We were lucky to catch up with Ann Kliewer recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Ann, thanks for joining us today. Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?

I am a hairstylist. To some people this means I’m just a service provider, to me this means I can make a full-time living from my creative work. I have -always- been a creative and expressed my art in different ways. I did well in academics and always thought I’d take the more conventional route and become a teacher, veterinarian or orthodontist. I had never dreamt of being a hairstylist. I just wanted to succeed and make money so I could enjoy my life. My parents always encouraged us to go after our dreams and to work hard to make our dreams a reality. When I was in college, I started working at a salon as the front desk. It was at this “job” that I found my passion and career. I think everything shifted for me when I realized that I could have a career that I actually enjoyed. I could pour into something that fulfilled me. What do you mean I get to help people feel good about themselves while expressing myself through art?

When I was in cosmetology school, I did a lot of free hair to build my portfolio. I did showcases to show people my “art”. It was because of my passion and desire to be seen that I was asked to do New York Fashion Week. It was then because of my drive and ambition that I was asked to come back and do it again, and again. It is my ability to remain a student no matter how much I know or how much I do that keeps me climbing upward in my career. It is extremely important to build a network with like minded people and to do continuing education to stay on top of the trends. One of my favorite things to say is “Community and collaboration over competition”. My clients deserve the best! It took me roughly 2 years to build a solid clientele. People come and go but these relationships that I have formed behind the chair will always stay with me. If I were to change anything, it would be to fully dive into social media. I use instagram and tik tok and I have been able to get my name out there because of these platforms but social media is a full-time job on its own. If someone is wanting to be a hairstylist, my advice to you is don’t just do it to make good money. Do it because you love to create, you love to build relationships and you love to help the people around you transform into the best version of themselves. The money will follow and you will feel at peace throughout the chaos. Find a mentor that wants to teach you and wants you to be better than them and use social media to show the world your journey and what you’re capable of!

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I grew up in San Antonio with my mom, dad, and 2 brothers. My mother taught me empathy and how to be a leader while my father instilled a love for education and creative thinking in me from a young age. They always encouraged us to be creative and express ourselves.

I worked the front desk at a salon while I was going to college. It was at this job that I found my passion and the career I wanted to pursue! I went to the Aveda Institute in San Antonio where I dipped my toes into the world of beauty. I showcased my work throughout cosmetology school and from this was invited to participate in NYFW. Doing hair for NYFW is an absolute dream and I have been able to meet some incredible people.

There have been many struggles along the way but overcoming and growing through these things have made me into a better person and hairstylist. When salons closed due to COVID, I lost my job. I struggle with anxiety and depression and the uncertainty about my future was very hard to endure. This ended up being a blessing in disguise because I was able to fully work on myself, mentally and physically. My livelihood was surrounded by such uncertainty, but, in the midst of all the chaos was a new path and a joyful journey for me. I went from working at a salon in live oak to working at a salon downtown and was able to continue to grow my clientele through social media and word of mouth. Working at that salon was one of the hardest but most rewarding lessons I’ve ever experienced. It opened my eyes to the fact that some people just don’t want you to win and being around genuine people that actually want the best for you will make a worlds difference in how fast you progress. Leadership is so important! I am grateful for the negative as much as I am grateful for the positive because this salon taught me resilience.

I have been in the industry since 2019 but will be celebrating my 2 year anniversary at Alchemy Salon on March 30th. The way I have flourished here has meant the world to me. I have built meaningful connections and have continued to grow through every obstacle and opportunity that has been presented to me. I have been able to share my knowledge and expertise with other stylists through education. I love my time behind the chair and I’m always learning new techniques to use on my clients to improve their experience and results! There is passion and purpose behind what I do that keep me going.

While I am a professional and licensed hairstylist, I do still consider myself an artist or creative. I help promote the best versions of my clients through kindness, hard work, and continued education. I create relationships with the people who sit in my chair because I want them to feel as comfortable as possible while I curate a look just for them. I do custom colors, cuts, sew-in extensions and smoothing treatments but I would say I specialize in dimensional naturals, textured hair and long layers. I am known for going above and beyond for my clients to achieve their goals while maintaining the integrity of their hair.
I love to educate my clients and include them in the process. I am most proud of my mental and technical growth. My meticulous attention to detail and ability to communicate with my clients sets me apart from others.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

The first salon I worked at taught me how to hustle. They worked like machines and this made it difficult for me to feel like I was apart of the team when I was working with passion and purpose. I was criticized many times on my timing and my approach. I will never be a cookie cutter stylist. Social media opened my eyes. I saw stylists all around the world doing less clients and valuing their time and services higher to maintain the best experience for their clientele and to prevent burnout. I LOVE what I do, I want to do it for as long as my body will allow. I believe there is a salon and price point for everyone.

Where I really learned resilience was at my next salon. I was promised so many things that were not fulfilled. I have always worked for what I wanted, never depending on things to be handed to me. Throughout my time at this salon, that’s exactly what I did. I worked hard and I continued to build my clientele through social media and word of mouth. I put an emphasis on continued education and investing in myself and my craft. I just wanted to succeed and by working for this person, I felt like my success was also her success! Some people call themselves leaders but a true leader will build up the people around them instead of try to tear them down to stay on top. This person bullied me, stole from me, was inconsistent and most of all manipulative. Lack of leadership and integrity ultimately was the reason that chapter closed. Throughout everything, I choose to learn from my experiences instead of wallow in them and be the victim. I will never let someone treat me the way I was treated again. I will always keep my clients and my own best interest at heart.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

The best way to support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem is through referrals. Social media is such an integral component to building a business but before social media, there was word of mouth. If you go somewhere and you enjoyed your experience, tell people!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.vagaro.com/us04/alchemysalonsatx/book-now
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hairbyannmarie?igsh=eHJlbjEzY2dseHo2&utm_source=qr
• Other: Instagram: @hairbyannmarie
  TikTok: living.am

Image Credits

Instagram: @mtcphotography_
@801photoco