Our mission at Harper Ellis Hair Co. is to support stylists in their quest for personal success. We elevate our handtied artists — not only by providing them access to the HIGHEST quality extensions on the market — but also in offering an unparalleled stylist support network.
In this Stylist Spotlight, we talked with Sarah Hansen, @_theblondeologist to talk about her career and her business.
Hey Sarah! Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
I’ve moved between North Texas and South West Missouri almost all my life, I have always felt my heart and roots were in two places. A few years ago, I took a chance that took me all the way to Utah, where I lived for a year! That chance turned out to be my amazing husband and we decided about two years ago to finally put our feet on the ground here in Missouri.
My faith in God, my husband and my family are what keep me truly grounded and supported in this world and in my industry. When I am not working, my favorite thing to do is travel! A weekend road trip, the beach, the mountains, anywhere I can go and be on an adventure is at the top of my to do list! I am also a huge sports fan- Football and Baseball are regular topics in my household, and if we aren’t traveling, chances are we are watching or attending a game somewhere.
Tell us about your career as a hair stylist.
My career has been a roller coaster! I have been in this industry since 2011, it seems surreal it’s even been that long! I have had to start over 3 times from moving and let me tell you, as a hairstylist, there is nothing more scary than starting over. However each time taught me something that I could not have learned otherwise.
I have been a salon receptionist, an assistant, a commission stylist, a booth renter, I have had my own suite, I have worked side by side other stylists, I have been an educator in a cosmetology school and definitely not all in that order! The most humbling thing for myself as a stylist is I am never going to be too good for any job at any point in my career. I am never going to learn enough, know enough, or ever feel like “I have made it, I’m done!”. I believe continuing to grow my craft and myself is the beauty of this job and industry, that I can keep doing it for as long as I can and I will always learn and grow and that the possibilities are endless. This industry consumes me in that it gives me passion and drive like I never had before in my life before choosing this path and it is more gratifying than any other job I can imagine! Hard work isn’t easy but the pay off is beyond rewarding!
Can you tell us why you do hand-tied extensions – and why do you use our hair?
I chose to start doing Hand Tied Extensions because I had personally had different types of extensions in my hair and methods I did behind the chair that I could just never seem to fall in love with… there was always this feeling it could be better. I started seeing Hand Tied on social media and I couldn’t stop obsessing over them!
Once I began, I saw them make most incredible changes for people that kept me going and it quickly became my favorite service to provide. A large majority of my clients are not what I thought would be typical extensions clients, they have often had something traumatic happen to their hair. From an immune deficiency, postpartum hair loss, surgery or medication changes, some other life change, or simply never having enough hair their whole life- knowing the history of each client gave me a whole different perspective and passion for extensions and for doing hair. It can truly be the most incredible gift to provide to someone.
I found Harper Ellis through another stylist I had known several years ago and followed on social media. I loved that they were a local company to me and that when I called them the first time, Rachel actually picked up the phone and Terra was responding to my emails. The companies I used before were typically automated messages, certainly nothing like a president and CEO responding to me! I quickly fell in love with the hair! The idea of ordering by the weft and not a package was genius. The quality of the hair is above and beyond incomparable to others and the customer service was unparalleled. My clients instantly loved it as well, especially ones who had other extensions in their hair before and switched to Harper Ellis. I feel confident when my clients walk out the door with their dream hair that I can trust in them. Most importantly, this company can truly make you feel like you are a part of the Harper Ellis family