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

Hi Chanel, thanks for joining us today. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?

I am a hairstylist, going on 13 years of experience, specializing in the art of cutting. I currently work downtown Toronto at THIC Studio. My mission in this industry is to make people look and feel as beautiful on the outside as they are on the inside. I truly believe that everyone deserves to feel their best. Hair is very personal for many people and can greatly impact their confidence. So many people have had negative experiences with their hair, myself included, and because of this I was inclined to join the industry to not only raise the standard, but to ensure that my own clients leave my chair feeling confident.

Chanel, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My name is Chanel Barcham and I am a Hairstylist. I started my career at Aveda Institute in 2011. Prior to attending hair school, I was actually going to take a year off because..I’m 17…I don’t know what I want to do for the rest of my life! When I was in highschool, I took a cosmetology program, and my teacher (shoutout Ms. Percival) at the time asked me what I was going to do next year, as I was in my final year. I told her “I’ll likely take a year off to figure that out.” She said “You’re not going into hair? You should!” with such enthusiasm. She had pushed me to check out at least one hair school on the list that she had provided for me. I was extremely hesitant at first, considering I was not the most outgoing person, not to mention how many times I have gone for a haircut that I hated. I’d never want to do that to anyone, it made me nervous to say the least. However, she was one of those cool teachers that you liked and trusted, so I did my research and booked an appointment at Aveda Institute. And not to sound corny, but the rest was history.
I walked into the building, and just the smell of the products, the sound of the blowdryers, I was mesmerized.
A 17 year old me was extremely impressed and couldn’t wait to start.
So after hair school, I started working and gaining experience. I dove right into colouring and cutting, but I quickly learned what I enjoyed more.
I began to specialize in hair cutting around 2-3 years into my career.
I entered a few competitions early on, and actually made top 15 across Canada for Wella Trend Vision in 2015, which was massive for me. I was extremely proud of myself for being brave enough to enter and getting my art out there.
As I have sifted through my career, I have done my absolute best to help my clients with any issues they may face regarding their hair. I believe what I do on a daily basis is very personal and intimate, so I really do try to connect with my clients on a deeper level as well. We talk anything from hair to personal development, but it doesn’t stop there. I think all hairstylists can agree that we are mini therapists, in our own way. (Not taking away from actual therapists) But we have our own little one on one sessions, and that’s truly what makes my job so special. I love the art and the technical aspect of what I do, but I also love seeing what my clients are up to and really touching lives along the way. As many laughs and deep conversations as we’ve had, I’ve also had many clients become emotional in my chair, telling me that they haven’t felt this beautiful in what seems like forever. The best part of my day is being able to do that for them.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

Building a reputation within this industry often pertains to the relationship and trust between a client and their stylist. As I stated earlier, a major motivation for me to become a good stylist was witnessing the common experience of people being unhappy after getting their hair done. What I find most valuable in developing a positive reputation for myself was building the trust between me and my clients and truly listening to them throughout the entire process. My clients often recognize my attention to detail, and this builds the long term trust between us. I truly value and care about my client’s hair and their experience in my chair.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

I believe everyone is creative, to a certain extent and in their own regard. However, this is an interesting question because I believe that no one will ever know what it is like to be someone else. My creative journey is not for anyone to understand, much like how their journey and life without art is not for me to understand. With that being said, I think some people may struggle to understand the vulnerability that comes with being an artist. To be able to constantly put yourself out there, day in and day out, even when no one is cheering for you. It’s a very sensitive position to be in. They also may not understand our need for perfection, in every aspect of our craft. “No its perfect.” “Don’t stress it so much.” “It’s not a big deal.”
These remarks go in one ear and out the other for a lot of artists, as it is more than “just art” and we don’t do it “just for fun.” Some people don’t understand that it’s almost a necessity.
Ultimately, I think they underestimate the importance of what we are trying to convey through our art.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: profechanell

Image Credits
Gillian Wynn-Lawson