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We hope you have been staying warm and cozy inside as we brave the wintry weather we have been having lately. This month, we are excited to introduce you to Amanda, a new YPWA member who is also a small business owner in Worcester. Amanda is a hair stylist, dog Mom and a psychology-student. She loves connecting with her clients in her salon chair and delivering the best service possible. Read on to learn more about Amanda and her unique path that led her to where she is today.
Name: Amanda Flynn
Pronouns: She/Her
Hometown: Uxbridge
Where did you grow up? Plainville - I love small towns!
When did you move to the Worcester area: I started to get to know Worcester when I moved to the area in 2017. I’ve been getting to know the city even better in the past few years, especially now that I work here.
A fun fact about yourself: I love all things creative! I write poetry and fiction, and love to crochet and cross stitch as a way of winding down at the end of the day.
Favorite YPWA event you’ve attended: I loved making vision boards for 2025 with the group at Haus of Art. It was inspiring to see what goals others were setting, and I was challenged to develop and clarify some goals of my own! Plus it was such a pretty venue!
What inspired you to join YPWA this season? As a new business owner in Worcester, I was looking for ways to network and develop relationships within the community. Once I joined YPWA and attended my first event, I realized that I needed this group of empowering, like-minded women for my own personal encouragement and growth even more than I needed it for business networking! Everyone made me feel comfortable and included right away. :)
Local Recommendations/Favorite Hot Spots
Favorite place to grab a coffee/tea:
Root and Press bookstore and cafe on Shrewsbury St! Their drinks are great and their food is AMAZING (plus so many Gluten Free and vegan options! I work a few blocks away and it is my favorite place to take my laptop between clients to write, do homework, or work on my business.
Favorite place to treat yo self: Bocado is a favorite (possibly THE) favorite restaurant of my boyfriend and I. Their tapas experience is amazing; consistently the best food… make sure you order the fried goat cheese!
Favorite place for a night out in the Worcester area: Free Play Bar Arcade! It’s a great place to go with friends to enjoy some games and nostalgia… I’m planning to check out one of their dance parties on a weekend soon!
Tell us about your work in the world. What do you do?
Occupation: Blonde Specialist and Master Stylist
What do you enjoy most about your current role? I love being my own boss! When I returned to hairstyling full-time three years ago, I saw it as a temporary move and had no interest in starting my own business. Life is, of course, full of the unexpected, and a series of events challenged me to make one of the best life decisions I’ve ever made. I was tired of working for unethical people and decided there must be a better way. There is, and I couldn’t be happier than to be able to give my clients the best experience ever!
How did you get started? I graduated cosmetology school in 2014, worked in the industry for a short while and then left for 5 years to have an entirely different career. I spent some time in limbo during the pandemic, went back to school, and returned to the beauty industry full time. I believe that it’s important to try different things and find what fills you up. Life throws you curveballs and that can be a good thing! We just have to lean into the uncertainty and know that it’s ok if the plan changes! I don’t believe in failure, just pivoting when things don’t feel aligned.
What is your favorite part of your job? And least favorite? My favorite part of the job is the opportunity to listen closely to my client’s goals for their hair and consistently deliver results that they love! Connecting with each person in my chair is the most important thing to me, and I am so blessed to have some of the most amazing clients who have become my friends and biggest cheerleaders!
What inspired you to the career path that you took? I decided to go to cosmetology school when I was in my mid-20s. I was looking for an artistic field that wouldn’t distract from my other creative pursuits, mainly writing and musical theater at the time. I liked the schedule that hairstyling provided and was hopeful it would give me flexibility in the future. Over a decade later, it is doing just that! I consider my hair skill set as simply one tool in my tool belt… I am always challenging myself and trying to master new things!
What do you do outside of work? My boyfriend and I got a second puppy in December; Navi is one year old and super high energy, so a lot of my time has been spent walking and training her, and also visiting the dog park with our senior pup, Koopa. In addition to being in school part-time for psychology, I am working on self-publishing my first poetry collection, and have a side hustle making and selling crochet plushies!
What do you think is key to maintaining a healthy work-life balance? I think it is key to prioritize my mental and physical health, and make sure my home life is as peaceful as possible. I can’t always know how things will go at work, but if I can have a safe haven to return to and a partner who supports me and doesn’t stir up drama, then I am able to be the best version of myself out in the world, and recharge more fully when I come home. Obviously there are things out of our control and we’ve had our challenges, but being on the same page with my partner and creating a safe haven for ourselves and others is vital.
Where to connect with Amanda:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/amandabfly
Instagram: www.instagram.com/hairbyamandabee
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandaflynn/
Thanks so much, Amanda for sharing your story with us!
If you'd like to nominate yourself or a friend for the member spotlight, we have a few spots left for the 2025 season. You can do so here. We thank all of our outstanding members that have shared their experiences, tips, and love of the Worcester area with us this season!
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