We recently connected with Nicole Stromberg and have shared our conversation below.

Nicole, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Going back to the beginning – how did you come up with the idea in the first place?

From a very young age, I have always had a pen and paper in my hand. I remember writing in my diary from Middle School through High School. I didn’t think much about it; I just knew that writing helped me share my secrets and thoughts in a book and that I would not be judged on anything and I always felt better after writing what was buried in my head. As I have matured and experienced what life throws our way, I realize why writing is so near and dear to me.
When I was 19, I was held at gunpoint and robbed at the fast-food restaurant where I worked. The gunman locked me and 3 others in a walk-in freezer after taking all the money from the registers. Thankfully, the handle on the freezer door was broken so we all made it out fine. Because of this, I became very frightened to be left alone in the dark. I was afraid to open closed doors because I unknowingly let the robber inside the building. I thought he was a friend of one of my co-workers. Boy was I wrong! I had a hard time feeling safe so my parents found a therapist to help me get through this experience. The therapist did one thing for me that helped me heal tremendously. He told me to “write”, and I have been doing that since. We don’t know what will shape our lives. I am grateful that my faith and the recommendation of that therapist have helped me get the healing I needed. With all of my heart, I believe that was the steps that began developing me as a writer early in my life. After the man was arrested, I was asked to come and identify him. I will never forget how my mother and I were escorted to our local State Police office, and they brought several men fitting my description in the line-up. I accurately identify that man, based on a class I had taken in Beauty School on facial shapes. Crazy I know! I took that fresh knowledge I had just learned to help put him behind bars where he was later convicted. That is a memory I will never forget.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I am a licensed Cosmetologist of nearly 30 years. I am a Salon Owner and a Cosmetology Instructor. I went to beauty school at the age of 19 and became a salon owner at the age of 23. I have always had an Entrepreneurial Spirit; it has served me well. I was always fascinated with the salon and hairdressers as a little girl. I enjoyed getting my hair done with my mother. As a little girl, I would sit in the bathroom and watch my mom get ready in the mornings. She was a well-put-together woman, and I admired her for that. I especially enjoyed the conversations during our time together in that bathroom. As I got older, I realized I wanted to help other women feel and look good and because of my learning disability, I knew college was not going to be for me. Dyslexia put a lot of limitations on me growing up. I didn’t have the best grades, and I really was not interested in the classes I had to take. I was a creative and competitive person. My interests were in fashion.
My parents were very instrumental in my learning and when they realized I enjoyed playing sports, dressing up, make-up, skincare, hair etc. They did not push the traditional college on me. I was in the 10th grade when I decided, I wanted to “do hair.” We found the best school for me and my reading problem, and I have not looked back. To this day, I want to look “put-together” like my parents. It makes me feel good about myself and that’s important to me. I became a hairdresser to help educate women and help them feel good about the skin they’re in. I want women to be comfortable looking in the mirror and the mirror and love what they see and every day I go to work I am fulfilling that dream.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

I get to use my God-given abilities to create, produce and earn a living while doing it. I love the flexibility I have. When my sons were young, I set my own hours based on their schedules and our family time. When my husband had to work late or go to meetings, I was able to plan my schedule accordingly, so it did not disrupt things. I can work as much as I like or as little.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

Yes. I am grateful for the journey of being a hairdresser all these years. In this next season of my life, I want to be able to do more work as a writer. I want to write more books. I want to teach women more about entrepreneurship and help them reach their full potential in who God has called each one of us to be. Freedom is our portion; we can have it in all areas of our lives if we believe.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://anstromberg.com
• Instagram: nicolestromberg_
• Facebook: Nicole-TheBeautyCoach

Image Credits

Keagan Stromberg, James Hopper Photography,