We had the good fortune of connecting with Ashleigh Stephens and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ashleigh, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I was in second grade when i first heard the word entrepreneur. It was career day, and my classmate’s father told us as an entrepreneur, he was able to set his own hours, and decide what he was going to get paid. I knew that’s what I wanted to do too. The how came a few years later in 10th grade when I got my hair professionally colored for the first time. I thought the way my stylist mixed the color and painted on was the coolest thing i had ever seen. I thought she was such a bad ass! I wanted to do what she was doing, and from that moment on, I knew exactly what I wanted to do with my life. Fast forward a few years, several jobs, and a rough break-up, I was 25, working 40+ hours a week for 25,000 a year doing data entry and I saw a Disney commercial where the parents surprised their kids with a Disney vacation. I started bawling. I was a single mother of two, struggling to pay my rent for a tiny two bedroom basement apartment. The idea that I was never going to be able to surprise my kids with a Disney vacation (or at that point any vacation), was not the life I had planned for myself. I decided I was going to go for it. I always kept the end game in mind. During that year in school and the first few years after that behind the chair, during every struggle, every Saturday I spent at work folding towels and cleaning color bowls for the busy stylists, every Friday and Saturday night at my second job serving and bartending, I knew that eventually it would all pay off. And it absolutely has!

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
The hair industry is more saturated now than ever before. There are more amazing stylists and salons than ever before, which means there’s more competition than ever before. And I don’t mean cut-throat, back stabbing competition. Despite the stereotype, I have met more loving supportive, encouraging women in this industry than anywhere else! It really is magical how hairstylists love to share their secrets and tips with others. However, in a field where you have to find and maintain your own clientele to keep feeding your family, you can’t slow down. You can’t build a business and then just let it glide. “If you’re not growing, you’re dying.” There’s always going to be someone who wants it more, who is willing to work longer hours, who studies and practices more, etc.

To set myself apart, I am constantly thinking of how I can improve my guest experience. I think building relationships with your guests and showing them how much you appreciate them means so much more than them leaving with good hair. Of course good hair is important, but they can get good hair anywhere these days! It’s the experience they feel and the relationships you build with them that make them loyal to you.

I want every single guest of mine to feel as comfortable in my chair as they are at home on their couch. I think it’s just as important that they feel comfortable with the other stylists and assistants in the salon as well! We all make it a point to give a warm, friendly “hello” to eachother’s guests in the salon. My co-workers look forward to my guests coming in as much as they do their own, and vice-versa. I think that’s what sets me apart as a stylist. I set the intention before my day starts that I will have a great day and that my clients will have an amazing experience with me, and then I privately reflect after each client and think about the visit and feel grateful for that experience. It helps me to stay fully present and in the moment with each guest, and they can feel it.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
We would definitely take a golf cart ride up to the square. First stop, Amici. It’s a Covington staple and I grew into adulthood working there as a server & bartender. I worked at Amici through both of my pregnancies with my girls and all during cosmetology school. On and off from 2005-2012. I met some of my best friends in the world working at Amici, and every time I go there, I run into a handful of people I know and it’s so nice to have that in a big small town. Next, we’re walking around the square to shop. There are so many cute and unique stores on the square! Definitely grabbing a bath bomb from The Soap Box, and then fresh flowers from Ridge Avenue. Slide over to @Local for a hand-crafted gourmet coffee, and then the patio at City Pharmacy for the absolute best dinner menu and craft cocktails! I also love to ride my golf cart up to the police station and lay on the hammocks or play giant chess, and then ride across the street to the historic cemetery. We may end up dropping some kayaks in the river, going on a trolley tour to learn all about Covington’s extensive film history, or playing a round of disc golf, or strap on the skates and ride the trails through town. There really is so much to do here in little ol’ Covington (a.k.a. Hollywood of the South)

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I love this! I’ve worked in 4 salons, and the knowledge and lessons I’ve taken from each of these places and women are 100% the reason I’m still in this industry and successful. Gerri Dean-Reflections Salon (now closed) taught me incredible work ethic. I was on commission at the time, so I supplemented my income by shampooing and assisting during my time at Reflections. I would watch Gerri work her tail off every single day. Even with clients scheduled every 30 minutes from 9am to 7pm, she never complained, seemed irritated, or burnt out. Keely Knight-Bei Capelli Salon (now under new ownership) taught me how incredibly important it is to have a work-life balance. We have family who love us and we should be able to enjoy being with them. Also one of the funniest and most humble people I’ve ever known. Allison Roberts (Alli Roberts Salon) taught me to step out on faith and go for what I want, and that it’s ok to reach for more. If you have a vision and commit to putting the work behind it, you can’t fail! I love each of these beautiful women so much and they all hold a special place in my heart.

My biggest shout outs though have to go to my best friends and business partners Amanda Cash (@colorsbycash) and Chasity Davenport (@c.dav.hair)! Chasity took a huge leap of faith after the pandemic and opened The Wildflower Collective. It’s the most beautiful, high-vibe salon and it’s filled with the most beautiful, high-vibe women! Chasity taught me the importance of acting on your dreams. “A goal without a plan is just a wish.” This girl knows how to make shit happen, quick! And last but not least, Amanda taught me to slow down and be super intentional with my work. I absolutely adore watching her paint! She has a way of seeing things other people usually miss. She’s also taught me that you can be both a kind soul, and a badass who doesn’t take crap from people. lol

Together, Amanda, Chasity, and myself had a vision and we came together to put the inspired action behind it and we now have a pretty successful hair extension and education company called Wild Society! We’re pacing our growth so we can keep up with supply and demand, as well as remaining a debt-free company, so we exclusively sell to stylists who have taken our class, but I am so incredibly proud of us! The way our brains come together, highlighting eachother’s strengths and supporting eachother is something that blows my mind regularly. We all have so much respect for eachother. I couldn’t imagine building a business and a brand with anyone else.

Website: www.ashleighshair.com

Instagram: instagram.com/ashleighshair

Other: www.wildsocietyhair.com for stylists interested in taking our extension class! Online education coming soon! Stay tuned!

Image Credits
all photos by Allie Broderick

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