“I’ve found that luck is quite predictable. If you want more luck, take more chances. Be more active. Show up more often.”

– BRIAN T R A C Y

People call me lucky. Rightfully so, I fit the role with green eyes and red hair to match. If you were to ask me if I consider myself lucky, I would say yes because you’re as lucky as you choose to be. Luck is far more than looking the part or being at the right place at the right time. Much to the contrary, luck doesn’t fall out of thin air nor does it simply get handed to you. My favorite quote by Seneca says,“Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” Although it may look effortless, luck is something to be earned through creative action.

My college commencement speech was given by Mr. Hawk Koch, president of The Motion Picture Academy. He left my colleagues and I with an inspiring story about losing it all and how he managed to climb the ladder of success as a result. He placed an emphasis on creating your own luck, having fun and doing something memorable. The words that stuck with me most were, “In losing everything, I found the freedom to be fearless.”

Looking back on it, I can see how much I’ve applied his advice; the most prominent being a mindset of “What do you have to lose?” Every day since graduation, I’ve dedicated my life to that of a living art. I’ve spent years preparing, practicing and expanding my skill set. As Hawk mentioned, you’ll come across a lot of situations that will stir up fear. What’s important is that you overcome it. To combat fear, I’ve continued to work on strengthening my intuition as a means to rely on instinct in difficult times.

I’ve taken many risks but the most memorable risk I took happened last October at Quixote Studios. A familiar face approached me and opened up a friendly conversation. Her name was Stephanie Kocielski. Little did I know, she would be the individual that would help me land the most influential moment of my blogging career thus far.

Her personality matched her hair, vivacious and bold. Her presence was commanding. She had been to Quixote once before and instantly remembered me, although she jokingly said she didn’t recognize me at first without my bow. Regardless, she had a way of making me feel special. The first thing that came to mind was also the first thing I said, “Well, I’m kind of a chameleon, so I don’t blame you.” We began talking about transformation and styling and I felt comfortable around her. Naturally I felt compelled to connect.

Eventually she and her friend had to make their way back to work, so we said our goodbye’s for the time being. The moment she walked away, my inner critic said, ‘What were you waiting for?’ But my intuition fought back with assurance, ‘I’m just waiting for the right moment.’ It hadn’t dawned on me to take note of the set she was on until I looked up to notice the iconic words, PAUL MITCHELL. Now I knew why she had such an amazing personality to match her hair.

The clock rang 2:00 pm, and I hadn’t a single opportunity for a one-on-one with Stephanie before my work day was over. I felt down on my luck, as if I missed my chance. I reasoned with myself that it wasn’t meant to be. At the very least I had the satisfaction that the Artistic Director and VP of Education for PAUL MITCHELL thinks I’m rad. But did you really think that was enough for me? Nope, I don’t give up that easy. I figured if she’s back tomorrow, it’s meant to be.

Tomorrow came around and low and behold, both PAUL MITCHELL and Stephanie were back again. First thing that morning, Stephanie came over to chat, this time by herself. We talked for five minutes or so and I knew it was time to create my own luck. It was time to strike.

As the conversation began to wind down, I reached into my purse and pulled out a business card. I handed her one with a smile and felt instant synchronicity in her returned grin. She paused for a moment then followed with, “You know sometimes the world just has a way of bringing the right people together at the right time. We’re currently looking for brand influencers and I think you’d be perfect for this. Let me talk to our Brand Advocate Manager and I’ll put you two in contact.”

The rest was history. I jumped on the phone with Ang later that week and got the grand tour of the HQ the following month. She and I hit it off immediately; even over the phone I could tell she was warm, welcoming and kind. Strengthening my intuition has made my awareness keen and enabled me to tell when something’s right. I now understand the importance of recognizing how you feel before and after every interaction. I felt excited before speaking to Ang, and completely energized once we hung up. I immediately called my Mom to tell her the good news.

It’s been smooth sailing ever since. This Spring I produced my first tutorial for Paul Mitchell. I am beyond grateful for the opportunity as well as the creative freedom they have provided me throughout the process! It’s truly amazing to see how everything has come full circle. One day I was tying a silk scarf into a quirky bow for fun and the next I’m professionally teaching others how to transform their look with my knowledge.

Long before any of my luck, I was paving the road to success so that when that day came, I was prepared. If it weren’t for my encounter with Stephanie or my fearless attitude, I wouldn’t be sharing this story today. It has been quite a journey, yet something tells me it’s far from over.

| PHOTOGRAPHY |

Evan Woods

| STYLING & CREATIVE DIRECTION |

Morgan Ryan

| LOCATION |

Shot at Malibu Farm

Read Paul Mitchell’s version here.

Look achieved using PMYC Limited Edition Pro Tools.