Meet Baylie Brakebill | Owner & Stylist at The Hair Den

We had the good fortune of connecting with Baylie Brakebill and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Baylie, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
Having a healthy work life balance is huge for me! One of the reasons why I decided to go to cosmetology school in the first place was because of my hairstylist in high school. I would trade getting my hair colored for babysitting her kids and I loved seeing how flexible she could be in her career. Once I started out and for years to follow it was not flexible at all. I would stay late, feel pressured to come in on my off days, couldn’t travel like I dreamt of, and because of this I wanted to quit. Once I found my salon in Littleton I went into it a little differently and probably more pushy with my time off because I thought back to why I got into this in the first place. Still it took years for me to find my perfect balance. Now, that I own my business, I have found that some weeks I can work a little more or feel comfortable taking extra time off without having the anxiety that can usually come with it. I try telling myself that we work to live, not the other way around. When I give myself the time to workout in the morning, be with my husband and family/friends on the weekends/evenings, walking my pups, traveling a few times a year or even just being able to clean my home, I feel fully refreshed, happy and ready to be at work!

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I went straight to cosmetology school right after high school which was a huge transition being with many different people from all walks of life. I wouldn’t say I had any clue of what I wanted to do after I finished so I took the first opportunity I found at the Aveda Academy in Denver. I felt like I didn’t want to be ‘fed to the wolves’ quite yet so I liked how I could get paid to take classes before accepting clients right away and I’m so happy I did! There, I learned I really enjoyed event styling which I still do from time to time. About 4 years into my career I wasn’t super convinced this was what I wanted to do but one day I saw an old coworker, Melissa Kelly (Bello Haven Hair Extensions), who is extremely successful, posting about hair extensions. I decided that I really needed to figure out what I loved doing the most and focus on building my career on that – which turned out I loved hair extensions as well and lived-in colors! I took many classes and really honed in on those two things. It’s still a work in progress but I would say the majority of my days consist of providing the services I love and feel fully creative with!

As far as my brand goes…. elevated simplicity! I want my clients to be happy with their hair from day 1 to week 12. My favorite is when someone comes in and says, “I didn’t even realize I was due for my hair yet!”. I use high end products but keep the steps simple – no one has time for 8 steps for their hair/skin each morning!

This New Year I’ve decided to focus on my next business goals rather than a New Year resolution. I’ll take 2024 to really figure out what that looks like but I think it’ll be some type of one-on-one training for stylists looking to go off on their own. It was a very overwhelming process and still is so I’m hoping I can be of some help for others!

One thing I’d just like to remind anyone who is reading this is, stay true to yourself and find what makes you happy!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Well first, when I travel, I like to get to a new city and chill for the rest of the day! I live near the airport so first I’d take them to Danico Brewing which is such nice family friendly place to go. We, of course, would need to stop by Red Rocks for at least a look or if a good show is in town. I’d probably take them to cute downtown Littleton for some shopping, good eats at Pho Real (my favorite place ever) and a yummy beer at Jakes Brew Bar! We would have to go SUP boarding at Bear Creek Lake or maybe a hike near Idaho Springs. For a special night on the town, we would start with cocktails at Union Station then head to Jinya for the best ramen. As I’m getting older, I think my people are the most exciting people, so we would honestly spend some time at home with them haha!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Oh gosh, so many people! My husband, Keith, for letting me complain without judgment and supporting me through the stressful times. My mom, Tricia, for letting me practice on her hair from the beginning and helping me all day setting up the new salon. My best friend, Katlyn, for letting me talk her ear off about business things she doesn’t know anything about. Nicole, my business partner, for always making me laugh and trusting me to open our business together. My Nana and Papo, for always showing me love and support. Aja, my ex boss, who helped me know my worth and independence in this business. And my dad, who is no longer with us unfortunately, for teaching me to always go for what I want and to be a baddy at it! Thank you Crystal Gillis for your shoutout and for sitting with me for hours helping me set up business- she’s killing it and so amazing at what she does!

Website: thehairdenver.com

Instagram: @thehair.den

Image Credits
Taylor Hassebroek