“What has been your toughest professional challenge (a difficult request, damaged hair, an unexpected outcome).
How did you handle it? What did it teach you?”
My toughest professional challenges often come as a teacher. At the beauty school, one of the riskiest situations is guiding students through bleaching or color removal. These services can be unforgiving if done incorrectly.
As an instructor, I can’t just step in and take over. Instead, I must direct them in adjusting timing, application, and technique while making sure the integrity of the hair is protected. It’s a delicate balance of patience, detail, and trust.
What feels natural to me as a stylist becomes a real challenge when I have to break it down and let students learn through the process. But it’s also one of the most rewarding experiences, because it forces me to grow as both an artist and a mentor.
An unexpected outcome happened during the pandemic. There was a brunette client who brought in a picture of a very specific look — lighter ends achieved through a technique called ‘tipping out.’
At first, I thought I understood what she wanted, but once I finished, she pointed out it wasn’t exactly the effect she had shown me.
It was an advanced technique, and I had missed that detail in the consultation. Instead of brushing it off, I was honest with myself, admitted she was right, and went the extra mile to correct it.
That experience taught me two things: always look more closely at what the client is showing me and never let pride get in the way of fixing something. In the end, honesty and humility are just as important as technical skill.
Both as a teacher and a stylist, I’ve learned that challenges aren’t setbacks- they’re opportunities to refine my patience, sharpen my skills, and strengthen trust with clients and students alike.