Meet Caitlin Eyk

Today we’d like to introduce you to Caitlin Eyk.

Hi Caitlin, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
My career started in Royal Oak, Michigan, where I mastered color formulation, cutting, and styling techniques. I brought my passion to Grand Rapids in 2011. I worked in a well-established salon for years before the owner retired and closed. I was ready to start my own business Hair Heroine Salon Suite was the next logical step. 

I am a certified color expert, certified extension artist, Moroccanoil Artist, and an award-winning and published stylist. I have worked backstage at New York Fashion Week on shows for Oscar de la Renta and Veronica Beard. I love working weddings and stylized photo shoots, especially when it opens the opportunity for travel. 

Behind the chair, I seek to create a safe space for my guests to be totally authentic, where I can help to enhance and elevate their beauty from the inside out! Appointments with me are not cookie cutter. From your color and style to your product selection, I will carefully choose what best suits your personal needs. 

My goal is to celebrate and empower each and every one of my guests. 

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
You have to have a level of determination and passion to strike out on your own in the beauty industry. I was fortunate enough to land a job in a high-end salon in Royal Oak right out of cosmetology school. I was able to train with a very successful stylist while building my clientele. When I moved to Grand Rapids, I didn’t have any connections. I moved on a whim when I met my husband. I worked as a bartender, waitress, hostess, cashier, and trivia host all while working full time to build my clientele. This was before Instagram became the marketing powerhouse it is now so I depended on referrals and word of mouth. The first two salons I worked at in Grand Rapids closed abruptly leaving me on the hunt for a more permanent salon home. I then found Avantgarde Salon where I stayed for seven years before the owner decided it was time to retire. I briefly considered purchasing the business but knew that if I was going to start a business with all the responsibilities that come with it, it would have to be my own. I worked at Avantgarde up until the very last day it was open, helping the owner to sell and donate inventory while I was also setting up my own business. I was handling my LLC, licensing, insurance, furnishing, decorating, inventory, and everything else all while working full-time during our busy holiday season in a salon that was functioning at about 20%. I spent all of my savings to get started and I don’t regret it one bit. I opened Hair Heroine Salon Suite, December 21st, 2019, I’m sure you can guess what obstacles came next. 

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I love to work all types and textures of hair. I specialize in color, cutting, styling, and hair extensions. I love that I offer a diverse range of services because I could never get bored. I love the challenge and reward of creating unique styles for my guests that help empower them and show their authentic beauty and style. I am best known for my creativity and my authenticity. I keep it real with my clients. I will not over-promise and I will always be straightforward about what the process will look like. I am most proud of the genuine friendships, and connections I have made throughout my career. Seeing stylists that I have had the opportunity to mentor or educate thrive in their careers brings me so much joy. What sets me apart from others is my authenticity, the same thing that sets them apart from me. I believe that there is room for all of us in the beauty industry. When we show up as ourselves, we offer something entirely unique. 

Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
If you are just getting started in the beauty industry the best thing you can do is stay open to education. In order to succeed you will have to continue learning as long as you work. Find a great mentor and don’t give up. 

I wish I would have known starting out that it’s ok to make mistakes. You are a human and an artist. Your mistakes won’t define you. 

Contact Info:

• Email: caitlineyk@gmail.com
• Website: www.hairheroine.com
• Instagram: http://instagram.com/hair.heroine
• Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/CaitlinEykHair