Olivia Ashbaugh

I attribute my success to my passion to help each lady find their identity, or how they feel they're supposed to look. When a woman sits in my chair, I want her to discover not just a new hairstyle or makeup look, but a sense of confidence in who she is. That drive to help women feel beautiful and authentic is what keeps me going and has built my business naturally over time.

The best advice I've ever received is to not let others' opinions and thoughts keep you from doing the things that truly matter. This has been so important in my journey, especially as someone who didn't come from a lot. There were probably people who doubted me or had their own ideas about what I should do, but I learned to focus on what mattered to me and my family, and that's what allowed me to build something meaningful in the beauty industry.

My advice to young women entering the hair and makeup industry is that failing isn't an actual failure - it's coming back from it that leads to success. You're going to have challenging clients, difficult days, and moments where things don't go as planned. But those setbacks are just part of the learning process. What matters is how you respond, how you grow from those experiences, and how you keep pushing forward. That resilience is what will ultimately make you successful in this field.

I would say working with brides is both one of the biggest opportunities and challenges in my field right now. Brides are one of my favorite clientele because it's such a special day, and I get to be part of that experience with them. At the same time, it can be challenging because they have a very specific look in mind and they want everything to be perfect. They're more detail-oriented and have high expectations, which pushes me to deliver my absolute best work. But that's also what makes it so rewarding when you see them light up on their wedding day.

My biggest value is connection. I love when a lady sits in my chair and feels comfortable opening up to me. The conversation can get deeper or stay light, but when it gets deeper, that's when I feel like I've done my complete job - they look good and they feel good. It's not just about the hair and makeup for me; it's about creating a safe space where women can be themselves, share what's on their hearts, and leave feeling not just beautiful on the outside, but uplifted on the inside too. That human connection is what makes this work meaningful to me.