Meet Millie Baggett of Atlanta

Today we’d like to introduce you to Millie Baggett.

Hi Millie, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I started my hair journey back in 2000. Color was always my focus. I became a Board Certified Master Colorist and a Wella Educator pretty early on. Educating became a huge part of my career and taught me so much about this industry. In 2007, my husband Russell and I opened RuMM Color Studio in Alpharetta. For 12 years, we trained and developed so many stylists, many of whom are 6-figure stylists and some of my best friends. In 2019, we moved to Newnan for a slower pace and opened James Malone Collective. That “slower pace” never came to fruition because we ended up keeping a small suite location in Alpharetta as well. We just couldn’t walk away from our OG clients. So now, we go back and forth.
More recently, I’ve started a focus on hair loss and alternative hair options.
So many women are experiencing hair loss. I started customizing hair toppers and wigs so I had options and answers. I didn’t like the idea of referring my clients to someone else for this when I know their hair best. Now, it’s a big part of my business and continues to grow. And more rewarding than I ever could’ve imagined.
I’m very grateful for this industry and all the different paths it provides…behind the chair, educating, competing, salon ownership…26 years in and my career keeps evolving!

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
As much as I love it, it is not easy. Salon ownership in particular challenges you in so many unexpected ways. Everything falls back on you. You are responsible for the livelihood of your employees. I take that very seriously and the stress is constant.
When we opened our first salon, the recession hit. It’s hard to promote a brand new business when everybody is struggling financially. When we opened our second salon, COVID hit. My friends joke with me that they will never open a business at the same time as me.
But we’re still here surviving.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I specialize in hair color. I started my career in LA as a makeup artist so it was a natural transition for me, just a different canvas. I particularly love redheads. There are so many tones to play with and a good redhead is the best advertisement for your work.
My approach to haircolor is to be very direct and honest with the client. The integrity of the hair comes first. Beyond that, if I think a color is wrong for someone, I will tell them. Sometimes maybe I’m TOO honest, but that’s my job. Clients pay me a lot of their hard-earned money for my opinion. I’ve turned clients away because they wanted something that I wasn’t comfortable doing.
I also set up proper expectations. I want my clients to look good when they come BACK to me as well as when they leave.

We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
Being a small business owner is a huge risk. Like I mentioned before, the recession hit right after signing the lease on our first salon. I think it was a week after. I didn’t see a paycheck for a year and a half. Then with our second salon, we opened later than expected and a little pandemic took over. Again, no paycheck. You have to start thinking outside the box or else you will fail. A couple of years ago, I started studying hair loss and how to customize toppers and wigs. I saw the need and even though it made me uncomfortable, I dove in and now it’s paying off because that section of the market is exploding.
Longevity is difficult in this business. I’m 53 in an industry that unfortunately focus a lot on youth and obviously beauty. I’ve been fortunate that my clients have stuck with me, but also aged with me. My demographic is comprised mainly of women like me…they trust me because they know I “get it”. I know how hard it is to juggle work, kiddos, menopause (good times). I wouldn’t be where I am without them. The client/hairdresser relationship is unlike any other. It’s therapy for me as well as them. They are my tribe. One of my clients told me I’m the longest relationship she’s ever had. So are the risks worth it? 100%

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.jamesmalone.com/
• Instagram: @jamesmalonecollective
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1GCA9JGf7c/?mibextid=wwXIfr
• Other: @morehairbymillie