Britt Whatley

I grew up in a really small town in East Texas with a population of about 1,000, where I discovered my natural talent for hair and makeup at a young age. I initially pursued a degree in psychology, but realized that the beauty industry was truly meant for me, so I went back to cosmetology school and got my certification. Within six months of getting certified, I made the big move to Dallas, about three and a half hours from my hometown. I started working at Drybar, and then moved to a salon in Plano where, after only three weeks, they created a wedding coordinator position for me even though I had no background in it. They saw something in me and I was willing to take that chance, and I helped grow their wedding business by working with venues and vendors. When that salon closed after almost five years, I launched my own mobile hair and makeup company using all the connections and relationships I had built. About five years ago, I stepped into my current role as general manager at Muse on Mockingbird salon in Dallas, while continuing to do my mobile business on a referral basis for longtime clients. Now I get to travel internationally for fashion shows, having just returned from doing hair for Paris Fashion Week, and I've also worked New York Fashion Week. After 20 years in this industry, I'm at a place where I get to call the shots and reap the benefits of all the hard work I've put in, and I'm looking forward to stepping more into mentorships and teaching others about operational growth and how to reach their goals.