Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Savanna Mincy. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Savanna, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What did your parents do right and how has that impacted you in your life and career?
When I think of my parents, specifically my mom, I feel wildly blessed that I’ve never had to wonder if she is proud of me. I know that sounds cliche, but let me explain further. My mom is in awe of us three kids and we feel that wherever we go and in whatever we do. She built into us a confidence that is steel proof, both confidence in ourselves and knowing we have her full confidence in us. Often I get asked, “What did your Mom do to make all three of you turn out like this?” and to that I always answer: she was honest with us. Not in the way some parents tell stories of their past to instill a fear in their children to avoid making their same mistakes, but she spent a lot of TIME with us, both talking and listening. I believe that this skill set in her came from her parents (my wonderful grandparents), Dan and Jean, and my step-Papa John. They’re worth mentioning here as backstory to why our whole family is business-minded. All three born-entrepreneurs in their own ways and highly successful at everything they touched. My Grandpa Dan Campbell, “G.C.” as he liked to be called, was a renowned public speaker who traveled the US teaching businesses and employees how to have a healthy mindset and truly, to your core, believe you can do the task set before you.
When we were little, we were not allowed to say “I can’t.” He would correct us and say, “you CAN, you just don’t know how at the moment.”
That being said, I cannot remember a single time in my life that my mom shot down one of my ideas and believe me, I have had a lot! I hardly remember her saying no to me in my childhood. As a result, I sometimes forget the word exists when it comes to my current-day dreams.
Unfortunately, my father passed in my youth and the encouragement he offered 0ver my life was cut short. However, I remember a similar feeling of pride in my God-given gifts and encouragement to use them to their highest potential. He used to say I’d be a triple threat: Singer, Actress, and Dancer. This came from my deep rooted desire to entertain people, which he recognized from a young age. While in real life I am not professionally any of the three, I recently have fallen in love with exploring my abilities in the dance world and hope to never stop growing my hidden gifts.
What my parents did right was this: they made me feel there was no limit to the talents I HAVE. They did not make the common mistake of telling me I “could be anything I wanted to be.” If my dream was to play for the NBA, I’m fully aware no matter how hard I try, I’m still 5’3 and have the coordination of a newborn deer. But I feel there is no limit to what I can do within the confines of my own talents.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Wow, every time someone asks me the question of how I got where I am now, I have to look back and smile with gratitude. To give you the unnecessary details fast, I was never a huge fan of school. Coming from a family who has few to no college graduates, it didn’t dawn on me that I didn’t have to go to college until I was sitting at the computer picking my fall semester professors 2 days before community college enrollment. Naturally, all the good ones were taken and I’ll never forget thinking to myself, “I don’t want to do this.” I walked in my moms office and told her the same, and her reply was, “Then don’t.” What? I’m the oldest girl in our family, which breeds a notoriously Type-A perfectionist and I seriously didn’t know THAT was an option. SO what do I do then? I had loose dreams of becoming a police officer amongst many other careers. I thought seriously of exploring marine biology, considered a full-time business selling shoeboxes that I used to custom paint (shout out if you ever got one of those, now that’s vintage), and had fantasies about personal assisting a celebrity. Her suggestion was simple. try out the beauty school down the road. I enrolled the next month and remember telling people that “hair” was not going to be my final career choice. Things changed when I realized so much of my success in the cosmetology world relied on my ability to connect with people, something I deeply enjoy.
From there it’s been smooth sailing. I worked at a high end salon right out of beauty school that launched me towards success by giving me difficult tasks with a variety of stylists and their own unique work ethics. I learned what to do and what NOT to do. After that, I opened my own suite when the idea of individual salons was a fresh concept on the market, and became the owner of Beauty Full Salon for three years (including during COVID). I experienced fast growth in my hometown of Plymouth, MI and riiiiiiight when owning a business for the first time was feeling stable, decided to turn my entire world upside down and move to Nashville, TN. I moved June of 2023 for an assistant position at another luxury salon. This was probably one of the hardest things I’ve ever chosen to do. Think about it, not a single thing about my daily life was the same. I lived in a new state, knew not a single soul, and started a new job while living in an apartment alone for the very first time, what a way to move out of your childhood home! The first year was extremely challenging, thankfully we as humans are designed to adapt. I knew I would adjust, I just had to give this massive change proper time. After parting ways with my first Nashville salon, I decided it was time to bring back working for myself, but better than ever. I applied everything I had learned from my 7 years of experience in hair and started Beauty Full 2.0. I decided to rent space in the historic Downtown Franklin and constantly leave work humbled by the opportunity to own space in such an iconic town. January would have completed my first year in business and I intend to stay there a very long time.
I picture my life as a book. each year is a chapter, each day is a page. I am in year 26 of my story and say it every year, but so far it’s been one of the best years of my life. Work is easy, there’s nothing that comes through the door that I feel intimidated by. It doesn’t feel overwhelming or unknown the way it did the first few years in my career. I’m in the sweet spot of having plenty of experience but full of drive. If I could tell a young hairstylist who’s just starting out one piece of advice, it would be do everything in your power not to experience burnout. I have only “burnt-out” once in this industry, I’m talking full out “I don’t know if I want to do this anymore” burn out. and I took 3 months off because of it. I tried very hard to think little of hair, explored hobbies and interests I hadn’t had time for since high school and just took a big fat BREAK. I realized I’d rather 30 years of consistency and stability in the workplace than 10 years of extreme highs and crippling lows. I also realize this may not be a realistic option for all stylists in different walks of life, but I now only work three days a week because of it and have plenty of time for the other things I love to do. For example, I’m in the process of creating some custom art pieces that will be available for purchase by May 1st 2025. My instagram will have a link to my website and I appreciate any traction the page receives, even if it’s just to look and enjoy. That was supposed to be just for fun–but as I mentioned earlier, I am in the habit of turning every hobby into a business. All that to say, this is a highly rewarding career with little to no limits, arrange your everyday with the goal in mind to experience it for as long as possible.
If my time in Nashville has taught me anything, it’s a reminder to slow down. Life, especially for the modern-day America, will try to thrust you forward at full speed ahead, but you only get to live each page once and you’ll never be able to go back and revise them, it’s important to keep that in mind. The day to day may seem mundane but I promise there’s something Beauty Full to experience in each 24-hour cycle (see what I did there?).
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
Every good business has a mission, a business without a mission is just an obsession to “get rich quick.” My mission was to make people feel Beauty Full, both inside and out. In an industry that relies heavily on vanity, I wanted people to feel beautiful leaving the salon not because of their hair but because of the conversation they had with me.
I hope to make the overwhelmed mom feel at rest, the girl who just got engaged feel pure joy, the misunderstood feel seen, the quiet and slow-to-speak feel heard, and the victim of death feel that they are not alone. To walk out the door with a FULL cup, a great head of hair being just a bonus.
How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?
I think it’s due time to put to rest the stigma behind pursuing the arts as a full-time career. Every parent thinks it’s a plan B until you’re the mom of a superstar. We have dreams for a reason, and I think society often shoots to crush them than encourage the day-dream. Think of the way a song makes you feel, the joy of dancing at a wedding with all your closest family and friends. Why do we display these works of passion and visions all over the world? Why build statues? Why go to concerts? Why does St. Patrick’s cathedral in New York City have a palpable sense of emotion? Because we were designed by an intelligent Creator who knew we would have a deep longing in our souls for that kind of beauty. We could have had no flowers, no colors, no smells, no nothing! Instead we live in a giant snow globe of inspiration, and you want your kid to get a degree just in case?
Art has always been here and will always be. It will exist until the end of time. Some days it’s our only reprieve from the chaos of a never ending to-do list. A delicious meal with family is a work of art, and that time together is precious, allow your children to indulge in the same way in their hopes and dreams that live on the right side of the brain.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: savignon_blonde
Image Credits
@jeremycowart for all black and whites
@simon_krenk for all color portraits
@savignon_blonde artwork, hair, and suite design