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

Hi Katie, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
The most important factor behind my success is client satisfaction and retention. This has been one of the strongest areas of focus since I started my career and that focus is how I’ve managed to build such a large clientele and how I’ve attained success. Behind client satisfaction are three main factors that I believe have contributed to client retention: customer service, talent, and work ethic. Customer service is first because I have made that my highest priority. I make every effort to accommodate my clients and their schedules. They know that I will always do my best to get them in. I build trusting relationships with each individual client and create an enjoyable atmosphere for them to feel comfortable. The next factor I attribute to my success would be my talent. I work to stay on top of trends and current styles to ensure that I’ll be ready for whatever request comes my way. I also make sure every client is happy with the result and if there needs to be an adjustment, I accommodate that request immediately. Great customer service and talent also align with the last factor, which is my strong work ethic. From an early age, I learned that hard work pays off and in turn we are rewarded not only financially, but in many other areas as well. I have worked very hard to get to where I am, even at the expense of my personal life at times. However, my diligence has paid off as evidenced through my increasing clientele that has grown exponentially in a relatively short period of time, of which I am extremely grateful.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My clients are a walking advertisement for my business! With every project set before me, I strive for perfection knowing my name is branded on their hair as they go out into the world. Currently, I am most proud of the way I have built my business based on client satisfaction, as well as the large number of referrals I receive from people who like my work. Client satisfaction and retention remains the most important factors attributed to my success. As clients are increasingly referred to me, my small business continues to expand. It is exciting to see this consistent growth! This success motivates me to continuously further my education in different color lines, techniques, styles and skill sets. The road to success is never easy, however, the ones who want to achieve it will continue to strive for it. One of the greatest lessons that I have learned in this business is to have an awareness of my own strengths and weaknesses. There are certain skills and techniques that I have chosen to focus on and consider my area of expertise. One of my specialties is blondes. I love doing all things blonde! Whether it’s a variety of lighter shades, such as balayage for my low maintenance girls or classic highlights for the ladies that love dimension, this is where I excel. I welcome all cuts, styles, and hair colors to sit in my chair. However, if there is something presented to me that I don’t feel extremely confident taking on, I have many stylist friends who specialize in a variety of different areas whom I would gladly refer. My enthusiasm for this industry revolves around my passion to ensure that each client is taken care of by the best stylist. The one thing that I would let the world know about my artistry and my creative brand is that I genuinely love what I do. Every day, I have the opportunity to make women look and feel beautiful. That is a fulfilling purpose!

Any great local spots you’d like to shoutout?
If my best friend had the opportunity to visit me for a week, I would want to show her all that the DFW Metroplex has to offer. We would begin our visit with a couple of days of catching up and hanging out in the Plano/Frisco area. We would start with brunch on a patio somewhere at The Star or Legacy West . We would venture out to Dallas for a couple of days hitting the cultural and historical spots such as The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza, the Perot Museum and the Dallas Museum of Art. Bishop Arts District is also one of my favorite places for unique, local small businesses like restaurants and boutiques. We would also definitely check out HG Sply Co and Stirr, as they are a couple of my favorite roof top spots in Dallas! It just wouldn’t be Texas without taking my friend to Fort Worth, which is my personal favorite part of the Metroplex. While in Fort Worth we would do some shopping and lunch at The Shops at Clearfork, then visit the Stockyards and end our day with the best margaritas at Joe T. Garcia’s. We would celebrate the finality of our week together back in Frisco with an evening of dinner and delicious cocktails at one of my favorite restaurants, TruFire Kitchen.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I definitely have a huge support system and they play a large role in my success! My family has always pushed me to be the very best at whatever I do, but I’d say my biggest shout out would go to my mom. She was my sounding board when I was confused after graduating from college and couldn’t seem to find my path. She never questioned my desire to go into the beauty industry and even helped me do research on schools. She was one of my first clients and to this day drives 2 hours when she needs her hair done because she wants me to be the one to do it. She is the first person to sing my praises if I post a picture of my work, and she is the person that tells me tomorrow is another day if the previous one was challenging. She continuously shows up as a constant source of encouragement and helps me to grow as a woman, as well as an organized business owner. So while I do have a lot of people in my corner including my dad, my brother, amazing friends, my first salon mentor, and the girls I started Studio One Eleven with, this shout out is for my mom. She’s one of the biggest reasons behind my success.

Instagram: @hairby_katiep
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Hair-by-Katie-P-1648251658785243/