Today we’d like to introduce you to Sheena Mi Lee.
Hi Sheena Mi, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I immigrated to the U.S. in 1986. After graduating high school, my father faced some financial struggles and I dropped out of college. Knowing that I have always loved fashion, art and style, my sister suggested I try working at a hair salon. I spent one month as a receptionist at the salon before I quit and enrolled in beauty school. I worked 3 jobs to support my education and graduated in 8 months. Through the years I worked at several different salons, but spent more than a decade at Chris Nicholson salon. In 2004, I began dividing my time between Georgia and Los Angeles. I wanted to further my career and challenge myself. So I got trained as a professional makeup artist and took on Hollywood jobs. I worked red carpets and fashion shows. Then in 2015, I moved back to Georgia full time and opened Mi Studio Salon.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Workplace bullying, racism, assimilation, financial struggles – not to mention learning English. I vowed to go beyond just serving the Korean and Asian community. I wanted to open a salon for everyone and today most of my clients are American. It is a point of pride for me because I worked really hard to learn English. My first salon was a Korean salon, but I trained and built my clientele at American salons and worked my way up.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I specialize in everything hair and makeup. I strive to have clients smiling as they walk out my door and nothing makes me happier than seeing them get a confidence boost from a hair cuts and color. It goes beyond appearances, sometimes it can make a huge difference in your outlook and your mood.
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
My clients are a second family to me. Without them, I would not be where I am today. I am so grateful for their support and encouragement. Over the years, many of them have watch me grow and mature — and raise a family of my own. So many of them have stuck with me, bringing their family members and I have witnessed their own children grow and move on. It’s an incredible feeling knowing my clients trust me with a job that I feel privileged to have.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://mistudiosalon.com
- Instagram: @mistudiosalon
