Today we’d like to introduce you to Megan Reynolds.
Megan, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Looking back on my life I suppose I was always destined to be a hair stylist. Of course, I did not see this for myself at the time, I was your typical directionless kid just trying to figure out this life. It wasn’t until my sister, Heather, suggested I try out beauty school. At that moment something clicked, so I signed up and began attending my local cosmetology school.
As it turns out, hair and hair knowledge came easy to me. I excelled not only in the written portion but also the practical side. Soon I learned I was going to be a mother so my career was briefly put on hold. When it was time to start back up, I accepted a job with a men’s salon doing mostly clipper style cuts. After two years with the company, I began feeling burnt out and a bit robotic. As a young, single mother I knew I had to do more to provide for my daughter, but what? The thought crossed my mind to leave hair entirely but thanks to my friend convincing me otherwise, I took the plunge and joined a commission based salon where I received additional training as a refresh.
Ten short months later, I heard news of this wonderful new booth rent salon opening up. A large portion of my peers left to join this salon and one month later I decided to throw myself into a new world once again. It was a tough decision to leave the commission salon as I knew absolutely nothing about business. With the support of my family and friends, I was able to grow my business and steadily gain more traction. Two years into booth renting I was booked solid for weeks out, it was clear that business was good and I was incredibly fulfilled. After four years in this open style booth rent salon, I could feel yet another shift coming on. I didn’t know at the time what it was but if I’ve learned anything on this journey, it was to trust my gut and go with what felt right. No matter how terrifying it may be. Not to mention how my growing daughter looks to me for strength and guidance, how could I not push myself further to show her what women are capable of?
Along came Novak Hair Studios, a large suite style salon with a twist. As soon as I spoke with the owners Ben & Justin, I knew this is where I needed to be. A sustainable salon is exactly what this earth needs and it felt so great to become a part of something more than myself. Through all of this, I managed to meet the love of my life and got married. Cody deserves so much credit for the person I am today. He is the hardest worker with a heart of gold and is as tough as nails; He pushes me to challenge myself daily, I have to give him credit because I don’t know that I would’ve opened up to find myself in this way without his guidance.
At this stage of my career, I’m generally booked about ten weeks out and my desire for growth has only continued to increase. There is a hunger in my soul for more, to learn more and to be more. I am constantly trying to be a better version of myself both professionally and personally. The years to come are exciting, to say the least, I can’t wait to see where this life takes me next!
Has it been a smooth road?
It definitely feels like I took the unpaved back road to get to where I am today but I wouldn’t trade it for the world! The challenges I faced along the way helped shape who I am. After a couple of failed attempts at college, I landed my sights on beauty school. Once I began, I knew I was finally on the right path. I’ve always been a creative spirit but never was interested in art programs. Hair was such a great way for me to express myself creatively; it felt natural. I must admit that I was terrified when I discovered I was going to have a baby because of the fear of losing my career before it even began. Little did I know becoming a mother would be the absolute best thing that would happen. There was a purpose to life that I didn’t see before and she ignited a fire in my soul that was always there pushing me to keep moving forward.
When I got the job with men’s salon, it was out of pure necessity. The opportunity to leave and join my dream salon from beauty school came up and I could not resist. This, unfortunately, meant that I needed to take a pay cut before I could move forward. I kept pushing, kept telling myself that if I could just work a little harder, we would be alright. Perseverance pays off! Ten months was all I had in that salon before I realized it wasn’t a good fit for me. After an incredible amount of thought and a little wine… I decided to move to booth renting. Let me tell you about fear, goodness I was terrified. What did I know about business or running a business? Intuition told me to pursue it anyway, I would figure it out just like I always do. Failure was not an option. The lesson I learned from all of this is, do not ever let fear hold you back. All good things take time you just have to overcome your fears and push yourself a little bit more.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
As an independent contractor, I have the freedom to run my business; however, I like and I love it! Customer service is such an important aspect to what we do. It is what can set you apart from others who only see dollar signs. I genuinely care for my guests and their hair; it’s only natural that I joined a company who has a similar vision. Novak has a team to help keep the salon running smoothly which many have expressed makes them feel spoiled.
As for my abilities, balayage and redheads will always hold a special place in my heart. When I hand paint, I can’t help but to feel joy. I love seeing the blend and the process is just as beautiful to me as the final product. I pushed myself to learn balayage and yeah, was a rocky start. I was self-taught as the technique was not popular when I attended school back in 2010. I remember the first time I did a successful balayage, I was over the moon! From that moment on I soaked up as much education as I could to master this artistry. Recently I attended a balayage class in Austin because you can never learn too much. Trends come and go but balayage will always remain a staple in my toolbelt for as long as I can help it.
My passion for red hair came when I decided to go red. When I saw myself with copper hair for the first time, I was floored! “This is who I’m meant to be,” I thought. From there I played with many different formulations on myself and my guests. Slowly I built a following of redheaded beauties. I’m not sure what it is about red that draws me in. Maybe it’s the feisty attitude that takes over or the fact that not many have it, who knows. Many of my former blonde guests have come to feel the same way. I could see it in their eyes during the big reveal. They had found themselves too.
Overall I believe that it is my ability to truly care for my guests that sets me apart. We have shared many moments together that range from happiness, loss, insecurities, marriage, new babies and more. So many guests have touched my heart in a way I never expected and I hope they feel the same way about me.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
The Fort Worth & Dallas areas are the best possible places for hair stylists! There are so many opportunities for education and art with a wide variety of clientele to choose from. Dallas/Fort Worth is known for having unique shops of all sorts. There’s a little bit of something for everyone! Not to mention the growing market, everything is bigger in Texas and that goes for our businesses as well.
Contact Info:
- Address: Meg.Rey at Novak Hair Studios
250 W. Lancaster Ave.
Fort Worth, TX 76102 - Phone: (817)592-4247
- Email: meg.rey@babesandbalayage.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/meg.rey/
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/hairbymeg.rey/
Image Credit:
Jami Scull, Destynie Paige
Getting in touch: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
