We recently connected with Helene Marie and have shared our conversation below.

Helene, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Are you happy a creative professional? Do you sometimes wonder what it would be like to work for someone else?

I know I am not alone in this moment because I have discussed it with fellow creatives. But the times in which I question, “I should just have a regular job” are when my calendar slows down. This stretch of days creates a false sense of insecurity, as if my schedule were not busy just the week prior. My slowest month has been January, post-holiday so it should be understandable. In my mind however, at the top of year is when I should be just as active as the end to set the tone for the new year. I begin overthinking about how proactive I was in the past year and see me days off as days I should have been working. This leads me to the thought “Maybe I should also have a regular ‘9-5’” to fill the downtime. The moment of clarity comes in a time of self-realization. When I look at the past year and instead, compare it to the year prior and see how much I grew. I see the elevation as opportunity to take note of what I did differently so I can apply it to the new year and achieve more of my goals, both business and personal. Sometimes this takes a few days, sometimes it takes a week or so. I stop being negative, stop allowing outside pressures deflect me from the choice I made for my life to be a hairstylist in an industry with ample room for growth and remind myself this is where I am supposed to be. I take the slow calendar to develop the business side, practice and develop beneficial to my craft. I also look at personal development and make decisions for it now that I have space to also focus on me as a person, not just the artist. This happened for me this year, January 2022. In the time that I didn’t work, I developed the discipline needed for effective workout regimens and began to eat healthier. I also assessed the needs of my business and made changes that fear had held me back from. I proceeded to book a 22-day long film job in February. Patience is a virtue.

Helene, 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?

I am Helene Marie. I am a freelance hairstylist of 7 years, based in Brooklyn, New York. I am not a hairstylist in the traditional sense, I have the opportunities and vision to work in multiple arenas where hairstylists are also needed. I provide hair services for magazine shoots – both beauty and fashion editorials, music videos, Webseries, movies, lifestyle, business, and much more. I do have private clientele that have various hair textures and requests. I provide hair CARE first before styling- hair health and retention are just as important to me as it is to clients that I encounter. I do not believe in sacrificing one’s hair health for a style, it is not an either-or conversation for me with my clients. I entered Aveda Institute of NY in 2015 with a hope and a prayer that cosmetology was my next step and it worked out in the best way after graduation. One of the amazing gifts that being a hairstylist has brought me is being able to travel to do my craft. I was able to go to Los Angeles multiple times for the art, to work for BET and an ongoing Webseries. There is a movie that I was lead hairstylist for a full-feature film that is now on Amazon. The beauty (no pun intended) of my career is that it also allows an element of giving back to communities and causes which has been important to me from the beginning. I have worked with notable charities and community organizations across the boroughs of New York City for health issues, children, and community concerns. I consider it an honor to do for those without receiving for the sake of being humble.
My ongoing career goal is to maintain the peace in my service. Everyone I work with, private or commercial client, should feel a sense of ease when getting their hair done. A difficult day for me is the transferring any bad energy during a service. This is not something that happens often, but it is key to me that my client feels that there is a neutralizing force between them and the negative to keep them feeling their best at the end of their styling. Even for photo/film sets, maintaining a positive attitude helps the talent perform at their best when they feel their best. The efforts I put into myself is just as important to what I put out into my work, my brand and artistry.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

Respect the artist. As being a creative/artist becomes more understood with the help of social media, the flooding is somewhat blurring how you should be treating artists. Regardless of overflow and the ability to book someone else when another does not meet one’s vision – society still needs to respect the artist. Pay them their dues without haggle, give them PROPER credit so that their skills are connected to them, and offer them opportunities without it being held over them.

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

The need for rest and resetting. Non-creatives tend to work in a structured world that have hard starts and stops. For many creatives, their work starts before the day they are actually scheduled to be present or provide the good/service. When a creative says they need to rest and chooses not to respond to business communication, they should not be bashed for this and called inefficient. Being a creative is a choice, and we choose it every day. It is a contract we sign with ourselves, and the commitment is dependent on us to show up. The level of accountability of self is not the same for an hourly worker so the pressure is more relieved. Rest is important. Reset is important.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: www.instagram.com/helene.marie
• Other: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm11114518/