Meet Nicole Dovin | Hair stylist/color artist

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

Hi Nicole, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?
Balance. Such an important and underrated word. When we opened the salon I couldn’t find any type of balance. I was way busier then I had expected to be starting off. My kids were 8 and 10 and I was also getting married that same summer. I jumped in with 2 feet. We gave ourselves one month to get our space ready and doors open. I wasn’t sure who would follow me from my previous salon and how many new clients I would obtain. I was very stressed and excited. My children needed me and so did the salon. I was in the salon everyday. Either working behind the chair or just checking on things in general. I was afraid to not be there. I was afraid that if I missed a clients call they wouldn’t come back. I never said no to anyone. If you needed in on my day off I would come in for you. I had no balance.

As the years have passed I realize so much more then I did at first. I realize that clients come to me for so many different reasons. They might love the way I do their hair. They might need someone to talk too. They might feel their best when they leave the salon and that is something people crave. I realize that some people won’t leave me as their stylist just because I didn’t answer their phone call or I couldn’t do their hair on my day off. They realize I’m also human with a family that needs me too.

I need my clients just as they need me. I feel like I have finally found a good balance of work, family and fun.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am a hairstylist of 22 years. I have a passion for making my clients feel as beautiful as they can feel. I absolutely love that I do. I believe that if you look good you feel good.

It was not an easy road to get where I am today. That old saying about kissing a few frogs before you find your Prince. The same goes for me on this journey. I worked in a few salons where I just wasn’t feeling it. I wasn’t feeling creative or encouraged. I never wanted to own a salon. That was never on my list of what I wanted in life.
I decided I needed to find my way. I needed to make more money. I needed to be the one who controlled my business. I no longer wanted anyone else to get a cut of my work. I had 2 kids to raise and after a difficult divorce I wanted to be able to give my kids a good life. The life they deserved to have. I wanted to be control of my days off and if my kids had a game or school event that I wanted to be at. I was tired of running in late or missing it all together. This all lead to the opening of Salon Belle Vie “a beautiful life”.

I want the world to know that when anyone tells you that you can’t or you’re not good enough to do something. Do it anyway. Show them you can. Show them your better then good enough. Do it for you.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I would take them to Moosehead bbq for dinner and drinks. My brother owns it and it’s Amherst. A few minutes from my salon. They have great food and we would be able to eat and catch up on life.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would like to give a shout out to my family and my clients. They were the push behind me. They gave me all the encouragement that I needed. They were my reason. They never told me no or that this wasn’t a good idea. They were 💯 behind me.

Image Credits
I took them all.