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Meet Billy Segorski of Billy’s on Third in Santa Monica

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Today we’d like to introduce you to Billy Segorski.

Billy, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
When I was 34-year-old my friend who is a hair stylist named rick Henry and I were talking about careers for me. Rick suggested hair styling because he said that since I love to surf that would be a career perfect for me because I can use that skill anywhere, I go. Rick also encouraged me to do hair because he said that I would be good at it with my personality and my creativity, furthermore living in Santa Monica the vidal Sassoon academy was like a mile from my house. I signed up in 2007 to go to the vidal Sassoon cosmetology Academy and in 10 months I had completed my 1600 hours I was eligible now for my license. Before I finish school, I was hired by Frank a lasso and I was assisting on Saturdays I’m going to school. After assisting a bigger named hairdresser, I realized I was not prepared for confident enough to be anyone’s assistant. I decided to go for more training and I got a job at the Luxe lab on Montana Avenue in Santa Monica as an assistant who is required to work full-time assisting Hair Stylist and has required two days a week to do theory and practical applications with clients. My 18 months that Luxe lab was So important because I learned confidence and I met my mentor Ian McWilliams. I also met another mentor and friend named Alexis Ramos who later would be working with me out in Malibu. I completed my assistance course at Luxe lab and I was not fond of the new policies in terms of pay. I thanked luxe lab for the education and opportunity and allies there were going to be no easy breaks in this beauty business. I needed to survive and support my Pug, my boyfriend and me so I Went onto craigslist and found a swan that was hiring here on the west side. I took my skills I had learned from the Sassoon Academy and from the Luxe lab assisting program and started working and taking clients. I believed into things starting out in hair one was education I knew that if I were to be a good hairdresser, I had to know what I was doing. I remember in the beginning all the young hairdressers would say oh I love doing color I want a haircut and the truth is no one knew What they were good at because they had no experience including myself. I always saw hairdressers pigeonholed themselves as doing one thing and one thing only not as a true hairdresser, I know they like to call themselves an expert or a specialist but I always believed as a hairdresser I wanted to be Proficient with every aspect of hair color, cutting, and styling. While working at my little job on the west side trying to make ends meet, I would take classes time to time. After a year so I went by I received a phone call from the Color company Goldwell, I remember the voice on the other end asking me if I had been thinking about a career with Goldwell and I was kind of taken back I wasn’t sure what this was about. I set up a meeting with the new Academy manager for Kpss which was Goldwell and cam as California who is opening a training academy on Broadway and second Street in Santa Monica. I went to the meeting and was informed that the new Salon Manager had met me at a hair extension course a year ago at the Academy in Santa Monica. I was very flattered that someone remembered Little old me from a class a year prior. I went home thought about the options I’m working for a corporate conglomerate order to continue what I was doing plugging away in this little hair salon in Venice. I knew this would be an opportunity even though I wasn’t sure if I was the right person for the job as I was highly insecure with a little skill set that I had. Even though I was headhunted I went through the month-long process to get hired and from that point on things started to really work for me. I met so many amazing hairdressers, other employees of the company who I am still friends with today and one of which is the president of Oribe’ now. I worked for the Academy for almost 2 years and I would have to see in those two years I absorbed so much information because I was allowed to attend every single class that the Academy offered. I took the basic gray coverage class probably 20 times and each class I picked up something new. I was privy to Blanding classes to color classes haircutting classes with Kms California and when the sneak class with Ahn Tran Who at the time was a kms brand ambassador/educator. I feel so fortunate that I got that phone call because my education and really just begun. I kept my head down worked did my thing trying to learn and become the best hairdresser that I could possibly be and once again the phone rang and it was a man by the name of Michael Canale. Michael got my name when he was asking around for young hairdressers to come open up his new salon with Chris McMillan and Malibu called “McMillan /Canale“. And his house in Hollywood and we instantly hit it off, I went home and realized that this too would be an opportunity so going through the hiring process I met Chris McMillan , Jason Schneidman known today as “the men’s groomer” And I realized I would be immersed surrounding myself with very talented hairdressers. I didn’t know it but many more of my goals will be met from making this choice. My first goals with hair were to be a good hairdresser, have celebrity clients and make $10,000 a month. In no time those were met but most importantly some of the biggest educational moments came through this opportunity. Chris McMillan himself taught me how to blow dry one on one and to this day I am most grateful for his time as he is a true master of his craft. I love working in Malibu and I did for almost 10 years after the Woolsey fire things in Malibu changed and I knew it was time to move my business back to the Westside or things would be more stable and I would not be forgotten about. After almost 15 years I am now opening my own little place called “Billy’s off third” in Santa Monica. After 15 years I am now able to offer my own experience for my clients at the highest levels of service creating the best experience for each of
My clients individually and as a whole Billy is on third opens March 15, 2020 and is located at 1358 5th street suite -#207 90401 ,in down town Santa Monica!

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
The biggest obstacles and challenges have been myself! My own insecurities once held me back but now I am a very self-aware and confident man who is proficient in all areas of hair. I really want to tell my younger self to believe in me and to always seek happiness.

Please tell us about Billy’s on third.
Billy’s on third is a full-service hair salon or I specialize in hair extensions and when I called doing gods color. The way I look at hair is natural and when I use color, I don’t want people to know its color I want my clients to look the best they possibly can without looking contrived and fake. When I do highlights it’s like you’ve been in Turks and Keyko’s for a month and when I cover Grace there is never the red and orange tones that some calories can’t seem to stuff from happening. I have to say thing I love to do the most and feel I am the most proficient in is cutting

Men’s hair. I have a very funny story About a Young Client in his early 20s Who was new to me And I gave him a haircut and his next appointment he came in and said “I don’t know what you did but my love life exploded and I have never had so many opportunities with women including a lesbian! Please do what u did last time”! I think with men’s hair I can bring out the best look for a guy And Taylor that haircut for it to be the best accessory that he has! I think that really to be true of cuts or color both because I can take into account someone’s age, their place in life, their professional image and age to design the best look for them!

If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
Over the years I have learned to play the game, I no longer get intimidated or rattled by other hair stylists. I have always treated everyone with respect and when I am unhappy it is time to make changes in my life. I have learned that my feelings and happiness matter too, I used to put my clients above my own happiness and I realized that I need boundaries! Having healthy boundaries is what leads me to my next level of success!

Pricing:

  • Men’s cut 75$
  • Women’s cut 150$
  • Partial high lights 275$
  • Color 150$
  • Extensions with a consultation because there are so many factors like color length and quantity

Contact Info:

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