We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Des McAdam. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Des below.

Alright, Des thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

The first risk I took was taking the jump of leaving the world of the music industry and going towards my dream of getting licensed in cosmetology. That was back in 2020, for obvious reasons the world had suddenly stopped, everything I wanted to do seemed to come to a halt but I signed up, and went into it with a positive mind set. I chose the Aveda institute to study at, they had a great adaptive nature to the worlds circumstances and changed their curriculum to truly still be able to help their student learn and grow. I was in love, from free premium online education to hybrid model learning, I never felt I missed out. The second risk in my career was jumping straight into booth renting. I knew I wanted to work behind the chair but I also knew I wanted the flexibility to work my freelance jobs and be creative. That’s where I found my place at the salon I’d call home, the residence Art and beauty co, I was surrounded by artists who saw the world of hair just as I did, as more than just a highlight and toner. I was always inspired and motivated to create, and suddenly that’s how my fashion and editorial work started. I got my foot in the door doing session work in AZ and LA, and even had extra time to do some fun side projects that ended up being published. The third risk was moving to a different state. Taking a job and being licensed in California. It’s always been a dream to make it back to California, and the final and most official step was applying for my California cosmetology license which was granted to me. Soon after I secured a job at a brand new concept salon and I’m so excited to start my journey there. You only learn and grow and become the best you can be if you’re willing to take scary chances. Starting over is never easy, but I think it’s the best way to see what you can really accomplish if you take the chance.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Based in Los Angeles, I am a hairstylist, makeup artist, and creative director whose work bridges the worlds of beauty, fashion, and artistry. With a practice that extends from behind the chair to freelance and editorial projects, I specialize in creating looks that are both timeless and transformative. My approach combines technical expertise with a strong creative vision, allowing me to craft personalized styles for clients while also developing bold, conceptual work for shoots and collaborations. What distinguishes my work is the balance of precision and creativity. I aim not only to enhance beauty but also to tell a story through every detail. I take pride in cultivating meaningful connections with clients and collaborators alike, and I want readers to know that my brand is defined by artistry, authenticity, and the belief that beauty should feel as powerful as it looks.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

Starting out in Arizona, the market for the looks and concepts I wanted to create weren’t there. I wanted to create a high fashion, edgy editorial landscape and show that Arizona could really house that vision. I started by creating casting calls, and all were invited to help me create the vision. I invited models, photographers. Stylists. Anyone who wanted to be apart of it. And slowly but surely we created a team of creatives who shared the same vision. Arizona doesn’t haven’t to be a commercial market, we can be edgy, fun, and weird. That’s how I gained traction bringing something to a landscape that didn’t exist before really. No one was producing the things my team and I were and I’ll forever be grateful to all those people I met who were open to being weird with me.

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

The way I build new clients and ensure I stay busy is social media. The main place, surprisingly, is Facebook. I post in groups regularly. Mom groups, college groups, etc to get new clients in my chair and model and actress groups to get new people for my fashion work. There’s hundreds of people in those groups just waiting for a chance, a discount, someone who can help them an in return help you. Automatically we think of Instagram as a way to grow but in reality that’s over saturated, try your hand at the untapped markets and see where it can take you. While I use Instagram and TikTok my main client base was grown through Facebook groups.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mcadamartistry?igsh=ejFyejczczdqYnYz
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1Fxh5N97Z6/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Image Credits

Chris G Robin Campos Des McAdam