Today we’d like to introduce you to Kellee Wayne.
Hi Kellee, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I graduated from high school in 2004 and didn’t know what I wanted to do. My mom knew I had a love for hair, so she signed me up for beauty school immediately after I graduated at 17 years old. I started beauty school in the summer of 2004 and in the fall of 2004, I attended San Antonio College (SAC) part-time to complete my basics for college. Once I graduated from beauty school in 2005, I decided to become a full-time student at SAC after receiving my first job as a hairstylist at Regis inside North Star Mall in San Antonio. After completing my basics, I transferred to Texas State University in 2006. I still worked at Regis and commuted every weekend from San Marcos to San Antonio. In December of 2009, I graduated with my Bachelor’s Degree in Fine arts with a Specialization in Photography and a Minor in Business Administration. At this point in time, I was working at a salon in Kyle while completing my bachelor’s degree.
After graduation, I decided to participate in an Internship at Austin Women’s Magazine taking photos for articles and doing a bit of graphic design while continuing to work at that salon in Kyle. I had also taken some event photos for weddings and Quinceañeras. After exploring my love for photography, I decided that event photography and journalism photography was not a passion. I love taking photos for myself and not other people.
At the salon I was working at, I struggled making ends meet so I really was set on the idea that I could never fully support myself doing hair. Once I decided that photography was not the direction I wanted to go I made the decision to go back to College and get my Master’s Degree in Elementary Education. In 2012, I graduated with my Master’s and had decided to switch to another local salon where I became an independent contractor. There I was able to fully support myself.
While I worked at that salon, I met a client who thought I would be a great teacher. She put in a good word in for me at the school she worked at in Seguin and I applied. In 2013, I became a 3rd-grade math and science teacher at Weinert Elementary and I continued doing hair on evenings and weekends.
In the fall of 2014, the salon owner at my current salon decided to downsize and she went from five stylists to two. I was still teaching and so unfortunately I wasn’t the one she had asked to stay. Thankfully I had a friend who had a tiny shop close by and I joined her to continue servicing my clientele.
November 2014, teaching wasn’t going as well as I had hoped. I loved the kids but I didn’t feel comfortable at the school where I was working. My current salon home wasn’t ideal and I had a friend come to me about a little yellow house by the kyle flea market that used to be a salon that was for lease.
In January, I put my 30 days notice at the elementary school I was working at and on January 19, 2015 K’s Cutting Edge Salon opened with three hair stylists. In February, I became a full-time stylist and owner. I was scared. All I knew was hair was my constant and seemed to be the only thing I felt comfortable doing for a living. Throughout the years I had built an amazing clientele that have been nothing but supportive of me through all of my ventures. Here I was at 28 years old, finally figuring out what I wanted to be when I grew up.
Throughout the years, we have had stylists come and go and I have learned a lot. I never wanted to own a business because I am not good at managing people. But my journey had pushed me into this role whether I liked it or not.
In 2020, when covid shut us down for two months, I had four stylists working with me at the salon. After the shut down I quickly lost my team. Two stylists decided hair was no longer something they wanted to do and two decided to go rent a suite and pursue their dreams of building their own brand. I had to start all over. I was scared but I wasn’t going to give up. I studied several other business plans and attended several classes and decided to slightly change things up. You see, my salon started as a booth rental salon. Where stylists would rent the station from me and conduct their business from their booths. Essentially they were independent contractors. I had the pleasure of watching these girls grow and push themselves to pursue their dreams and I wanted to keep doing that for future stylists who walk through my doors.
I have begun to implement an associate program where stylists can learn from real-life salon situations. I have become very busy over the years, getting married having kids, running my own business while servicing new and loyal guests. I needed help and I also wanted to help. With my associate program, stylists are able to learn new things while building their clientele. I have enjoyed teaching stylists new tips and tricks when it comes to coloring and haircutting, but it has also allowed me to be able to service more guests without diminishing their experience.
March 2022, after being in business for seven years, we expanded from our 1000 sq foot little yellow house to a 1700 sq foot olive green house in downtown kyle. We currently have 5 stylists and one associate and still growing.
I am extremely grateful for where my journey had taken me. With zero plans and flying by the seat of my pants, I went from a little 17 years old girl with no idea of what I wanted to be when I grew up to woman with two degrees and a salon. I honestly wouldn’t be here without my family and my loyal clientele. There are no words to describe how truly thankful I am.
My husband cracks jokes saying that all my degrees were for nothing. I tell him I use them every day. I have designed our salon’s website, taken the photos, and used the business knowledge I gained from college and I am still teaching. It may not be Elementary students, but my goal is to share my knowledge and experiences with any and everyone to help them on their journey.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Like I had mentioned, I struggle managing people. I am extremely introverted and hate confrontation. I have had to learn from several mistakes and have been forced to be more decisive with my decisions. I have had to have hard conversations with stylists that have sent my anxiety haywire.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
So we are located in a little house in Downtown Kyle. We do all things hair. To name a few of our services, we do color, highlights, balayage, blonding, vivid hair colors, haircuts, hair extensions, and keratin treatments. We have stylists who specialize in brunette, lived-in colors, hair extensions and blondes. We also have facial waxing services. Brows, lips, chin, etc. Zac We also carry a variety of different products to sell. To name a few, Olaplex, Joico, Lanza, Redken.
At K’s Cutting Edge Salon, we have a very homey vibe where guests can relax and feel comfortable. Our front porch is decked out in beautiful flowers and greenery so guests and stylists can sit and have some quiet time. We are surrounded by trees and sometimes you can see a family of raccoons, squirrels or birds out the windows. We have the farmhouse, and rustic decor to go with the very cozy feel of our space. We foster a kind and professional environment where we work together to achieve the client’s hair goals. We work together, not against each other. Each of us separately have our own specialties and we are constantly sharing our gifts every day with each other. At the salon, we have combined the comfort of home with the functionality of a salon.
We have hosted several fundraising events to help out local organizations like Paws Shelter of Central Texas, The American Cancer Society, & St. Jude Children’s Hospital. We have participated in Angel Tree for families in our town who are in need & Freedom Day USA to honor our Veterans and active military.
This year we will be participating in Cuts 4 Kids, which is hosted by a local barber shop, where kids can get free haircuts for back to school. This event is also taking donations for backpacks and school supplies to help families in need in the area.
I am a firm believer of giving back to the community who has so kindly accepted me and my business for the past seven years and counting.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
I am extremely grateful for my guests and my coworkers. I stay humble and up to date on current trends and techniques. We are always attending hair shows and taking classes. I love to learn and I love to grow. I am constantly working on myself to improve myself for my guests and stylists. I am always changing when something isn’t working. I am constantly adapting.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.kscuttingedgesalon.com/
- Instagram: Instagram.com/kscuttingedgesalon
- Facebook: Facebook.com/kscuttingedgesalon
- Yelp: Yelp.com/kscuttingedgesalon
