Today we’d like to introduce you to Julian Mireles.
Julian, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My journey into hairstyling wasn’t exactly planned. After attending community college, I realized the path I was on wasn’t the right fit for me, so I decided somewhat randomly that beauty school sounds interesting. I booked a tour at Paul Mitchell The School Austin, and from the minute I walked in I knew I was right where I was supposed to be. I didn’t tell anyone I was starting until 2 weeks before my first day. I told my family, and I remember everyone was shocked that I chose beauty school. My mom wasn’t shocked though, she reminded me that when I was growing up, I would sit and draw pictures of women with “before and after” hair, giving them bobs, bangs, curls and completely new looks. I guess the hairstylist in me had always been there; it just took me a little while to find it.
I graduated from Paul Mitchell Austin in 2012 and soon began my career at Transformation Salon in Lakeway, Texas. My first boss, Grace Watson, quickly became one of the most influential people in my career. She took me under her wing and taught me everything she could about cutting, coloring, professionalism, and what it truly meant to be a stylist.
I remember early on in the first 90 days of my career at Transformation I became so discouraged because building a clientele was difficult. At one point, I was ready to give up and put in my two weeks. Grace wouldn’t let me leave. She told me she saw something in me and knew I was going to become a great hairstylist. She told me to trust her and I’m so grateful I did. Over the next eight years, I continued learning, soaked up all the education I could and built the skills and clientele that shaped the stylist I am today. So a big THANKS to Grace, may she rest in peace.
When COVID changed the industry in 2020, I decried to take a new opportunity with one of my closest friends from beauty school, Kendall. She opened Mayhem Boutique Salon in Austin and I joined her team. Since then, I’ve continued growing my clientele and challenging myself in different ways. During my time at Mayhem, I had the opportunity to travel with Kendall to Cambodia twice to teach hair cutting to people living in poverty. In just one week, we were able to teach them a skill that could help provide income and help support their families for a lifetime. Being able to use a skill that I love to help give someone else an opportunity to build a better future was incredibly humbling. Traveling to another country and seeing firsthand how something as simple as a haircutting skill could create so many opportunities for someone changed the way I looked at my profession.
One of the biggest opportunities in career has been becoming a Joico Brand Educator. What started as something I challenged myself to pursue has grown into an incredibly rewarding part of my career. I now travel throughout Texas teaching other hairstylist about Joicos professional color and product lines. As a bilingual educator, Im especially grateful to be able to connect with and educate stylist in both English and Spanish.
When I look back, I never could have imagined that the unexpected decision to attend beauty school would lead me here. From the little boy drawing hair transformations on paper, to the stylist and educator I am today, my career has been shaped by the people who believed in me, the mentors who taught me, the experiences that humbled me, and my willingness to keep learning. Someone once told me “You’re never too old to learn something new! and I always remind myself of that. I’m incredibly proud of how far I’ve come and excited for everything that still is ahead.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It definitely hasn’t always been a smooth road. I think one of the biggest things beauty school doesn’t fully prepare you for is just how difficult it can be to build a clientele. Getting someone to trust you with their hair, especially when you’re just starting out, is harder than it looks. You’re not only building a business, you’re building relationships and proving to people that they can trust you.
What made it even more challenging is that I had to do it twice. When COVID hit in 2020, I transitioned to a new salon that was about 45 minutes from the area where I had built my original clientele. I lost a significant portion of my clients and had to start rebuilding in a completely new area during an already uncertain time.
Looking back, though, those experiences taught me some of my most valuable lessons. Consistency really is key, not only in the quality of work, but in the little things: showing up, continuing to learn, providing great service, and creating an experience that makes people want to come back. Building a clientele takes time, but once you earn that trust, it becomes incredibly rewarding.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I don’t necessarily like to say that I specialize in just one thing. I believe a great hairstylist should be well rounded and comfortable working with all different types of hair, colors and styles. One of the biggest lessons my first boss taught me was to “be comfortable with the uncomfortable” and I’ve carried that with me throughout my career.
I genuinely love haircutting and feel confident creating everything from classic, polished cuts to more modern, lived in styles. But I also have a BIG love for color! I love creating everything from a sassy red to a classic lived in color all the way to some traditional hi lights. Shoot, I’ll even get down on a perm! Perms are back and popular again especially for the men. I love that my career allows me to continue learning and evolving rather than being defined by just one technique.
If I had to say what my true specialty is, though, I would say LISTENING. I believe consultation is one of the most important parts of being a hairstylist. You can have great skills but if you don’t listen to what your client is saying or sometimes what they’re not saying, you can miss the mark.
Skills can always be learned, practiced, and improved. But making someone feel heard, understood, and confident in themselves is something I believe sets a stylist apart. For me, the greatest compliment is when a client leaves feeling like the best version of themselves. That connection and trust are a huge part of what I’m most proud of in my work.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
If I could leave readers with one thing, it would be not to give up on yourself, even when things feel uncomfortable, scary, or uncertain. Some of the moments that have pushed me the most outside of my comfort zone have also become some of the moments I’m most proud of.
Most recently, I experienced that when I had the opportunity to get on the mini stage at Behind The Chair, one of the biggest hair shows in the industry. I had spent weeks preparing for my segment but right before I went on stage, I was overwhelmed with emotion. I was excited, nervous, scared, and honestly felt like I could cry. I remember immediatly texting my partner Angelo to help calm me and telling him, “I just want to do my best.” Thankfully he was able to calm me down and help me remember I had this!
Someone reminded me afterwards that those feelings I was having were actually a good thing. You feel nervous because you care! You’re afraid of disappointing people because you want to give your best. That really stuck with me. Once I got on stage and started connecting with the audience, all of that fear disappeared.
I think that lesson applies to so much more than standing on a stage. Whether you’re starting a new career, rebuilding your clientele, trying something that scares you, or simply figuring out your next step, don’t let the fear make the decision for you. We are all human and we’re never going to feel completely ready for every opportunity. Sometimes you just have to trust yourself, keep pushing, connect with the people around you and take the next step.
You might be surprised by where that one step takes you, just saying…
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.mayhemboutiquesalon.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hair_by_julianm/
