Today we’d like to introduce you to Bree Cook.
Hi Bree, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Hello! My name is Bree Cook and this is my story! I am 25 years old and from a small town in southern Utah. My parents always taught us to dream big, and that’s exactly what I did!
At 19, I graduated from hair school, shortly after, I had my own salon that my dad and I worked hard to finish so it would be ready when I was finished with school. I continued to run the salon for just over a year. I then decided as a 19-year-old that, I had no idea what I was doing. I closed the shop and began doing hair at a local salon. Another year later I moved to a salon in Utah county, where I would work for the next three years.
During those three years, I went through some of the hardest things I’ve had to go through in my personal life. I decided I wanted to help others and started my very own podcast. I interviewed people all over the world. I talked to them about their journey and about their life. The podcast – Journeys of Healing, was one of the best things that happened to me. It really opened my eyes to all the things that we humans go through, and how amazing we are. We can get through it!
After talking to so many individuals about their lives and watching the healing process take place, that’s when I decided I would be a life coach. I started my life coach journey while working at the salon and hosting my podcast. I knew this was what I was meant to do.
In May 2021, my team and I opened our own, full-service salon, Opal Studio. This last year has been amazing and full of growth. I couldn’t ask for a better clientele and teammates.
I currently juggle around the 3 things I love doing the most. Being a stylist, podcast host, and life coach.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
At 19, when my dad and I decided to build a salon, I was working and going to hair school full time. When we finally opened up I opened and worked at the salon every day. Being so young I really had to business running a business. I didn’t know how taxes and paperwork, worked. After one short year, I decided to close the shop and take a different route.
I then started booth renting from a salon nearby and did that for almost a year. That year was one of the worst, I had a toxic boyfriend and I really wasn’t heading anywhere. I decided to break off the relationship and look for a new job. I applied to various salons and found one that would work in Spanish forks. The first year there was the hardest, I lived an hour away, and work was extremely slow. I picked up another job doing the night shift to make up for lost income while I was still building my clientele. I was eventually able to find a new place to live close to work.
Moving forward- during my time in Spanish fork, I had struggled more with boyfriends. I was finally alone and contacted a life coach who gave me the tools I needed to learn how to love and respect myself. That is what lead to my podcast- Journeys of healing. I recorded episodes about my life and my journey of healing. I spent countless hours on YouTube and Google learning how to record and learning how to host and edit a podcast. Recording an episode would take 1-1.5 hours, with an additional 5-8 hours in editing each episode.
One year into my self-love and healing journey, I wanted to become a life coach myself. The school was going to be $4000.00. My uncle gave me a loan and I was able to get a second job as a bartender. I was working 6 days a week at the salon and 3 days a week bartending. 3 of those days a week would be 17-hour days. I paid my uncle $400.00 a month until my loan was paid off. If you want to talk about struggle, I was working two jobs, doing school online, and recording and editing my podcast, while going to the gym and making time for a social life. We can do hard things!!!
Three years into working in Spanish fork at the salon, I realized I just wasn’t happy there. I didn’t enjoy my job anymore. I had talked to my co-workers and a lot of them felt the same. We decided it was time for us to move on. We made a plan and took action, we were going to open our very own salon. The hardest part was talking to our boss and friend, and telling her that we would all be leaving to start our next adventure. That was the hardest conversation I’ve ever had to have with someone.
This is how we got Opal Studio, our salon in Springville. Starting a new business is a nightmare. There’s paperwork and merchant fees and permits and e-mails and insurance and product and painting, blood, sweat, tears, the whole shabang. BUT, it was so incredibly worth it. Once again there was a lot of YouTube and Google and calling my accountant to make sure we were on track.
To the present day, I look back and I wouldn’t change a single thing. I would do all the research, I would work just as hard. I am now a proud owner, podcaster, and life coach.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Salon- I specialize in color and nails. I have many years of experience behind the chair and have continued my education over the years. I’m known for fabulous color and personalized haircuts.
On the nail side of things, that is what keeps me the busiest. My clients return every 2-3 weeks. I’m known for hand-painted nail art, flawless nail color, and long-lasting wear.
Podcast – I’m known for being able to create a safe space for others to be real and feel accepted. Your journey makes you who you are and I love who you are. I love that others are willing to share those stories with me and the world. They aren’t always easy to talk about. I pride myself on being authentic and being able to offer that comfortable space.
Life Coaching – I am young, and I have minimal life experience compared to others. My biggest thing, is we don’t need to have the same experience as someone else. Being a listening ear and giving a different perspective, can be the biggest assistance to someone. I’m proud of myself for opening up and getting over the anxiety I would get before talking to an individual, I’m proud I was able to assist someone in their journey.
I’m proud I was able to give the correct tools needed. I’m glad I get to keep experiencing the happiness of someone who has just come to love themselves. I’m proud to see someone wake up, after sleeping for so many years. I’m glad I feel like I will make a difference.
What makes you happy?
Little things make me happy. I believe happiness is a choice. We can choose it every day. Making my bed makes me happy. Opening the blinds in my bathroom in the morning to see the mountain range outside, makes me happy.
My perfect little car with remote start and heated seats make me happy. My 15-minute drive to work makes me happy. The coffee shop perfectly placed on my route to work, with all the workers who know me and my regular order, makes me happy.
My comfy clothes, eyelashes and eyebrows, and hair that just cooperates make me extremely happy. My wonderful fiancé, who is the perfect example of an amazing partner, makes me happy.
I could go on… but my family, my team, my jobs, friends, co-workers, this state, the mountains, my surroundings.. all of it. I’m grateful for it all and it brings me the most happiness.
Contact Info:
- Email: breecook80@gmail.com
- Website: Improvingmyjourney.com
- Instagram: www.Instagram.com/lifecoach_bc
Image Credits
Jessica Bishop
