Lizzie Baer is the owner of Zimmiz Hair Designers, a hair salon that is celebrating their 40th anniversary this year.
Tell us about your business or your organization. What is your position and what are your responsibilities?
I am the owner of Zimmiz Hair Designers in Ponte Vedra Beach, a salon that has been part of this community for 40 years. I actually worked at Zimmiz for about 11 years before having the opportunity to purchase the salon and continue the legacy that Donna Zimmerman created.
As the owner, I wear a lot of hats. I’m still a hairstylist behind the chair, but a large part of my role now is focused on leading and developing our team, overseeing our education program, managing the business, and planning for the future of the salon. One of my biggest priorities has been creating opportunities for young stylists to build real, sustainable careers while continuing to take care of the longtime clients and team members who made Zimmiz what it is today!
What do you like best about what you do?
The people, without question. Hair has always been a creative outlet for me, but the older I get, the more I realize that my favorite part of this career is the relationships.
I love watching a client leave feeling more confident than when they walked in, but I also really love watching our younger stylists grow. Seeing someone come to us straight out of school, unsure of themselves, and then watching them develop their skills, build a clientele and become confident professionals is incredibly rewarding.
Owning Zimmiz has also given me the opportunity to protect something that means a lot to this community while helping it grow into its next chapter. That feels very special to me.
What is a typical day like for you?
I’m not sure there really is a typical day anymore! I still work behind the chair with clients, but I’m also constantly moving between different parts of the business.
A day might include doing hair, working with our newer stylists, planning education, answering questions, reviewing numbers, handling marketing or social media, solving whatever unexpected problem has come up that day and trying to find time to think about where we want the business to go next.
I’ve learned that owning a business means you can go from discussing hair color to payroll to fixing something in the building within about 10 minutes. It definitely keeps life interesting, and I always say that I'd rather be ANYTHING other than bored!
Tell us about your background, especially as it applies to your career.
My history with Zimmiz actually goes back much further than my career. I had my very first haircut there as a baby, so it feels pretty surreal that I now own it.
I’ve been a licensed hairstylist for about 15 years and spent roughly 11 of those years working at Zimmiz before becoming the owner. I have learned so much of what I know about this industry within these walls, not just about doing hair, but about taking care of people and building relationships that last.
When the opportunity came for me to purchase the salon, I understood what I was taking on. I wasn’t just buying a business; I was becoming responsible for a legacy, a team and a place that has meant something to generations of families in this community. My goal has been to honor what was built before me while also allowing Zimmiz to evolve.
Are you from this area originally, or did you settle here from somewhere else?
I always claim Jacksonville as my hometown, because I've been here since I was very young. My family moved here after my mom was recruited by local news station Channel 4. She went on to become a well-known news anchor and journalist here for 30 years. She was an incredible career woman whose work ethic and success shaped my own drive and desire to build something meaningful.
What I can definitely say is that Ponte Vedra has been part of my life for a very long time. My connection to this community, and especially to Zimmiz, goes all the way back to childhood.
What do you like best about living here?
I love the sense of community. Even though this area has grown tremendously, there are still so many relationships that go back years and even generations.
That is something we see every day at Zimmiz. We have clients who have been coming to the salon for decades, and now we see their children and grandchildren. There is something really special about running a business in an area where people genuinely support local businesses and become part of their stories.
And being this close to the beach certainly doesn’t hurt!
How do you like to spend your free time?
Free time has been a little harder to come by since becoming a business owner! When I do have it, I really value spending time with my husband, family and friends and just slowing down a little with a book. I do a little painting here and there, also.
Because my work is so social and fast-paced, I’ve learned to appreciate the quieter parts of life. I also genuinely love creativity, so even outside of doing hair I’m usually dreaming up something whether it’s an idea for the salon, decorating, branding or another project I probably don’t actually have time to start!
