Meet Maggie Nowell | Salon & Boutique Owner; Stylist

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

Hi Maggie, what do you attribute your success to?
Valuing people and relationships. Building a community of diverse and fascinating women has been such a benefit to growing a business I love. I am so proud watching my artists and support team grow, and their leaning into one another for support. Having an intentional written culture is essential for ensuring a team is healthy and thriving. We love serving in a way that is really relational — everyone has a special story and experiences we love to hear about!

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I began cosmetology school when I was 17, straight out of high school. I loved art but couldn’t draw or paint really. Hair color and shaping came very naturally to me, so that part was easy to develop. Working with people however…that was challenging for a quiet introvert. School and my first year working with clients really helped me learn to communicate professionally and now I have so much fun getting to know the guests who sit in my chair.

I worked at a handful of different salons over my first 15 years in the industry and acquired my cosmetology instructor’s license as well. I came to begin work at 306 10th Street beginning in late 2015 when it was Serenity Salon & Spa, owned by Kandace Hollibaugh. She approached me to purchase the business in 2018 and I felt it was the time to step into that role. The first year of owning a business was incredibly hard and I had to lean on the Lord almost constantly. I had a close circle of faithful friends and my amazing husband to take my struggles and doubts to. Turns out prayer and seeking wise counsel was a good practice to get into… I still need to keep in mind Who owns everything anyway!

It has served me so well to be in a position to care for others on a one-on-one basis and hear so many different stories. This has helped me to deeply appreciate others and all they contribute to the world. Not just at work but in other areas in life, I think I have become a better listener and more invested in others. As for the craft I’ve settled into for now, I specialize in extensions and lived-in color like long hair balayage, so I am performing long services that typically take 2 to 4 hours.

I have a brilliant team of 9 with a mix of independent contractors, employee stylists and support staff. There are seven hair artists including myself, a lash and nail artist and, most recently, a massage therapist who has come on board the Blush Co crew. I also rely heavily on my salon coordinator, Brittany Grace and guest services specialist, Hannah Peterson to help things run smoothly.

These days, I do a little less work as the talent behind the chair and a lot more coaching and training up new talent in our salon through an assistant program I am still developing. I wanted to be able to give the encouragement and guidance to new stylists that I really needed when I was getting started. I made so many mistakes in business and I felt if I could help others avoid common pitfalls, more professionals would stay in the industry and actually begin elevating the profession. So, that is my mission for Blush Co: to train high-level beauty artists into a career that serves them, their families and the public with more than just great hair. We want everyone who visits to find a memorable experience here, where they feel seen, listened to and cared for. As for our team members, they get to define what wealth and success mean for them and I help them build a plan to get there. It should take months, not years to build a clientele that can grow your livelihood. I have had two cosmetology school graduates begin the program this year, and one is a full-fledged stylist growing her books and confidence! I will be looking to take on 2 to 3 new assistant-stylists in 2023.

Because of our prominent high-traffic location in historic downtown, Alamogordo we have been privileged to host a number of events that have been growing in popularity. Dogtoberfest, our most recent event included over 30 local vendors, 3 food trucks, live bands and a beer garden. A handful of pet adoption nonprofits joined us and nine sweet pups went home to new families! It really is wonderful to see so much of our community come together at our storefront. We are tremendously grateful to our neighbors on either side, Roadrunner Emporium and First National Bank for the use of additional sidewalk space and an entire parking lot, allowing us to really spread out! Community is something I feel is so unique about our company. The team loves that we set out to do these special events and we are always shaking things up. In addition to the times we come together for meetings, classes and check-ins, we make bonding and communication a priority and I am so thankful for the relationships being built here under this roof.

I know everything good in my life has come from the Lord; His faithfulness to provide has brought me through every storm that has been necessary for real growth to happen. He is still showing me new lessons and levels. I expect that will never stop as long as I’m here!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
During the day, we would certainly walk the shops of Downtown Alamogordo…The Local Bodega, Elite Memories and Victoria are my favorite places to shop! Next, a drive out to Heart of the Desert for pistachios (and probably more shopping) would definitely pass the time with so many gifts and goodies to look at. In the evening, we would try catching a musical at the Flickinger Center if the timing is right. Otherwise, 575 Brewing Company or Les Combes is a lot of fun for dinner and live music. Or a great standby, Pizza Patio!

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?
Jason Nowell, my husband, is definitely the big supporter in my corner. He has always helped me think through decisions and challenges, regularly says he’s proud of me, and so often drops everything to take care of things around the building that need some muscle or handyman smarts. He is also a brilliant maker himself. He has been working over the last several years to develop a disinfectant that is completely safe, biodegradable and very effective. We’ve been using it for our personal and salon cleaning for years and we now retail Purus in our boutique space! I consider that a really great partnership.

Also, Sarah Houghtelling — our very first boutique partner — helped me break into the vision of adding a boutique to our salon. She has connected me with many local women in business too, which is invaluable to us and our vision of elevating female-owned businesses! She owns Vintage79 Boutique and still contributes so much as a solopreneur and a boss at social media.

Website: www.blushcobeautybar.com

Instagram: @blushcobeautybar

Facebook: Blush Beauty Bar

Other: @maggienowellhair is my professional stylist IG MaggieNowellHair for Facebook maggienowell.com — website **Only if helpful; not necessary to list

Image Credits
Kala C. Ortiz