In the beginning…

It’s always good to remember where you come from and celebrate it. To remember where you come from is part of where you’re going. Anthony Burgess

While we often regard Wella TrendVision as the birthplace of The Hair Nerds, it was more the catalyst to start documenting our adventures. Many years before, my love affair with the hairlebrities of the industry, intense advanced education and competition was kickstarted while I was working at Taylor Andrews Academy in Salt Lake City.

When we speak to people about where the Hair Nerd journey was started it was truly TA. Larry Curtis, the owner, has created a space that is thoughtfully geared toward giving cosmo babies a foundation for #HairNerd life. By facilitating education from iconic hairdressers, helping his students compete, taking them on international trips with leaders in the industry and employing an elite staff, he has truly built one of the most prestigious schools in the Nation.

Being in an environment where Nicholas French teaches a class then Vivienne Mackinder is teaching a few weeks later is so beyond the realm of what most students are getting.

As our 7th anniversary recently passed, I reflected on the special situations that allowed this site to flourish. It made me realize that the people you surround yourself within this industry are so incredibly important. It is as if we never really had a choice to start The Hair Nerds because the people within our tribe were just as passionate as us.

The best way to understand a person is to look at the company they keep.

As the years have gone by we have made it a priority to continue to visit Taylor Andrews for their annual hair shows and to just generally hang out with the students. We have been to Japan with these incredible people and recruited one of our contributors from their student body. Whenever the opportunity presents itself we take #hairbesties like Eden Sassoon, Nina Kovner and KL Christofferson to the school to share in the experience of this Hair Nerd Haven.

We often ask people, “What advice would you go back and give the cosmo baby version of yourself?”… to which I would offer this: Find people who push you to be better, people who encourage you to attend education and step outside of your comfort zone. Find a place that nurtures your passion for this industry… somewhere you never want to leave. Take advantage of EVERY SINGLE MOMENT in school and make it the best year of your life. It is your opportunity to connect with people who will shape your career.

Not a day goes by that I don’t thank the Hair Nerd Heavens that I had the opportunity to spend time at Taylor Andrew’s Academy of Hair because it absolutely changed the course of my life.