Meet Hollywood Hairstylist: Amanda Ozard

Today we’d like to introduce you to Amanda Ozard.

Amanda is one of LA’s most well trained and experienced hair stylists.  Below, you’ll find edited excerpts of our interview with Amanda.

Amanda, can you tell us a little about your journey and how you got to where you are today?

When I was 19 I randomly fell into a job at Loan Company, where I eventually got moved up to doing Home Equity Loans. It paid the bills and I didn’t mind it so I thought that was what I was going to do with my life. Around 2008, after the housing market crisis, I got laid off and the company closed. That’s when I decided that I needed more than just a job, I wanted a career where I could be creatively stimulated and make money at the same time. I went to beauty school and instantly fell in love with doing hair. I apprenticed at Di Pietro Todd, San Francisco. After a few years in the industry, I found myself very drawn to styling hair. I felt like Los Angeles had more opportunities for freelance stylists that work in the salon as well. I got hired at Hairroin Salon, Hollywood in 2012 and have been keeping myself busy, both in the salon and in the freelance world as well. Recently, I started as Lead Educator for Kera Color Hair. I just worked my first of many trade shows with them.

Wow – sounds like a meteoric rise.  Was it really as easy as it sounds? Where there any significant obstacles?

My main obstacle was location. I wasn’t sure where I wanted to be, but I knew it wasn’t the town I grew up in. I moved to San Francisco and put in a few years there before deciding Los Angeles was the place for me. I had to start all over again when I moved. I didn’t have many friends in LA or any sort of safety network. It was really tough for a while but I made friends, I built a clientele, things eventually fell into place because I never gave up. My biggest milestone so far was getting promoted to Senior Stylist at Hairroin. My goal was to be successful here and I did it. My most recent accomplishment is overcoming stage fright to get up on the stage at the KeraColor Hair trade show booth.

Awesome – getting out of your comfort zone is a theme we’ve seen over and over again with LA’s most successful professionals, regardless of industry.  So – with all the success you’ve already had and your new found comfort with spotlights and stages, what are you planning next?

My plans for the future include eventually becoming some sort of business owner in the beauty industry. My father is an entrepreneur, so I grew up with a work for yourself mindset, and the work ethic to go with it. He brings his laptop on family vacations and is always working. I have the same gene that just doesn’t stop. I’m learning a lot from my biggest mentor here in LA, and boss, Janine Jarman. She’s a big idea person and always has a new project for us to work on. I think it’s fun that my job can be anything, it’s not always behind the chair. Sometimes I’m making spreadsheets and schedules for photo-shoots. Or sometimes writing step by steps for classes. It just depends.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: @AmandaOzardHair

Check out her work below: