Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley Peters.
Hi Ashley, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I completely cosmetology school a little over 5 years ago from Paul Mitchell. I had gone to cosmetology school because I wanted a way to be creative but that wasn’t about me. Prior to hair I went to college for studio art & business but found to often be forced with the choice of compromising on aesthetic to sell which for those who haven’t walked those shoes -it’s a bit crushing when so much of your soul is on that canvas. I needed something that was creative but not about me.
I found my way into hair & found my way into weddings. Ironically, I feel like my previous art & business education made this a fluid & prosperous decision. I was drawn to the beauty & to elevating it in unique ways with elements such as shape, form & texture.
So right out of cosmetology school I simultaneously did special events stylings & traditional in-salon work but it quickly became apparent that I loved weddings far more. Not to mention as my schedule filled balancing the two become more challenging if there was any hope of work-life balance. I wanted the wedding business to grow so I took the leap & invested myself fully into my on-location beauty business (The Stylist Abroad).
Since starting we’ve fine-tuned our ideal client, fortified our pillars & firmly exalted our brand messaging. We aren’t just weddings. We are a place for all relationships. Active advocates for LGBTQ+ couples, all degrees of faiths, all hair textures, all skin tones & all cultures. We create magic using professional cruelty-free & vegan products because we believe beauty begins with kindness & sustainability should be mindfully implemented by companies. We are now a we. What started as just me has now grown to multiple stylists over multiple geographical locations. I like to think we’ve given permission to all the couples to do their own unique thing vs staying in a box. And we’re so grateful to be part of it all.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
It’s been an interesting road with lots of learning curves & switchbacks, When I decided to officially make my business and LLC & make it “legit” vs a side hustle there were lots of forms, checklists, etc that all had to be done. We all know how confusing those thing can be & it can sometimes feel daunting. Not to mention to say it was a shoe strong budget in the start is understatement. So, I was every department of a business from HR to tech support. Didn’t know how to do something? Then I learned. I literally learned a very abridged version of coding for my website & I’m not tech-savvy! But it was either learn or pay someone or it wasn’t going to happen. There’s the learning curves of most effective methods of advertising, systems, acquiring clients, & more. Businesses are forever evolving. Now we have a rather smooth system that operates efficiently. It doesn’t mean there won’t be new things to learn as we’re never done growing but it feels like we’ve reached a pleasant stride.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
We provide on-location wedding beauty services. We have stylists in MD, DC, VA, AL, & KY but we travel everywhere. In fact, we are experience in destination weddings & the unique hurdles that may come with them. Our services are completely gender-neutral. We are LGBTQ+ inclusive & Equally Wed certified. We have experience with all hair textures & skin tones not to mention being curl certified. We welcome all degrees of faith & every culture. Our day of services are completely on location so couples get to sit back, relax and enjoy being pampered. All our of products are premium quality, professional, cruelty-free and vegan. We believe in the unique beauty of each individual & work to celebrate those features so everyone in our chirrups can see just how magical they are.
We are known for ethereal, elevated looks. Romantic & bohemian but clean texture. Each look is bespoke to the client as we don’t believe in having an assembly line attitude even if that means spending a few more minutes per person.
I think our attention to detail & to the client’s true self is one of the things that sets us apart. We realize there are so many talented beauty pros out there but what we do is about so much more than just looking good. We take the time to really understand the client & elevate them. Also, I believe our commitment to our core values sets us apart. Sometimes people don’t want to touch on “controversial” issues but we don’t see them as controversial. Our business is in people so we stand & fight for those people.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
This is tough! I don’t know if I can pick one… but the ones that come forward most prominently are the ones with me & my childhood dog. He was always by my side for any mischievous adventures. I was a very free-spirited child venturing off to my grandmother’s woods & he would right there with me. He even would go in the paddle boat with me in her pond!
Pricing:
- Marier Hair: $160-$225
- Adult Hair: $100-$125
- Marier Makeup: $160-$200
- Adult Makeup: $100-$130
- Extensions: $25-$235
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.thestylistabroad.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/thestylistabroad
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/thestylistabroad
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/thestylistabroad
- Youtube: www.youtube.com/thestylistabroad
- Other: www.tiktok.com/thestylistabroad
Image Credits
Danielle Hickman Photography
Jessica Chenard Photography
Photos By HFB
Brittanie Wichael Photography
Nancy Twickler Photography
Maddy Williams Phtotography
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