Today we’d like to introduce you to Stacey Dietz.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Stacey. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I’ve been in the beauty industry since 2008, but I’ve been working in customer service for almost 20 years. I started out with my first job when I was 14. I grew up being comfortable working in restaurants, offices, retail, all kinds of places. I usually had more than one job going at a time, and the only thing that stayed constant between all my random jobs was customer service. I became a barista, and I think I worked in various coffee shops for about eight years. That’s what I was doing when I discovered hairdressing. Making lattes put me through beauty school!
I definitely didn’t expect to become a hairdresser, but an opportunity for an apprenticeship came up while I was working front desk at a salon. I realized that doing hair is a customer service job that allows me to work with my hands, be creative, and meet interesting people. At that point, it felt like all of my jobs had given me the experience needed to be successful and led up to me becoming a hairstylist. Eventually, I went to cosmetology school at the Aveda Institute of Atlanta. After school, I went right into another apprenticeship with a very fancy salon. I learned so much there, but I ultimately felt that a large fast-paced place wasn’t the right fit for me. I wound up at a little retro salon in the Virginia Highlands, and that was a great place for me to grow my clientele. I stayed at that shop until it closed, which presented a perfect opportunity for me to start my own salon. Four years ago, I started Stacey L Dietz Salon. I love my little salon, it’s the perfect setting for me to work one on one with my clients.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It hasn’t always been a smooth road to get where I am today, even once I decided to pursue a career in the beauty industry. My first apprenticeship didn’t work out, but that’s what motivated me to go to the Aveda Institute. Once I started to learn about hair, I immediately loved it. So, when the apprenticeship failed, instead of giving up, I probably tried even harder. I had discovered the job that I want to do when I get up in the morning. After going to cosmetology school, I went through my second apprenticeship to learn as much as possible about doing hair. I’m genuinely a nerd about it, and I’m so grateful for the education I received in the early part of my career.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
My shop is Stacey L Dietz Salon and I pride myself on giving excellent customer service and detail-oriented color and haircuts. I also think of it as being an alternative to a very formal salon environment. Since I’m a bit on the nerdier side, my salon has lots of action figures and movie posters. I’m usually playing something fun on television, and I strongly encourage pop culture references. I also offer complimentary beers and I’ve usually got good music going. It’s a high-quality haircut in a low key environment that I think is really comfortable for clients.
I’ve also created a line of natural hair care products, especially for my clients. It’s the only product line I use in my salon, and I’m personally involved in each step of production. As a redhead, I have very sensitive skin, so I had these products formulated to have minimal fragrance and no dyes. They’re sulfate and sodium-chloride free and manufactured in the USA. I’m very proud to offer these quality products in my shop for my clients.
What were you like growing up?
Growing up, I was always a little bit of a nerdy outsider. I’ve been into Star Wars for as long as I can remember! I’m very into books and comics, and I spent most of my teenage years reading and writing. I’ve also been into sewing and crafting things since I was young, so naturally, this all evolved into becoming a cosplayer. I’ve been making costumes and going to conventions for years, and DragonCon here in Atlanta is my favorite. Because of my lifelong love of writing, I am currently working on a degree in creative writing at Georgia State University. I’ve also always been into comedy, and after years of being a fan, I’ve been doing stand-up comedy locally over the past year. I think a younger me would be happy to know that I’m still pursuing all of my interests. Since I’ve been so happy in my career, I’ve been able to make time for my other loves.
Contact Info:
- Address: 1544 Piedmont Ave
Suite 117
Atlanta, GA 30324 - Website: StaceyLDietzSalon.com
- Instagram: @staceyldietzsalon
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