Life & Work with Hannah Peacock of Wamego

Today we’d like to introduce you to Hannah Peacock.

Hi Hannah, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
First off, thank you for including me in this interview! It means so much, and it’s a great way to start the year. Growing up, I never knew the answer to “what do you want to be when you grow up?” It was an intimidating question that I was scared to answer. Through high school, I knew that a traditional 4-year route wouldn’t work for me. I began to look into trade schools around the area, and cosmetology stood out to me, and I couldn’t get it out of my head. I loved doing my nails, was super into makeup, and loved my hair. The more I thought about it, I kept remembering how much I loved going to the salon with my mom and how we felt after seeing our stylist. Deep down, I think she’s the reason I chose hair. One day something clicked in my head, and my decision was made! I haven’t looked back since. Of my almost six years behind the chair, I’ve worked four at my current salon in Wamego, KS, and one in Dallas. My year spent in Dallas was not only great professional growth but personal as well. What I took away from that time changed my career. Coming back home reminded me of the great things to come. I work with the best group of girls and wouldn’t have it any other way. They’ve become my best friends and truly a family. I have them to thank for where I am today.

Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I struggled through school, questioning if hair was really what I wanted to do. I stressed over my board exam and finding a job way more than I should have. Some things didn’t click right away in my head, and watching my peers be steps ahead wasn’t easy. I needed to remember that everyone’s journey was different, and my day would come. Like all of us, my life turned upside down with Covid. It is what ultimately brought me home from Texas. Not being able to work through that time pushed me to focus on what I would do to be a better stylist when I returned to work. I am thankful it brought me back to where I started my career and helped me find myself as a stylist a little bit more. Home is where the heart is. I needed a little bit of a detour to realize that, finally.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
My Instagram reads “blonding + balayage + extensions,” and that’s currently what my main focus is at the moment. There’s something about creating a lived-in color, a bright blonde, adding in a row or two of hair, and seeing the reaction of my guest when we’re finished. That’s my motivation. I love a full transformation, but a subtle change is just as good. Hair color/blonding has always been my strong suit, and adding extensions to my service list has made it even better. Continuing Ed is a must in this industry, and I am constantly updating on trends and techniques to keep building off of what I already know. Educating clients on products and hair health is also very important to me. Learning something new and sharing it with others is often the highlight of my day. I keep a folder of what I thought of as “bad hair” I did previously to remind me that growth comes every day. I would love to return to barbering school, but we’ll see where the next couple of years will take me.

What was you like growing up?
I loved fashion (and still do). It was always clothes, more clothes, and makeup. I was often referred to as the little fashionista. I styled many Barbies with multiple outfit changes throughout the day. I was always picky about my hair, so we should have known this was my calling. I would peek through my mom’s magazines, see celebrity gossip, take it all in and love what they wore and looked like, listen to music, talk to my girlfriends, and be the kind-hearted listener for whoever I was around. I was happy. Go with the flow, kid. Some things never change.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: www.instagram.com/hannahpeacockhair