I’m one of the lucky ones, I found my calling early at the age of 16. During my junior year of high school I met a girl that got to skip out everyday at lunch to spend her last two class periods in beauty school and I was jealous! I would sit with her everyday as she waited for her bus just so I could read her cosmetology textbook. Unfortunately I didn’t have the grades to participate in this program myself so I turned my focus to getting my high school diploma so I could start Mountain View Cosmetology in the fall after graduation. And I was thrilled to be selected to receive one of 3  full adult R.O.P. Program scholarships!

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One of my clearest memories from my time there was when our teacher, Ms. Sue, walked into the room and declared, “The average span of this career is 10 years”. I remember thinking “How is that possible?” But after endless practice of roller sets on mannequin heads that first week, I was beginning to see why. Despite the challenges, I graduated second in my class, and accepted a job along with the first graduate to assist at a Vidal Sassoon Technical Training salon in Cupertino. That experience was old school where you traded your soul for the education. But I loved it! There were eight of us in the start but only two of us completed the apprenticeship. I worked there for a total of five years, achieving all four stylist levels and completed the “chemical & color specialist” program with Matrix before leaving when the salon sold.

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After a short stay at a second shop as a commission stylist (where I was first introduced to Redken!), I knew it was time for me to leave and be in charge of my own business. Luckily through friends, I got a call to interview to join the crew and rent a chair at Salon Rache, which I happily called home for 15 years.

 Then one day I received a call from a client who told me her esthetician had moved to a funky new place of all private studios called Sola. She immediately thought it would be a perfect fit for me. And in 2014 Done by Donn was officially born! The first five years in Willow Glen and then refreshed in January 2020 at the new Sola Suites in Hamilton plaza in Campbell.

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Doing hair has been the blessing of my life. To get to know such amazing people as colleagues and clients, and as friends! I’m so lucky to still love what I do, almost 30 years in the industry. Take that Ms. Sue!

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Ironically I don’t even remember the name of the girl who’s textbook showed me my calling, but wherever you are, I owe you a big thank you!