We are following Jessica DeAngelo as she leaves school and sets herself up for success in the salon world.  She will be blogging in subsequent posts and we wanted to introduce you to how she found her passion for hair:

"Perhaps the strongest trait I posses is confidence; confidence that has been described as amazing, tenacious, and a bit obnoxious by friends and family. The total belief that I can do what I set my mind to and that I deserve great things is really at the center of who I am, but I was losing that in college. For as long as I tried to drag myself through school I never hit a point where things clicked. I didn’t like the work, I was not stimulated by the class environment, I fought an endless battle to find passion and my confidence, my flaming personal core,  was being constantly assaulted by a crashing tide of questions: What do I want? Why am I not happy? Why can’t I make this work? Will I ever re-ignite my spark?

"I moved back home in emotional shambles not knowing what to do next. Going to work at the front desk of my dad’s orthodontic practice I started my hunt for options, trying to find someone or something that could make my skills a career. The longer I pondered, the more distraught I became until I finally realized, I didn’t hate working at the office. I was invigorated by seeing people and connecting with them on a personal level and especially relished the joy that people got from their orthodontic transformation. Finally I thought of my aunt who had worked as a cosmetologist for years, building relationships with clients and brightening their lives. I knew I had to try it.

"I researched schools, picked the Casal Aveda Institute and started determined work on my application requirements. Finally, my confidence came rushing back. I was accepted and everything about cosmetology was right- hands on work kept me interested and I was finally flexing my creative mind again. Working personally with clients was all I had hoped when I got out on the floor, I found myself flush with joy when I could coax an insecurity out of someone in my chair and cut and color it away until we’d created a new point of pride. My greatest gift is my confidence, cosmetology allows me to help instill it in others.

"I am thrilled to share my coming adventure with Modern Salon readers. Thank you to Steve (Reiss, publisher) and Maggie (Mulhern, Beauty and Fashion Director) for allowing me this opportunity to express my experience as I make a home for myself in the world of cosmetology. Heres to changing the world with color!"