Meet Courtney Lynn | Independent hairstylist and Mom

We had the good fortune of connecting with Courtney Lynn and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Courtney, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?
Work life balance response

When I started in the beauty industry at 19, I was all hustle and zero balance. I worked two jobs, powered through sick days, and built my clientele by saying yes to everything and everyone. From early mornings to late nights, the industry praised the hustle and I took pride in my hard work ethic.

For years, I missed birthdays, events, and meaningful life moments. Even when I became my own boss, I didn’t feel free. My clients ran my life, and I was constantly burnt out, crying to my mom and wondering how long I could keep this pace. She warned me that if I didn’t slow down, something in life, or my health, would force me to.

She was right.

One busy Saturday, I sent her a quick text response: “Sorry mom–not ignoring you, crazy day, love you and chat later.” I had every intention of calling her that Monday. But Monday never came. She passed away unexpectedly, and that text was our last exchange. My entire world stopped.

In that grief, I realized how unsustainable my life had become. That loss forced me to re-evaluate everything. How I spent my time, what were my priorities and what truly fulfilled me. A year later, I gave birth to my son, who was diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder shortly after birth. His needs were great, and he needed me. Not the burned-out version of me, but the present, whole, healthy version. I knew I had to finally create a life that honored both my career and my family.

Almost a year back into business after maternity leave, I can honestly say I have the best of both worlds. I serve my clients with purpose and passion, but I’m also fully there for my son and my family. I believe you can have it all, but it takes boundaries, discipline, and a clear sense of what matters most.

I don’t have full-time childcare. On my off days, I’m a full-time mom. That means naptime has to be productive. Gaps in my schedule? I use them for content, admin, or client bookings. I wake up early, plan ahead, and lean on my village when I need support.

If you’re deep in burnout, I’ve been there. My biggest advice? Build a brand rooted in your values. When your business reflects who you are, you naturally attract clients who respect your boundaries. You stop bending over backwards and start creating a rhythm that works for you.

Don’t wait for life to force you to slow down. True wealth isn’t just money–it’s presence, peace, and time with the people you love.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’m an independent salon suite owner. I went to college after high school but realized I wanted to work and start my career asap. In high school I naturally excelled at business. I placed locally and nationally in a competitive business program that I was a part of. In addition to a natural business sense, I’ve always had a passion for psychology, however when I realized how long that program would be in college I did not have the patience to pursue that path. I hit a crossroads of deciding whether I should accumulate student loan debt over years of college or pursue a career that could fulfill my creative, business and psychology side and would allow me to start making money quickly. So I went to cosmetology school. It wasn’t easy, and at that time a lot of peers thought I was making a mistake or that I “failed out of college.” That was not the case. I did very well in college; it just wasn’t my path. A college degree does not equate to success. I hustled hard to finish cosmetology school quickly. I waited tables after school and was a shampoo tech on Saturdays just to get my foot in the door. I was incredibly fortunate to start at a salon that was well known and valued education so I received a ton of wonderful training and upbringing in that salon. However after several years, something was missing. I wanted to be in charge of my own brand and my own business. I didn’t want to be just an employee so I took the risk with a couple other stylists and became an independent hairstylist. That’s when I really started feeling fulfilled. I was using that passion I had for business and that passion I had for psychology to bring a unique experience. Overtime I developed connections with my clients-especially in the more intimate setting of a salon suite. I realized this was so much more than just a haircut, this was an opportunity to help my clients feel beautiful, heard, supported and validated. That’s a pretty special experience that I get to provide. It’s taken me a while to get to the place I’m in now, when I became independent I had no guidance in being self employed so it was a lot of trial and error and learning what type of brand and values I wanted to represent. I learned that you don’t have to take any and every client, and I also learned the importance of building a brand that attracts your ideal client and service. 7 years later and I’m still learning and growing. Coming back from maternity leave has been a season of rebranding and reinventing. I read a lot of business material and work closely with a business coaching program. I want the world to know that my brand isn’t just about good hair, it’s about overall well being. From scalp health to personal and self care, it all plays a role in healthy hair and feeling beautiful inside and out. As women we’re constantly pouring ourselves into family, career, life etc so in my space, for the short time that you’re here, take a moment to breathe and enjoy a moment of self care!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
In Sugar Land itself, I love shopping. I’d stay at the Marriott in Town Center which has several great stores and is walking distance to our mall, restaurants, bars and more shopping. On a nice day, I would take them to our new brewery Talyard, it’s got an amazing patio space that is family friendly, and has a great local vibe. It’s right next to our Space Cowboys baseball stadium (another fun outing). On a Saturday morning we’d grab coffee at Blendin coffee shop and check out the farmers market nearby or go to Day 6 coffee shop and browse the Half Price bookstore that is a couple doors down to look for some unique finds. For my fitness friends, we’d grab a Pilates class at Line fitness and if we wanted to get outside the lakeLake Pointe walking loop is right by the pilates studio behind our Whole Foods. It is so beautiful and peaceful out there you almost forget you’re in the city. I also love grabbing food at Pacific Coast tacos. It’s always such a chill vibe especially when they have the doors open and you overlook the water. I moved to Sugar Land from the Houston Heights area and I have to say, there’s a ton of hidden gems in Sugar Land that are really putting the “suburbs” on the map.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My husband and my in-laws are a huge part of my village that allows me to have this balance. I also owe credit to my mom for putting me through beauty school which is the start of this entire journey. She was my model through all my training and had been my best client- she would rave to everyone that would listen about her amazing daughter/hairdresser!
I want to recognize my parents (they were divorced) but they both have incredible work ethic, they are the epitome of hard workers who showed up day in and day out to provide.
Once again I need to recognize my husband for being my biggest cheerleader. Any little dream or idea I have he believes in me and helps me bring it to life!
Lastly, my recognition goes to my baby boy who inspires me and motivates me to be the best possible mom and provider so he’ll have the best chance at life and a fulfilling future!

Website: https://Courtneylynn.hair

Instagram: @courtneylynn_hairstylist

Yelp: https://yelp.to/VzjsEqQ1jd