We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Angie Williams a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Angie, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Over the course of your career, have you seen or experienced your field completely flip-flop or change course on something?

In the glitz and glam world of the beauty industry, I had my very own D-R-A-M-A, filled with snubs and stylish sneers. Picture this: fresh out of Cosmetology School, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, witnesses seasoned Stylists and Salon Owners turning up their noses higher than a Kardashian’s contour when asked for help or dishing dirt on other stylists. “That is so Gross!” I thought , cringing at the cut-throat vibe like spotting split ends on prom night.

Fast forward a little, and Ashley, a high school acquaintance-turned-esthetician-extraordinaire, decides to blow my mind with generosity—sharing her guest list, no less! I thought, “Whoa, we need more people like Ashley!” but I realized I didn’t have anything to share yet so I waited .

As the years rolled by I celebrated a milestone—15 years behind the chair—something magical happened. I discovered my power, my niche, and let’s not forget, : sharing is caring, even in the beauty biz. Enter the birth of “Intentional Hairdresser Workshops,” My brainchild where the mantra was Work Smarter Not Harder , It doesn’t get easier you become INTENTIONAL & Lets Get Intentional!

Now, instead of clinging to our trade secrets like how to grow your intentional guest book or how to nail the perfect Bob Haircut like a lifeboat in a sea of bleach, The Intentional Hairdresser Workshops tribe—our squad of Coaches and Educators— that we have worked with along the way , aimed high on integrity while generously sharing their know-how like a free-flowing bottle of dry shampoo. Because guess what? There really are more than enough heads of hair to go around. Talk about a beautiful evolution!

Angie, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Intentional Hairdresser Workshops (IHW) empower stylists to grow authentically and purposefully in their careers and personal lives. By participating in IHW, you can expect:

Authentic Growth, being able to develop your unique style and voice as a hairstylist, fostering genuine connections with clients and colleagues. Not paying attention to the number of likes on your feed but rather the numbers in your bank account, those are the numbers that matter . Not paying for likes so that you ” SEEM” reliable but the actual butt’s in your chair likes.

Unfiltered Creativity: Learn to express yourself freely, breaking away from conventional techniques, and embracing your artistic flair.

Qe pride ourselves in enjoying the lives we have built in and out of the salon through Intentional Living: Cultivating mindfulness and intentionality, helping you balance work-life and personal well-being.

Comprehensive Education by gaining access to innovative techniques, business strategies, and personal development tools tailored to enhance both professional and personal growth and sharing resources when we don’t jlhave the answers , through transparency creates real relationships.

Community Support, when you join a supportive network of like-minded professionals, encouraging collaboration and knowledge-sharing to thrive together.

With IHW, expect to transform not just your practice behind the chair, but also your approach to life, ensuring a fulfilling, successful journey.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

In its first six years, IHW focused on technical skills, such as techniques, color placement, and precision cutting, along with social media strategies and retail numbers, which emphasized working smarter. A major pivot occurred during a reflective moment, leading to a new journey named “Unfiltered Adventures,” collaborating with coaches Judy James and Kaz Hazell. This initiative involves gatherings in places like Estes Park, Colorado, encouraging authenticity and shedding burdensome obligations.

Another significant shift is the addition of “Coaching to Coach Cancun,” featuring Coaches Judy James & Kaylee Concannon, a four-day event offering personalized and group coaching aimed at helping stylists maximize their potential while enjoying engaging nighttime activities.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

A lesson I had to unlearn is embracing the mindset of perfectionism. For the longest time, I identified as a recovering perfectionist. I wouldn’t dare embark on something unless I was sure I’d exceed expectations, which weighed heavily on me. This tendency led me to procrastinate or obsess over every detail beyond necessity. Sharing my thoughts was out of the question, as I feared ridicule or skepticism, overshadowing my efforts and potential.

As I delved deeper into improving my mental health, I recognized that those traits—pleasing everyone and being a perfectionist—weren’t admirable medals but rather scars from something I’d long avoided confronting. While the perfectionist inside me occasionally tries to reemerge, I’ve learned how to manage it.

Now, when I have ideas, I create a roadmap of my vision and consult with loved ones for feedback. I’ve realized that striving to do everything perfectly doesn’t equate to living a fulfilled life. Life is abundant with opportunities, but fear of failure can hinder seizing them. Today, I understand that failure is merely a chapter that contributes to the broader narrative—it is not the final story. Embracing occasional failures is vital because they are integral to shaping a profound, successful outcome. So, my advice is to allow yourself to fail a little.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Intentionalhairdresser.wordpress.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/intentionalhairdresser?igsh=eGN4eDJ0MjI4NWls
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/18yzhK64nS/?mibextid=qi2Omg

Image Credits

Haylee Sue Fritz Creations – Stl , Mo

Christian Feltmeyer – Illinois