Hair is the Mane Game for Kayla Watters

Excerpt from Dallas Voyage Magazine August 31, 2020

Becoming a hairstylist was never in my initial life plans, but let’s be real when exactly does life pan out the way we expect it to? For the longest time, I wanted to become an Orchestra conductor and write music for movies. When I was in high school, I was very involved. I had this drive to prove to everyone I deserved to be in the top band. I may not have been the best solo player, but I had the brains to understand music at a high level. I know around junior year, I wanted to attend The University of Houston for Music Education. I was always told if I ever wanted to get a great job after college, I needed to have the “pedigree” to show for it. So I got in. I loved learning music theory and overall progressively getting better at understanding music. However, something just didn’t feel right. I knew this wasn’t meant to be my career. So? Junior year after my first semester, I dropped out. This was incredibly hard for me because I felt like I failed myself. I went back home to Ft. Worth, stayed with my parents, and got a job in the box office at Bass Performance Hall.

 I ended up meeting a guy that led me to live in Austin. I was in need of a job desperately, but my hair was in terrible shape. I searched “best salons in Austin” and found Urban Betty Salon. I got my hair done by Chenoa Brookins. After talking with her for 4 hours about my life and what led me to that point, she suggested I apply to work at Urban Betty as a receptionist. This was the moment my life changed forever. About a year into working there, many of the stylists were asking me why I don’t become a hairstylist? I started to think, “this could be something I see myself doing.” It’s art, science, and psychology all in one.

 The idea of being in more debt put this decision off for me for a while. I’ll never forget the day Maddie Longobardi, a senior stylist at Urban Betty salon, came up to me and said, “you need to apply for beauty school.” It wasn’t just once, but pretty much everyday. I eventually said, “you know what I’m going to do it.” I applied to Baldwin Beauty School, South Austin Location and began a week later. I fell in love right away. It was such a natural feeling of talking to people and doing hair. Going into this I had so much support from the people I worked with and the instructors at the school. One instructor specifically, Kimberly Bellinger, pushed me hard but she knew I had the potential to be something great. That meant so much to me and still does. Right around when I graduated, I ended up ending things with the guy I moved to Austin with and went back home to Fort Worth. It was hard for me to leave Urban Betty Salon because that was where I was going to work after school.

I graduated cosmetology school and was on the road back to Ft. Worth. After passing my written and practical exam, I was on the hunt to find the salon. I would launch my career as a hairstylist. I remember when I interviewed at Panther City Salon, I fell in love right away. It’s a historic building in Southside Ft. Worth with incredible architecture. After speaking with the owner, Kayla McMahon, I learned the salon was booth rental. This meant I would pay rent weekly and provide all products and supplies myself. Being just fresh out of school, I wasn’t looking to jump into booth rental right away. I think Kayla and I ended up speaking for about an hour and a half and she completely convinced me I could do it.

 I’m an independent hairstylist and film photographer. I specialize in Asian hair. However, I love color in general. I like the challenge and formulating complex colors. With my photography, I stay away from traditionally posed shots. I like more free-flowing, candid moments. As a hairstylist and a photographer, I feel like I connect with my clients sometimes on a very deep level. It’s not intentional but I think I just have that effect on people. I’m pretty neutral, not easily, bothered, a great listener, and if they need it, I would like to think I give decent advice. I have found a way to serve others as well as serve myself and I think in a job that’s really important.

You can read the whole article here: http://voyagedallas.com/interview/meet-kayla-watters-panther-city-salon-independent-hairstylist-southside-ft-worth/

Stylist Kayla Watters