AFH SALON, Annie Fisher Hair

This book is for hairstylists, estheticians, makeup artists, extensionists, lash techs, and everyone in between.

It’s for the ones who just finished beauty school and the ones who have spent decades in the industry like I have.

It’s for those who wonder what’s next as they enter the second (or third) act of their career behind the chair.

And if you just want a good read that is part memoir of a rocky start “later” bloomer, part how to (and how not to) build a business, and part behind-the-scenes of my “messy middle” as I finally found out who the hell I am, then it’s for you, too.

You can find Love Is In The Hair on Amazon, at Barnes & Noble, or order it at your independent bookstore.

I’ve been working in the beauty industry since I was a teenager, and now that I’m almost 50, one thing has remained the same… 📣 there are NO shortcuts. As your hairstylist cool auntie, believe me, I’d tell you if there were!

If you want to build the career of your dreams, you’re going to have to make some sacrifices along the way. You will be tired. You will miss out on other things. You will have to make some tough calls along the way.

But it will be so, so worth it. I promise.

When I was a young hairstylist (and human, for that matter) I remember hearing a lot of older adults talk about the importance of integrity.

As is usually the case, it turns out they were right 🙄

As I reflect on my life and my beauty career as I approach my 50th year, I can say with my full chest that integrity is one of the most important things a person can cultivate.

What about you? If you could go back and tell your younger self something, what would it be?

Maybe “luck” played a small part in making my book a reality, but I’m never going to sugarcoat the amount of sheer grind that it took to get here.

Countless hours of writing, editing, and working through the anxiety around it all. Decades of tough lessons and grinding to build a career worth writing about. The sheer courage it took to believe I could do it. Not just writing the book…but raising my babies as a single teen mom, starting over in a new city, building a career and business from the ground up, and learning to love and accept myself during every messy moment of the journey.

If you haven’t read all about it yet, pick up a copy of Love Is In The Hair. I can’t put into words how much your support means to me.

Did you know that beauty industry service workers are one of the only professions outside of the medical field where you actually touch the people you work with?

Not only that, but hairstylists and other beauty pros listen to people speak all day long. Sometimes they say things that trigger us, upset us, or bring out our empathy in a way that can be really difficult to manage.

Please remember to take care of yourself, too. Our job is amazing, but it can also take a lot out of us if we aren’t mindful. It’s our responsibility to make sure we’re showing up as regulated as we can for ourselves and for our clients.

So hit follow and hang out with me 💕 Yes, I’m aware that it’s weird.

I’ve spent the last few years trying to figure out where I fit on social media as a hairstylist and brand new author approaching 50…and it’s been clunky, awkward, and sometimes downright “cringe” (is that what the kids say these days?)

But you know what? I’m going to keep doing it. Because hairstylists in their 40s and 50s (and beyond) matter, too. We’re still here…working, adapting, and creating in the beauty industry. There aren’t enough of us being represented online and if I have to act like a fool on the internet so we all feel seen, I’m gonna keep doing it.

You’re welcome. 😂

This post found you for a reason. I’m a lifelong hairstylist talking about writing my first book, but you can really apply this to anything.

Your business dream, that fitness goal, learning a new language, or planning the vacation of a lifetime. Whatever you’ve been waiting to “feel ready” for, this is your sign that you’re never going to.

JUST START. Right now, exactly as you are. Trust me. 🩵

It turns out I didn’t have to be so worried about judgement and backlash when I published my book, but that doesn’t mean that I wasn’t freaked the F out 😅

Thank you for supporting me and loving this project as much as I do. Thank you for accepting me and cheering me on during the whole process. And most of all, thank you for reading! 🩵

Balance (and lack thereof) is a recurring theme in my book, Love Is In The Hair. And the reason why is because I am a firm believer that we all need to give ourselves a little more grace when it comes to the priorities that different seasons of life demand of us.

You only have so much energy and attention, and the amount you can give to each part of your life is going to shift depending on career demands, parenting, physical and mental health, and a number of other things that are totally out of your control.

I’d love to know…what phase of life are you in right now? What are your priorities, and what are the things you’re gently letting go of during this season? Let me know in the comments.

After spending the early years of my career pretending I was always fine (I definitely was not!) I’ve learned that you can show up honestly with your clients without trauma dumping on them or asking them to hold it all.

You’re allowed to share that you’re dealing with some personal struggles without getting into the weeds about it. You’re allowed to admit that you’ve been having a hard time. You’re even allowed to be honest about not knowing everything! I’ve been known to ask my clients if I can practice a new styling technique on them that I haven’t quite mastered yet.

My point is, you don’t have to “fake” anything in the beauty industry. Hairstylists are people too, and you’re allowed to be a human being in progress.