We recently connected with KJ Murphy and have shared our conversation below.
KJ, appreciate you joining us today. Let’s go back in time to when you were an intern or apprentice – what’s an interesting story you can share from that stage of your career?
Ok….I have a story for you…..back when I had first started in the industry I worked at this super fancy high end salon in this very old money neighborhood. We mostly got people that just wanted your normal blonde highlights with long layers or little old ladies. However, one day this guest came in looking for a razor pixie haircut. She was given to me because I was kind of the rebel and known in the salon for doing more artistic hair services. So this Lady sit in my chair and tells me she wants a razor haircut and she shows me a photo she had cut from a magazine what was about the size of a post stamp and only showed the front of the cut. So during our consultation we talked about the back and she said “I just don’t want it to look like a dog butt in the back”. Me thinking that I totally knew what she meant proceeds to cut the back…..far too short…..and apparently it looked just like a dog behind to her when we were all done. This woman then tells me she is fine, it will grow, and goes to check out at the front desk. Little did I know she actually went to the bathroom and started to full on ugly cry. Everyone in the salon could hear her. The owner of the salon calmed her down and handled the situation (mind you I have no idea any of this is going on upstairs). The owner then comes down to me and we go over what had taken place. Ultimately I had learned just how important an in-depth consultation is to any successful service. I should have had her explain more to me what “dog butt” meant to her and not just assumed I knew what that meant. I should have taken the time to look up more photos and really make sure she knew and I knew what she was looking for. After that experience the owner of the salon worked even more with me during my apprenticeship to make sure my cutting skills were sharp! Honestly its probably what has made me the cutting educator I am today!
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.
I am a hair artist and educator based out of Denver, Colorado. I own a small salon space in the Hale Neighborhood in Denver call Alien Hair Artist Studio and prides itself on creating beautiful hair for anyone and everyone that walks in our doors. I also am an Artistic Brand Educator for Kenra Professional and get to travel to world sharing my passion for the beauty industry! It has been one of the most fulfilling jobs I have ever had. I have been a licensed for 10 years now in Colorado and it crazy to think that it was long ago. I went to Paul Mitchel the school in Colorado Springs and got my start there. Moving to Denver in 2017 and building my brand Alien Hair Artist over that last few years. I have had the pleasure of working Denver Fashion Week and many other events as well as plenty of commercial shoots. I have a passion for creating art both behind the chair and behind the camera. As well as educating along the way! I feel like we are better together and I love getting to collaborate with other artists in new and exciting ways. I am so excited to keep traveling and sharing my passion with others while also making some amazing hair!
If you could go back in time, do you think you would have chosen a different profession or specialty?
If I could go back in time, I would absolutely still pick the same career! I never thought in a million years that just by getting my cosmetologist and barber licenses that I would have gotten all the amazing experiences that I have. And they just keep coming! This artistic career has allowed me to have flexibility in my life and build up a business for myself that I can be proud of. It has taken me to places that I never thought I would go and given me experience I could only dream of. I went into beauty school, assuming that one day I would probably leave the industry to go back to theatre. Yet here I am, 10 years later, still loving my career. In my time throughout beauty school I saw that I could do so much more with this license than just working behind the chair. I could work fashion events, commercials, platform artist, education, business owner, and so, so much more! Seeing that I could do so much made me want to pursue even more in the beauty industry. Not just as a hairdresser but as an artist. Viewing hair as more that just something on our heads that needs cuts every 6-8 weeks, but as a new medium that I can sculp, shape, color, mold, and create amazing works of art out of. So if I could go back in time……I wouldn’t change my career, I’d just tell myself to invest sooner.
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
I think that one of the things that has build up my reputation in this industry is my honesty, creativity, and, determination. I have always said it better to be honest and hated than lie and loved. I would rather you hate me for who I really am than love me for the lie I am trying to be. Life is so much easier if you are honest with yourself and others than trying to lie about yourself. Its exhausting to keep up the façade and I would rather just be me. I also have always been a “go getter” and determined to achieve my goals. When I have wanted to do something, I get it done. If I want something I ask who I need to for it and put in the work the make it mine. Remember a closed mouth doesn’t get fed. So open that mouth, say what you want, and go get it! Also being extra creative, flexing those artistic skills to show off is always helpful in an industry full of sparkle people.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alienhairaritst
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alienhairartist
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@alienhairaritst
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/alien-hair-artist-denver?osq=Alien+Hair+Artist
