Everyone’s experience with cosmetology is unique, and no two people come to the field in the same way. For some people, their first brush with cosmetology is in a desire to leave a different field that they no longer enjoy. This was the case with Chris Dailey, who realized that he didn’t enjoy his previous job and wanted to try out something new. Read on to learn more about how Chris used Ogle School to further his dreams.
Chris Dailey’s Experience
What made you realize you really loved cosmetology?
I was always kind of messing around with my own hair, fixing people’s hairlines. I had friends that would be jagged. So, I would fix them; I would do my own edge jobs. And I was doing construction before this, and it sucked to dig 800 feet of trench with a shovel in a day. And as you know, it’s Texas, so it’s hot. There’s sweating, and it sucked. So, I was like, “You know what? This is a better time than ever to do something that I’ve been wanting to do for a while. I’m just going to go for it.” I quit my job and started looking up schools, and here I am.
Why did you choose Ogle School?
After doing some research on the schools, I called this one. They called me back and were like, “Hey, just come in.” I was like, “Are you guys busy?” They said, “Right now? No, we have time. Come in.” So, I pull up to the school. And everyone’s really friendly. All the students, all the staff were all smiling, saying, “Hi.” I went back, and they all helped me–phenomenally helped me all the way through. I came inside, and she gave me a tour of the school; and then automatically, I knew it was where I wanted to be. There was no other option; I just knew.
What do you think about your instructors?
Oh, my instructors are beyond amazing. I’m coming from the only time I had used a flatiron before I came here was like, you know, to iron your shirts. So, I come in here, then everyone else–you’re with girls, you know, and they know what they’re doing. The instructors helped me through it. They showed me how to do everything, and to this day, they continue to.
What are your biggest motivations?
I come from a working-class family. I didn’t go without, but I’m coming from that with the motivation of I’m tired of being broke. I want to go out and do my own thing. Here’s an opportunity to make money while doing what I love to do. That’s definitely a motivation. I want to give my mom a new car, pay our house mortgage, something like that. I’m coming from a law enforcement background; I worked in the prison systems for two years, so it’s definitely a completely different world out here.
What’s it like being a man in the beauty industry?
I don’t want to say it’s disadvantageous at first, but you had a lot to–you have the women that come in, who have done makeup, they’ve done their own hair, they did their mom’s or sister’s or friend’s hair, they know how to braid. And I came in here, like I said, I used the flat iron to fix my clothes. So yeah, there’s definitely been some steps in the way, but that hasn’t stopped me. And especially being a guy in this industry, I’ve been thriving. I get good tips from it. Now, people keep coming back because you are different. And obviously, when you have colored hair like I do, that helps.
What are your goals?
I want to make people happy. I want to give people that confidence boost. Because I know, I see that a lot of people are sad. It kind of sucks now with all the stuff going on, but you know, I’ve never seen someone leaving a salon or a barbershop sad. I think the best way to reach people is just to do people’s hair. They come in, they talk, and they tell you their problems. You develop friendships. You can touch people’s lives through it. And beyond that, I want to revolutionize the industry. I want to do something where they’re going to say, “Chris Dailey did that. That all started with him. He just changed the way we do this now.”
What are you most passionate about?
Beyond wanting to help people, I love what I do. I just grew up thinking, you know, like people that are like, “I don’t work a day in my whole life. I love my job.” I thought it was a myth. I had the jobs, the hard work, and I liked it, I did, but I didn’t love it. It sucked. But every day I’m here, I’m like, I love what I do. I like this. I don’t work here; I truly enjoy cutting and dying and doing everything I can do. So that’s a big passion. That’s really something that I just… I love hair. I mean, I want to make my family proud of me, my friends proud.
It’s showing that as a guy, I can do this, as someone that comes from a law enforcement background, which no one expects. I’m supposed to be like a security guard at Walmart. So, showing that I can do whatever I want to do just because of my background, who I was, it’s not going to limit me. But I can excel, you know? Do it. You tell me I can’t, I’m going to do it.
Discover Your Own Beautiful Story
At Ogle School, we want to give you all the tools necessary to discover your Beautiful Story. Whether that means the cosmetology program or the esthetics program, Ogle School can help you develop the skills and knowledge necessary to become part of your own Beautiful Story. Request more information today to learn more about cosmetology and esthetics.
