Teresa O’Brien is the owner of SoCo For Hair and is a Redken Certified Hair Colorist and Certified GK Keratin Specialist. She has been in the hair industry for 25 years and is passionate about helping others to look and feel their best.
Tell us about your salon, SoCo For Hair. What inspired you to start your own salon?
I was inspired to open my salon, SoCo For Hair, after having 25 years in the hair industry and being able to learn from some of the best artists in the world.
In 2018, I became a Redken Certified Hair Colorist after taking an exam in NYC at Redken Headquarters. This certification means that I have the highest proficiency in hair color. I sought to create an inviting and inspiring environment for clients as well as fellow professionals. I wanted to help other stylists grow and flourish in their careers as much as I had. I wanted to help them become as passionate and knowledgeable as I.
Tell us about your background, especially as it applies to your career.
I was born in Massachusetts and attended cosmetology school there.
After four years in the industry there, I was ready to seek an opportunity for warmer weather and job growth. I was given the opportunity to work for one of the best salons in the country, Van Michael Salons, located in Atlanta, Georgia. So onward, I went.
There, I was able to work with some of the most talented hairdressers in the world. As I moved up their corporate ladder, I soon became an educator for the salon and found it to be just as, if not more, rewarding than just working behind the chair.
I spent 10 years in Atlanta but knew that it wasn’t my last stop for I have such a love for the beach.
I had many clients in Atlanta migrating to Jacksonville and the beaches area. I came to visit them, and this particular area won my heart.
I grew up in a family of politics. My father was a civil servant. City councilor, state representative and then clerk of courts in the State of Massachusetts.
We were always in the spotlight and working with the public whether it be helping the elderly, holding public events and even hosting fundraisers for governors, senators and other elected officials. My background in politics is what gave me the confidence to work with the public and the passion to help people. I've always had an affinity for fashion and appearances. This is what led me to want to be in the hair industry.
What do you like best about what you do?
What I love most about my career is that hairstylists are one of the few industries that are licensed to physically touch people. Our touch not only helps people to relax but we have the ability to change each client’s self-confidence by helping them to look their best. Not only do we help them feel great about their appearance, we spend a great amount of time listening and experiencing their lives. We listen to their troubles, their heartbreaks. We listen about their work, their families, their lives, their children.
Sometimes, it's the only hour or two every few weeks that our clients get to escape their realities of daily life.
We are hairapists as I call it. Our job is much more than improving one’s looks but helping them to also feel better about their lives. This is why, I believe, I have one of the most rewarding careers in the world.
What is a typical day like for you?
My typical day begins with coffee and feeding my personal cats along with the neighborhood strays.
On my way to work, I provide food and fresh water to five other homeless cat colonies and monitor their health and happiness daily.
Once I reach the salon to open for business, I make sure it is clean, laundry is clean and folded from the day before and the temperature of the salon is comfortable for our guests.
I turn on lights and music as well as preparing our computer for daily appointments and transactions. I provide computer print outs for each guest that entails their color formulas and history of previous appointments, as well as stylists’ schedules. At that point, I am ready to greet my team and clients, making sure everyone is handled with professionalism and care. Throughout the day, consulting, cutting, coloring and styling hair is the heart of what we do.
When the work day is complete, I make sure everything balances and is clean and in order for the next day.
What do you like best about living here?
What I love most about living here is not only the relaxed beach vibe, but the sophistication of Ponte Vedra Beach.
People here seem very happy compared to living in a big city but also they still have a sense of fashion and self-care.
Let’s face it, we all want to look our best. Whether our toes are in the sand, in a business meeting or out for a good time.
We are so very fortunate to live in a place where others only wish they could vacation.
How do you like to spend your free time?
In my personal time, I enjoy attending business and hair classes because our industry is ever-changing. I enjoy traveling and experiencing other cultures. I love to fish offshore and become one with nature.
I love to work outside and garden. Love to cook and entertain, and I especially have a passion to help and love on innocent animals in need.
