We recently connected with Holly Meyers and have shared our conversation below.

Holly, thanks for taking the time to share your stories 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.

Leaps of faith (taking a risk) require not just faith you’ll be ok … They require careful planning, educating yourself on what you want to do and the skills it requires for what it is you are pursuing. Being ok with being told no. Most of all being flexible. But how do you know if it’s the right path? I think you must listen to your inner intuition. I know for me that takes some solitude and finding that time can be challenging when you have a young family or are very busy working and exhausted at the end of the day.
But you are worth the time it takes to move into a better place and unfortunately and fortunately the world shutting down gave me the perfect opportunity to take the space. That and my kids were older.
I think one must ask oneself, is this my right path and is it a risk I am willing to take and what are my other options? I know for me my options were limited and the thought of going backwards in my own life was something I was not willing to do. And we must advocate for our own happiness and our own successes. I also had to decide what made me happy. What did I consider success.
I knew for me I needed to do the things I need for myself and to create a foundation for a good life for my children. That helped me take a risk of branching out on my own. First as a real-life artist and second as an independent stylist and suite owner.
I had great success in navigating art opportunities and said yes to any opportunity that came way even making some of my own by risking the no and asking for them, and that drive helped me figure this out in opening my own suite. I have been a hairstylist for almost 30yrs navigating a pandemic which really hurt my industry and income and livelihood. The world felt divided in the care we could all take during it and a lot of us navigated shorter hours, exposure, income restrictions and pure exhaustion of this being so hard. It felt like starting over from the bottom.
My job in a local salon had restrictions and minimal hours for exposure. I had given up my car, missed important moments in my kid’s life while others went on vacations and went on with their lives per normal. That feeling really hurt me and truly made it easier for me to take a chance on my survival. Also, this wasn’t the first time I found myself in a really bad place financially and emotionally. It was a familiar feeling but this time I felt more empowered to help myself. I think some of that was my location and knowing I had support which I don’t know if I felt or had that before. The support before had debts to repay emotionally and financially. Some of this Madisonian community wanted me to succeed and do well with no strings attached, just for the sake of another person doing well and not struggling. That was a new feeling for me. One I won’t ever forget and one I will continue to share whenever and however I can.
Knowing this was on me to make the changes I needed but knowing I was supported through clients and friends made it easier.
I don’t know how to explain it other than I just wanted, needed more for myself and my children. I think I was lucky to be in a city where there is so much support through community and friends who supported me in branching out on my own working for myself.
Being a hairstylist requires human connection in the form of haircare and friendship. I get to know you and it helps with your hair and how can I create something with you to make your life more enjoyable whether it’s a creative ‘Hey LOOK AT ME” cut and color or a keep my hair on point each time with a little trim or I’m busy I need something I can feel confident with but get going on with my day also. I am lucky enough to be part of people’s lives while they sit with me and they share stories about themselves and share things I never knew about!
Being a hairstylist means I work with so many people and in opening my space I found so much support. I truly love what I do, it created so many amazing relationships and lots of creative hair. I’ve met people who have become a part of my life and world that even if they move, I still keep in touch (Thanks social media).

I’ve been to weddings and funerals and graduation parties and events of clients.
Because they are important, and they’ve made me feel important in this world.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Hairstyling is Another form of art for me. But before I became a hairstylist, I found myself married at the age of 20 and my ex was in the military which took us overseas and back to the states to a very southern Missouri military base. Before I married, I worked several jobs still living at home. I had dreams of art school. That wasn’t possible and I didn’t know how to make it possible. We had a fire in our home in my senior year 1990. I lost everything and even if I had my art, I do not know how I would have navigated attending and paying for college.

I was 24 by the time I came back stateside and found myself wanting to start a life for myself. My options were limited and outside of the military base was a cosmetology school in a small strip mall. It was my chance. I felt excited and thought this is something I think I can do and do it good.

I was able to graduate within the year and it was exciting to me. I loved the camaraderie and being with others fulfilling their creative and technical dreams.

We ended up moving and my ex and I parted ways at this time we also had a child and I found this career a great place to be a mom and support myself and my kid/s. I was able to work with local news anchors and local news stations in Missouri through the salon I was at. I was able to attain education and learn so many things vital to my industry.

Moving isn’t easy being a cosmetologist, but it is possible. Moving to Wisconsin years later I found another salon to work at and found friendship and classes and more opportunities. This creative career field allowed me time to work on art as well. Art became healing in my life.
I was able to meet people through my salon career which gave me people skills and navigating hair was a lot like navigating art and visa versa .
Color wheels, concepts, ideas, planning and then jumping in. I just felt at home in those creative places.

Through the years I had opportunities to work with local fashion shows and local musicians and magazine work. It created opportunities for me without taking me away from my children and being a single mom is a balance with personal, social, and work life.

As time passed, I found the clientele I see often and referrals are the biggest compliment. I sincerely do my best to show up professionally and authentically. Those 2 things seem easy but, in any industry, I think we have roles and making those mesh is something I work on.

I think for me showing up authentically and truly bringing the best I can is what I feel most proud of. Yes, I have off days as we all do. Its ok!

I find being my age, 52, our world is a lot for us. Aging, empty nesting, single, pet parents , figuring out who we are and what life we want. I have found a lot of others sitting in my chair expressing those feelings. I am thankful for life experience which I always felt I may have so little of only to find out it was just different than others. I love meeting younger folks finding themselves who they are and parents of those kids and all of us working together. I love being with people expressing who they truly are. It’s a very sacred important part of life. Being seen for who you are even when you are still figuring it out.

As far as branding I found my name Hiraeth taken from my art name when I first started out. I felt so vulnerable making art and sharing stories with my art. So I created a name to help me put myself out there.

The definition of Hiraeth “Welsh English.Originally and chiefly in the context of Wales and Welsh culture: deep longing for a person or thing which is absent or lost; yearning; nostalgia; spec. homesickness.”

It felt perfect for my business, It made me think of all the hairstyles we revisit, though we may have not lived thru the 70s we find ourselves drawn to those shags, those layers and wanting to feel that in a modern way. I think a lot of hair is like that. We are yearning for a feeling whether we lived in that era or not. We find ourselves drawn to something from the past and make it modern.

Now in my own space I am able to really educate myself in the things I want and like. The amazing thing about my industry is its always changing and we change with it.
I love telling people I remember using a round brush for the first time and foils for highlighting. Flexibility in allowing yourself to not know everything allowed me to learn a lot and continue to learn.

Pushing boundaries on what my age represents, hair color, styles, ageism in my industry is a very real thing.
Yet I feel lucky to be part of that change of how we perceive our fellow creators. And I hope to continue.
With social media it has opened up a whole world of creators and hairstylist out here creating amazing videos and photos. Sharing who they are and I do believe that allows clients to see who you are. It allows for a great connection and professional meshing.

As an artist and Hairstylist, I can’t imagine one without the other. Art has given me amazing opportunities and sometimes I even meet new clients through projects. I work locally with a group called Design for a Difference and I paint murals on walls working with a designer for the project. This group makeover a nonprofit in need in our community. They have numerous volunteers and I happen to be one of the artists whom work with them on several projects.
During the election in 2017 I became an advocate using art for shows in New York and Oakland , Brooklyn raising money donating my art and time. I was able to work with this group and do a social media takeover for move on.org and have art in a pop up shop at the Brooklyn museum .I was able to be me and share parts of who I was in life. Not having to compromise one for the other. I have a past client whom had a dream to wrote a childrens book I illustrated. And so my creative paths intertwined between hair and art. And that is definitely something I am proud of. The life i was able to carve out for myself.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The connections first and foremost. Being able to express something and make it into a reality is truly rewarding. Whether its a painting or a haircut, its about skill and putting those skills into motion. Of course hair is a faster process than a painting so there is a swifter action of implementing the thoughts and picture inspirations into a finished hairstyle. And there is no starting over on a haircut. I find that truly rewarding to be able to do that. I find it rewarding to have that trust with others who sit in my chair.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Opening my own suite as an individual business owner during a pandemic. And figuring it all out. Three years later I feel so much happiness and thankful for the support I had opening and staying open.
I had minimal resources and a lot of fear.

Who opens a business during a pandemic ?
Me.
I did.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://hollymeyersart.wixsite.com/my-site
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hiraeth_hair/
• Other: my salon site

  https://www.hiraethhair.com/