Quinn Sorensen
Tell us a bit about your Hair-itage.. We hear your industry roots run deep.
My Hair-itage dates back to the late 50's… when my grandfather Pete Peterson got out of the navy, him and a bunch of his Buddy's decided the best way to meet some beautiful women was to go to beauty school. This is where he met my grandmother Hazel Peterson she was one of his instructors.
My mother has been in the industry for over thirty years. She has owned several salons and was an educator for Matrix for over fifteen years.
I have two older sisters that also do hair… I was the last one to start school. I also have one younger sister out of the four of us she is the only one that didn't want to get into the beauty business.
Being a Finalist in the Student Category is such an huge achievement, what was your reaction to seeing your name announced on PBA's video?
My reaction was sheer shock.. I was fucking stunned. I had prepared myself to not get nominated. I didn’t want break down when I found out I wasn’t a finalist.
When I saw my work and my name come onto the TV, I just sat there and couldn’t believe it. Everyone else around me was screaming and crying.
It took a few days before it really hit me, sometimes I still have a hard time believing that I have achieved so much in my time as a student at Taylor Andrew’s Academy.
How did your actual shoot go day of?
HOLY SHIT! The day of my shoot was a long ass day. A total of three collections were shot the same day by three different stylists and I shot last.
My poor models were there for over 12 hours, but when it was finally my turn to shoot; I only had to fix a few things while we were shooting and we got the right shots fairly quickly. I didn't think mine would go as good as it did., and I could not be happier with the way it turned out.
4 of the 5 finalists used BABAK as their photographer in the Student Category, thoughts?
BABAK is an amazing photographer and I will definitely work with him again. He has an amazing eye when it come to making your work look good on camera. He for sure knows what he is doing and his work speaks for itself with all the nominations he receives each year for his photography.
How has this competition impacted your career?
Entering NAHA has made me more confident in myself.. I have always been my own worst critic. It has helped me realize that I can do beautiful hair. It also helped me land my dream job at salon Tantrum in Layton, Utah. My new hair family is absolutely amazing and they are some of the most amazingly talented people I have ever met.
Also, the publicity I have received is amazing my work has been published in Modern Salon and it also made the cover of First Chair magazine. Anybody who is anyone knows my name now. All this is amazing and believe me there will be more great stuff to come.
What is your plan for Sunday before the Awards Ceremony?
I haven't really made plans other than going to the red carpet reception. so I'm sure i will get out and have some fun with family and friends. and try to do some networking and get to know some new people.
Many students feel unsure or scared to enter competitions such as NAHA... What would you say to that student?
It was hard for me to enter also. it was terrifying for me to put my heart and soul into something and sent it out to be judged. my advice for any other students wanting to enter or do any other kind of competition to do do it. the rewords are endless. and you will be surprised how many people will love your work.
Taylor Andrews has a long standing reputation of producing extremely talented and successful stylists. Give us insight into the culture that fosters this success.
Taylor Andrews Academy is absolutely amazing. the staff and education is top notch, 4 to 5 times a year we would get national guest artists to come teach such as Phillip Wilson, Nick French, Vivienne MacKinder, Faatemha Ampey, Geno Stampora just to name a few.
Taylor Andrews shows you the side of the industry that most schools don't even know about. I believe, this is what sets them apart from all the rest. I highly recommend checking them out of you want an amazing education.
The owner Larry Curtis is very involved with everything that goes on in the school and you can plan on seeing him there every day to help. Larry and his wife Sherri Curtis are two of the people I look up to the most and I would not be where I am today without them. Thank you everyone at TA. I love you guys.
Who is your mentor? What is the best piece of advice they have given you?
A few years ago, I met one of my greatest mentors and one of my many idols, Geno Stampora. I stopped by the school to talk to my mom one night who worked at Taylor Andrews and this is when i met Geno.
After i started talking to him, he got me motivated to do something that I had been thinking about for a very long time. I quit my job and started school 2 weeks later. The best advice he has given me was - “Go after the things in life that you want, if not; you will never achieve the things you desire.”
What are your goals for the next two years??
My goals for the next two years are simple… I want to build a huge clientele and make people feel beautiful. I would also love to be an educator for matrix. I know I need a lot more knowledge before I can achieve this, but it will happen. I want to keep doing more editorial work and get more of my work published.
What advice do you have for future cosmetology students?
My advice for future students: If you are thinking about doing this, you have to do it. The pay off is endless and there are so many doors that will open for you in your new careers. i can truly say i will never work another day in my life because i love what i do so much its not work to me.
I knew I was a Hair Nerd when....
If I think back to when I was a little boy watching my mom do hair in her salon that was in our basement is when I knew. I was so fascinated with what she was doing. I would always watch her work. I would never change my choice to get into the beauty industry.