Hair and Nails, A Chair, and Your Truest Self
Co-creating the websites and booking setup with my long-time friend, a talented hairstylist and business owner
I remember sitting in Spanish class my first year at John Adams High School in South Bend, curious why the girl in front of me was constantly braiding hair and always had a full rainbow of nail polish bottles on hand. How did she already know so many people as a freshman, and what was the deal with the in-class beauty salon she seemed to be running?
That girl was Melissa Meyer. Today, Melissa is an independent hair stylist at Melissa Jean Hairstylist and co-owner of Bay Beauty Co., a beauty and bridal salon collective in St. Petersburg, Florida. Earlier this year, we co-created the websites and booking setup for the two entities. Keep reading for the throwback story and project details.
A Match Made in High School
Our families got to know one another at Swanson, a neighborhood pool, that summer following our first year at John Adams. Melissa and her two sisters convinced my sister and me to try out for the school's volleyball team the following year. A friendship quickly grew as we made drives to Lake Michigan, took late-night trips to Steak N' Shake, and giggled our way through sleepovers at each other's houses with our sisters, neighbors, and girlfriends from school.
I learned Melissa's dream was to be a hairstylist. She planned to take career and technical education (CTE) classes at Adams to earn her cosmetology license by the time we graduated. I was so impressed to meet someone my age who seemed so sure they knew exactly what they wanted to do for work. So, I was surprised to also learn that Melissa was advised against doing the CTE program simply because the program was geared toward students entering the trades instead of pursuing a college degree. But Melissa had a vision and she was determined to get there.
“Melissa had a vision and she was determined to get there.”
Melissa aced the CTE classes and completed the program, making friends with just about everyone she met along the way. She continued to share her talents as she learned new techniques, already in high demand for haircuts, prom hairstyles, and intricate nail art. In the summers between our college years, she worked at Bangs Salon in South Bend where I eventually got to sit in her chair (officially) for the very first time.
Today, Melissa lives and works in St. Petersburg, Florida, where Bay Beauty Co. is located and not too far from Florida Southern College, where she earned her bachelor's degree in business administration and marketing because, in addition to being a hairstylist and owning a salon, Melissa dreamed of living just a short drive from sunny beaches. Melissa specializes in blonding hair color and bridal hair. Her services are highly sought after by clients, friends, acquaintances, and newcomers who happen upon her fun and engaging Instagram page. She is always booked at least three months out and recently celebrated her 10th anniversary as a hairstylist.
Working with Melissa on the websites and booking project was a full-circle dream come true. It reminded us who we are, where we come from, and why those dreams that don't quite make sense to everyone else right away are, at the very least, worth your best shot.
More About the Work
Like people and dreams, a website is a living, breathing thing. It looks one way for some time and then you change it. You grow. Your work grows. New ideas come and go, and every once in a while, you decide to completely reimagine it. That's why I'm trying a new partnered process modeled off of the one Melissa and I are enjoying so much. If you or someone you know are an independent beauty artist interested in co-creating your website and booking setup with the studio, you can learn more about the process here.
Full Project Details:
The Partnered Process: studio.camzyn.com/beauty-artists
Melissa Jean Haitsylist Website: melissajeanhairstylist.com
Bay Beauty Co. Website: baybeautyco.com
