Meet Katie McKinnon

Today we’d like to introduce you to Katie McKinnon.  

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My journey in the beauty industry began when I was a little girl. My mom regularly frequented the salon, and I fell in love with being in that atmosphere. I loved the hot gossip, the smells of the hair products in the air, and I loved to get my hair done. By the time I was a senior in high school, I decided to go to the local beauty school part-time. Long story short, I absolutely hated it. I was then a beauty school dropout. (My family loved to sing that song from the musical Grease to me after that.) Little did I know this dropout was not going to be the end of my journey in the beauty industry. 

Behind the love for all things beauty, I have always been an artist at heart. Drawing and painting is something I have been doing since I was a child. Art has always been a safe and comforting thing for me to go back to in all of my hard times. This is one of the reasons I decided to pursue a degree in Fine Arts after I graduated high school. My beauty school dropout was long behind me, and I had completed my first year of college. I was enrolled for my second year when I had a defining moment where I just said, “screw this.” I knew deep down the college path I was on was not the right one for me. My heart told me to go back to cosmetology school, which was a big surprise to me at the time. I get why now. One of the scariest choices in my life at that point turned out to be the greatest choice I have ever made. I absolutely loved my second time around at cos school, and I quickly learned I could combine my love of creating art with the beauty industry. I could be the artist I was born to be in the environment that I have always loved. 

After I graduated, I made the move to Grand Rapids, where I assisted in a salon on Bridge ST. (cue my absolute love for the Westside of Grand Rapids.) This salon focused heavily on Men’s Grooming. I took a liking to doing short haircuts while in beauty school. To me, it was like a sculpture, and the symmetry and artistry of it just clicked for me. I quickly built a clientele based on men’s hair and facial grooming. After almost three years on Bridge St., my future business partner and I moved to a chair rental salon downtown. This was where I found my love for doing vivid hair color. It was like I was Bob Ross and I could feel like I was painting again, but this time my canvas was somebody’s head. I could not get enough of these bright hair colors, and I wanted more of them in my chair. 

We stayed at that salon for two years before deciding to open our own salon suite together under the name “Phoenix & Fire Salon.” We were open two weeks before we got shut down from the Covid-19 pandemic. During this time of not being able to do hair, I realized truly how healing it was for me to get up every day and go see people and create. When I finally was able to go back to work, I spent the next two years transitioning my mostly male clientele to doing more hair color, specifically the bright, vivid hair colors that I had come to love so much. This did prove to be a challenging two years, but I kept reminding myself that slow progress was still progress. 

At some point along the way, between the constant Covid shutdowns, transitioning/rebuilding my clientele, and struggling with my mental health, I lost my spark. I then decided to join Spring GR’s Small Business Accelerator with my business partner. After joining this amazing program, the universe quickly came knocking, and we both realized we wanted different things, and it was time to start the process of going our separate ways to start our own businesses. 

I quickly saw my passion reignite during this time, and it made me focus on the “why.” I realized my “why” was people, and combining that with my passion for art. Getting up in the morning to go do hair for the people who have supported and shared their own struggles with me has saved me on my worst of days. I now knew I wanted to create a mellow space where people could come to get freshened up but also know that the place they are in is a safe spot of understanding. If you want to talk, I’ll listen. If you need resources for mental health services, I have them. And if you get sensory overload like many do, we can share the beauty of silence together. A cozy space where it feels like we are just hanging out in my living room, and I just happen to be doing your hair. This is how Obsidian Hair Studio MI was born. 

We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I definitely would not call this road I’ve decided to take smooth by any means. There have been many tears. Tears of absolute joy and satisfaction and many tears of sadness and just not feeling good enough. Being a small business owner can be extremely challenging. Between having to figure out how to organize your taxes and finances and also trying to market and constantly build your clientele. This isn’t easy stuff, and I’d be lying if I said I don’t struggle with it. I have been my own boss for the last 6 years, and it wasn’t until the last 2 years I actually feel like I kind of know what I am doing. Having a business mentor and a network of other small business owners to talk to and seek advice from has been an absolute game changer. One big thing I have learned in the last year is you can’t do this small business thing all alone, so stop trying to. 

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I specialize in all things hair color, short haircuts, and tape-in extensions. When I get to do a vivid neon hair color and add extensions to it, it’s absolute nirvana for me. I like all things edgy and non-traditional when it comes to hair. Show me a painting or a picture of an animal, and tell me to make your hair that color, and I will not disappoint. 

Are there any books, apps, podcasts, or blogs that help you do your best?
I am a big advocate for therapy! I have a therapist that I regularly see, and she has been a major component in the success of me running my business. If you don’t fill up your own cup you can’t fill up others. I also use an app called Insight Timer to meditate. Whether it’s in the morning to start my day with gratitude or to wind down my brain at night. 

As for work inspiration, Instagram has been a great educational platform for hairstylists to help each other. I learn so much from different accounts who specialize in educating on techniques. One of my favorites to learn new hair color placements from is @the.blonde.chronicles. Social media can be a great tool when used in doses. I definitely have to limit my intake to stay more mentally grounded. 

Contact Info:

• Website: https://obsidianhairmi.glossgenius.com/
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/obsidianhairmi?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100086910562034&mibextid=LQQJ4d

Image Credits
Ani Mora