-divorce, I am oh so thankful that we were able to develop the close-knit, blended family we have today. Today, our children are the same age that we were then, and upon imagining themselves single with three children... Well, they find themselves speechless.
While my divorce left me with no home, no car, and no money, I couldn’t help but feel thrilled, because I was able to truly start making my own decisions, with the three best friends a girl could have! Alongside that optimism came the reality that I was my children’s primary caregiver, and working less than 12 hours a week in the hair industry was not enough to support us. I had the fantastic idea to start working at a local hardware store from five in the morning until two in the afternoon. The only catch was I didn't have a vehicle, so that fell on the shoulders of my fellow stylists at the salon who were kind enough to cart me around from job to job. (I cannot thank those girls enough for saving me!) It was a period of hazy and erratic thinking, being completely on my own financially, and trying to make everything work.
Getting My Start | Focusing on Family
Because life sometimes has divine timing, I soon met my now husband. He referred to me as “the hardware girl.” I was so offended because I had always thought of myself as a creative stylist! He very logically responded to my offense with “you do work at the hardware store, right?” The next day I quit that hardware job and committed myself to grow a beautiful, luxury clientele at the salon. His words were a much needed reminder that gave me perspective and improved my focus. Throughout the 18 years since that pivotal decision, I’ve come to realize the importance of a realistic perspective, focus, and determination when we commit to our aspirations.
A few years after I quit the hardware job to pursue my goals, the two of us were married. Soon after, our household grew by two with the arrival of Georgia and Luke. My oldest daughter jokes about the dichotomy among my multiple modes: a motherly Martha Stewart home designer, forever clashing with my wannabe Richard Gere persona.
Curling Iron | Hourglass Eyebrow Pencil | OGEE Sculpted Face Kit | Tarte Amazonian Clay Foundation
I continued growing and learning in the cosmetology industry and soon had a duality of good and bad within my beautiful career: my clientele consisted of my favorite people who I felt it was my privilege to care for, while on the flip side, my then boss’ attitude towards me was becoming stiflingly toxic. I may have been a rockstar stylist, but my hard work was not admired. Unfortunately, my development was seen as a threat. This set the tone for what came next.
On a random weekday, we heard a knock at our front door, and my five children gathered to see who had come to visit. It was a police officer with my boss directly behind him, stating that I had possession of proprietary property that was to be turned over immediately. It was never made clear exactly what I had “taken,” but needless to say, I was fired then and there, in my own home. Stunned, I grasped random papers that I had in my purse and tossed them. My husband, enraged at her audacity to come to our home, was told to pipe down by the officer. While this scene is rather comedic looking back, and my boss' allegations were harmless (because I had not taken anything), the ramifications of her actions were incredibly daunting.
The key context for this snappy decision on my boss’ part is that my husband was not a legal citizen at that time. He was born in Australia and despite his ongoing immigration process, he was not far enough along for the Immigration Act of 2007. The act resulted in his driver's license being revoked and subsequently, his ability to work. As a result, I had become the sole provider for him and our five children. (We had essentially switched roles. He became the primary caregiver and I became the sole provider. We embraced this with a lot of grace while patiently waiting to make our way through the slow-moving immigration process.) My job, my boss knew, was what supported my big family. Remember what I said about focus and determination? When you have to make things work, you just simply get it done. So where is a rockstar stylist to go with her enormous clientele of amazing community members? I found solace at a lovely little local salon named Gretchen's Landing.
Gretchen's Landing had been in business for 35+ years and the owner, Gretchen, was looking to sell her business so she could retire. Essentially, Gretchen became my fairy godmother. With warmth and grace, she gave me a roof over my head to care for my community. From day one, I was honest and open with Gretchen about my career plans; we spoke privately about how I was looking for a salon to purchase, or space to make my own. Before long, Gretchen was having earnest conversations about me purchasing her business. In an odd twist of fate, the old salon that I had just been fired from closed, and the owners of the commercial space gave me a call, asking if I would consider coming back and opening the salon myself. The first person I called was Gretchen and she toured the space with me.
Quinn Vise Hair Design & Co. Services
Beyond being a terrific and knowledgeable gal to attend the tour with, I also wanted to ensure that she was shown the respect and honesty she deserved through any transition that I was going to make. As we viewed the vacated space, she calmly sat me down and said to me: “What do you think about me and the team following you over here? I think you should take it.” It was a beautiful moment, where I think she knew that I was ready. There had been a lot of change with the new blood that came into her salon, and new energy for me being there. It was extremely gratifying to conclude a rather tumultuous turn of events with honesty and respect, from both of us.
Quinn Vise Hair Design & Co. Services
Now here we are at the beginning of 2023, and Quinn Vise Hair Design & Co. has just celebrated its eighth anniversary. Not bad for a girl with some roller-coaster events that brought her here. I’m proud of myself, and I hope that you are, too. Take time to marvel and find joy in your journey.
Bar Cart | Outliers Book | Dare to Lead Book | Lovemarks Book | The Hero with a Thousand Faces Book
Oh, and in case you were curious, my husband's immigration situation worked out, he was granted status amid the pandemic lockdown. Divine (and comedic) timing, indeed.
Olaplex Treatment Kit | Olaplex No. 3 | Olaplex No. 4 | Olaplex No. 5 | Olaplex No. 7
I look forward to walking alongside you on life’s adventures. Until then, here are a few links to items I found helpful as I took notes on appreciating the past, living in the present, and dreaming for the future:
Beauty Favorites | From Amazon
Hourglass Eyebrow Pencil | OGEE Sculpted Face Kit | Tarte Amazonian Clay Foundation
Mirror | Curling Iron | Olaplex Treatment Kit | Olaplex No. 3 | Olaplex No. 4 | Olaplex No. 5 | Olaplex No. 7
Finding your go-to and favorite products is its own challenge. However, I've done some of the heavy lifting for you and these items are all luxury hair stylist approved! Working on my feet and longer hours behind the chair means that I need to rely on makeup and hair products that keep me feeling and looking my best all day. I typically reach for my BabylissPRO Titanium Pro Curling Iron and is a steal for this quality of an iron at just under $60. Not only does the titanium iron help hold a curl, but actually is better on your hair (as much as heat can be good on your hair, ha!).
Home Finds and Favorites | From Amazon
Light Fixture | World Map Wall Decor | Cups | Serving Tray | Utensils | Table Runner | Plates | Chargers
I'm so excited to share with you all the items I've used in my home to make my home feel like me. I love dark and moody aesthetic, so these dark plates are a MUST. They provide such a beautiful contrast to the delicious food I serve those closest to me. Plus, these adorable gold utensils are too cute to pair with your dining sets. I love to mix up the texture and textiles within my home so this table runner is perfect to blend all the different materials I have in my dining space.
Quinn's Picks | The QUINNESSENTIALS
Hat | Outliers Book | Dare to Lead Book | Lovemarks Book | The Hero with a Thousand Faces Book
Cups | Bar Cart | Quinn Popcorn | Satin P.J. Set
The QUINNESSENTIAL items I can't go without...what's not to love? From popcorn with my name on it to this chic bar cart, I love finding and sifting through all the products and items that make my day a bit easier, brighter, and more fashion-forward. There's something about cozying up in my satin P.J. set that with my cute cup and reading a good book that completely centers and relaxes me. Highly recommend reading Outliers, Dare to Lead, Lovemarks, and The Hero with a Thousand Faces Book if you haven't had the opportunity to just yet. Cuddle up with your favorite blanket and enjoy!
I look forward to sharing more insights, favorite finds, and all the seasonally curated QUINNESSENTIALS. For updates sent straight to your inbox, be sure to CLICK HERE and you'll be the first to know!
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All opinions are that of my own. Some of the links are affiliate links where I earn a small commission should you make a purchase. Thank you for continuing to support me in everything I do.