Daily Inspiration: Meet Nicole Binder

Today we’d like to introduce you to Nicole Binder

Hi Nicole , please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
When I graduated from high school at the top of my class and with scholarships rewarded, going to traditional college just seemed like the ‘right’ thing to do. I started my journey as a hairstylist in 2017 — when I decided to drop out of business school at SVSU to pursue my dreams of being a successful hairstylist. I was unhappy, pursuing something I didn’t want or need when I wanted to go to beauty school. After doing some research on different cosmetology schools,
I decided to leave Saginaw and move to Ferndale. I lived there, attended David Pressley School of Cosmetology in Royal Oak, and worked at Somerset mall in Troy. Over the next year and few months, I spent 30+ hours in school and 40+ hours at work while working towards finishing my cosmetology certificate. I finally finished the program and graduated from beauty school in May of 2019 and immediately moved home to Saginaw to start my career.
My first salon home was a very big, well-known salon that offered a ton of mentorship and continued education. I spent the first 9 months or so assisting a mentor and mastering my skills before being on the salon floor full-time myself. One week into being a level one stylist working on the salon floor myself, salons were shut down due to Covid. I was scared, heartbroken, and worried… What was I going to do to support myself?
During the time we were shut down, my coworkers and I attended a virtual social media class taught by a Pureology educator. When the class was over, the educator mentioned they were looking to hire more educators and encouraged anyone interested to apply. I applied but didn’t think much of it, considering I had only been licensed for over a year. Before I knew it, I was offered a part-time national educator position with the brand and began traveling to different trainings and classes. I spent about two years teaching with Pureology but ultimately decided to focus on my business behind the chair. I decided it was time to devise a plan to switch from a commissioned salon to being an independent stylist managing my own business at a booth rental salon.
I started my own LLC, Bloom Hair Artistry, and began working at Humankind Hair Studio in October of 2024. Behind the chair, I specialize in dimensional color, creative colors, and hand-tied hair extensions. Starting my own business and going independent has been so rewarding! It’s been a learning curve for sure, but my clients, friends and family have been so supportive, and I can’t wait to continue growing my business.

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?
It hasn’t been all sunshine and rainbows since I started my own business. Heck, I had to resubmit my LLC paperwork twice before I completed everything correctly and got approved! It’s been challenging for sure, learning the in’s and out’s of becoming a business owner, but it’s also been extremely rewarding. Now that I’ve got a new routine down, things have been running pretty smoothly but I know there will always be challenges along the way. Thankfully I have a great mentor and friend in my salon owner, Emma. She has been so helpful through this process and I’m so grateful to have her!

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m especially passionate about continued education, as I strive to deliver the latest and greatest techniques behind the chair. Since I specialize in dimensional color and hair extensions, maintenance is very important to keep the hair looking and feeling as good as possible between appointments. I also specialize in bridal styling and offer on-site bridal styling services. My goal is always to keep the integrity of my client’s hair when providing any service, so I love to educate my clients on the best ways to care for their hair to achieve and maintain their desired results. Since working in this industry, I’m most proud of working for a Loreal Professional Products division brand, Pureology. Working with Pureology brought so many amazing individuals and educators into my life and provided me with priceless training, it was the experience of a lifetime!

How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
I would absolutely love to start collaborating with other brands and small businesses! If you’d like to work together, feel free to reach out by email or social media –
email: hairbynicolebinder@gmail. com
instagram: @bloomhairartistrybynicole
facebook: Bloom Hair Artistry by Nicole Binder

Contact Info:

• Website: https://bloom-hair-artistry-by-nicole.square.site/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bloomhairartistrybynicole/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hairbynicolebtheave