Meet Emily Moser of Ohio

Today we’d like to introduce you to Emily Moser.

Emily, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Originally, I went to college at Kent State for fashion merchandising, but after graduating, working in New York City for big-name designers and some other really cool businesses, I realized the career I had chosen wasn’t fulfilling me in the way I had hoped. I moved home after about two years of being in the city, and with the help of family and friends, realized that what was missing was the actual, literal people-to-people interactions and variation in my days. I had always loved makeup, and even worked as an apprentice to a successful celebrity makeup artist when I was in the city, and had always been the one in my friend group to do updo”s and curls on my friends just for fun at sleepovers. I ultimately decided to go back to school and become a cosmetologist, and decided right out of school to become a contract worker so that I could make my own schedule and set my own prices (which is a very staunchly discouraged path for newer hairstylists!). After a few years of running my own business, I caught word than an old friend of a friend was expanding her salon to accomodate new stylists, and I thought it might be best to step back into an employee role while still new in my career, and really focus on my education and honing my craft. I was an employee there for a little over a year, and after that I went back to being contracted worker under that salons name, which is where you still find me 6 years into my career. I am in the process of creating my own salon too, so in a year or so I am very excited to see where my career will be.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Not in the slightest- being a contracted worker often comes with its own set of rules and extra work. Specifically as a hairstylist, that means I am my own accountant, marketing team, social media manager, tax person and photographer, all on top of being a stylist, therapist and chemist when I am actually behind the chair. This job is unbelievably rewarding, but it demands a lot out of the people who choose it. It isn’t really a job I can clock out of fully, and as a new mom, managing those boundaries and schedules has been quite an adjustment. Luckily, my clients are more like friends at this point and have been unbelievably supportive and gracious as I navigate this new chapter.

In a more general sense, I think having to pivot my entire life plan and choose a different career when all my friends were starting theirs (and finding stability in cool cities on the east and west coast, while I was back at home with my parents) was really hard. I was one of the oldest people in my cosmetology class, and having to admit defeat on a dream I had held onto my entire childhood just to end up feeling out of place as I was finding my true passion really messed with my head. I am someone who likes a plan and to know what to expect, but as they say, when we make plans, God laughs. That was my first real lesson in laughing right along with him, which has definitely helped me as I navigate my newer chapters as a mom and as someone starting their own business.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a cosmetologist, specifically working in the rainbow/vivids space. I don’t like to say I am a specialist in anything, because I have many interests and strengths in the hair world, and I never want my days to be filled with the same appointments over and over again. I do extensions, color, cutting, and have been working on my braiding abilities in the past couple of years. I am proud to have had brands recognize me and my abilities, I am proud that I am a good educator and that brands have called on me to teach on their behalf, and I am proud of my growth as a hairstylist in general. When you’re in school, you learn the very bare minimum, and having taken the time to find education and also to have educated others has made me a stronger and more knowledgeable stylist. I think I am known for my confidence and heart for teaching others among my peers, and with my clients, I think they know me for the feeling of safety I give them in my chair while also creating the hair that they feels represents them best.

What are your plans for the future?
Yes! So many big plans, but first and foremost is opening a salon for myself. I have worked under plenty of owners, and while they have taught me so much in their leadership styles, I am ready to be that leader for another stylist. We are currently on the hunt for an actual space, but the business plans are done and ready for when we finally find our home. I have been working on what I want this business to look like for so long, and community (no matter what neighborhood of the city we end up in) is really at the heart of my plan. I want every stylist that works for me to be well versed in all hair types and textures, techniques and I want the space to become a community staple. I have plenty of plans on how we will draw the community in, but everyone will have to just wait and see what that looks like. When we do find the space, I will be taking everyone along with me for the good, bad and ugly of opening a business on my tik tok and instagram!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emcaffbeauty/
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@emcaffbeauty