Meet Sarah Harris | Owner & Stylist

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

Hi Sarah, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
For me, it is all about being yourself. 100% be yourself! I found my market, searched for what I was the most passionate about and what I was the best at, and always worked on getting better. It is essential to know that your way to success is not linear, but if you have a clear vision of where you want to be and grind hard until you get there, you will always get there.
My mother always told me, “You will work for most of your life, so find something you love, and the money will come!” Success starts and ends with you, so starting with something you love.

From the beginning, my goal was to break out of the conventional booth rental experience and build an environment with the traditional salon team atmosphere but gave the space for entrepreneurs like me to work for themselves and develop their own success. It is highly uncommon to have multiple businesses operating simultaneously under one roof, especially in this industry. But what makes our team unique is a mutual belief that others do not threaten your success but only make it more substantial and that there is a unique space for every single one of us to succeed.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I built my career behind the chair, establishing long-lasting, genuine client relationships and creating styles unique to their individual needs. I make my art behind the camera. My art medium is hair color, and I create magically colorful hair—the more wild the hair, the better. I hit a point in my career where I was stable in my clientele and wanted more from myself professionally. That’s when competing came into my life. It was challenging getting out of the comfort zone of creating commercial hair and making these wildly dynamic looks I had in my head come to life. But after becoming a multi-nominated stylist, I realized how much pride comes in challenging the boundaries of your work and doing what is true to you.

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.
I’m a nature lover and enjoy a healthy and active life. Nature and the outdoors inspire me and keep me fresh and recharged. The George Mitchell Preserve is one of my favorite places to visit locally and is a great place to walk or ride trails. My top two food obsessions are Fieldings Wood Grill and Goode co Kitchen & Cantina. If you want fresh food with unique cocktails, these are a must-try in the area. .

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I am where I am today because of the support of my mother. She has been my rock through this entire journey and the reason I am so strong in business today. I learned my work ethic from her and that nothing can stand in your way if you want something. That being authentic and hardworking are the most necessary traits of a natural leader, and that kindness is never a weakness but a necessity in success.

I cannot go without mentioning my salon team. This fabulous group of individuals are not just my co-workers but my very close friends. It is a phenomenal feeling to have stylists with close to or over a decade of history by my side, starting with me as a commission stylist to now being a salon owner. Every single person in my salon has contributed to supporting me in my vision and mine in theirs.

Website: Avanithewoodlands.com

Instagram: Prettypinked