Hi, I’m Rebecca Beardsley. I am the author of Self-Care for Hairdressers: How to Prevent Stress and Burnout, and Step Into the Professional You Were Meant to Be. I am also owner of ShineForth Salon and founder of Haircuts with Heart, a new nonprofit providing services, care and respect to those in need in the Bay Area.

My Content

For years, I have been the most senior hairstylist in the salons I’ve worked in, and when I reflect back on my career so far, I realize that my coworkers come to me for creative, business, and personal advice. I decided to own this role and be proactive about it. My mission is to help creative high achieving hairdressers all over the world, like you, learn what you didn’t learn in beauty school, build a sustainable life and career, and step into the beauty professional you were meant to be.

With that in mind, I write on the topics of Health, Business – Money, and Life/Work Balance. You can find out more on my Start here  section.

My goal is to create juicy, relevant content that you can put right into action in your salons and in your life. If you consider yourself open-minded, someone who is determined to live a full, creative life, and make money, then this blog is for you.

I usually post once a week. To make sure you don’t miss any of it, you can subscribe here.

My Biography

Hairstylist for over 30 years, I have always worked for myself. After trying to find my way for the first couple of years, and a short stint cutting hair out of my house, I worked 14 years in downtown Oakland in my friends salon, called Topp’s.

I then worked in a one chair studio on Piedmont Avenue in Oakland, for two years before buying a home, and working as an independent at Keter Salon in Berkeley. This is where I made my home for just about 10 years. It was there, that I began really pursuing my dream of styling hair for editorial shoots, and honing my hairstyling skills. I helped educate their staff in hair color, styling, and acted as Artistic Director of the salon. I directed their photo shoots of their collections.

In 2010, I partnered with the #1 beauty brand in the world, L’Oreal Professionnel and traveling to New York City for both; Fashion Week and becoming a National Artist, leading courses in Dresswork in salons nationwide, and in NYC, as well as being a founding member of the Styling Council, designing curriculum for our new program for the nation. I was a member on this council with national leaders such as James Morrison, Amit Abraham, Pepper Pastor, Jennifer MacDougal, Cheng Tan, and Eric Gomez.

Working with L’Oreal Professionnel gave me the opportunity to meet great leaders in the beauty industry, and cultivate the leader in myself.

In 2014, I opened my own studio, ShineForth Salon in Oakland, California, and shortly thereafter, founded Haircuts with Heart.

I published my first book called Self-Care for Hairdressers: How to Avoid Stress and Burnout and Step into the Professional You Were Meant to Be in 2015, and am currently finishing a memoir on my experience in the beauty industry. In writing my story, I realized the book is a love story of the craft, my clients and my now husband, whom I met cutting his hair for almost 30 years. The idea being, you never know when someone sits in the chair, just where your relationship will go.

When I reflected back on my career recently, I asked the question, what do I want to leave behind as my legacy. The answer? To lead those eager to learn, and share my passion, knowledge and experience, so that they grow, learn and become leaders themselves. I want to empower the lives of hairstylists worldwide; my heroes, and help them own the profound role behind the chair, and find their own way of being in it without compromising themselves.

My Family

I married my client, Greg, three years ago, and whom I’ve known for 28 years. I cherish our friendship, and respect his business sense, creativity, and his ability to maintain a light heart, and choose laughter. I couldn’t ask for a better father to our daughter, Pria.

My Contact

You can contact me via e-mail or follow me on Twitter or Facebook.

I am the author of Hairdresser Self-Care: How to Prevent Stress and Burnout, and Step into the Professional You Were Meant to Be.

I help professional hairstylists build the skills necessary for a sustainable life and career, while creating more money and freedom in their lives.

I write, speak, and coach, as well as, see clients.