Should You Chase Your Dreams?

Originally written at the very beginning of The Solo Stylist. Re-shared now as part of the 2025 relaunch — because the message still hits.

This week’s tip: Education creates opportunity → opportunity creates success → success creates connection.
🕒 4 min read

It’s ironic where I was when I first wrote this.

Sitting at the airport, waiting to board my first flight back to Paris in over three years — back to Fashion Week — the place where my #solostylist journey really began.

Back then, I wasn’t launching a newsletter, a platform, or a business. I was just writing about a turning point. About taking a risk. About throwing myself in the deep end.

Now, as I re-share this with the relaunch of The Solo Stylist, I’m reminded of how much of my journey still revolves around the same belief:

Education isn’t optional — it’s the gateway to everything else.
When you grow your skills, you grow your opportunities.
And when you show your growth, clients feel it too.

So here it is — Should You Chase Your Dreams? — just as I wrote it the first time.

I believed I was atrocious at styling. It was the weakest point of my hairdressing skills.
So… as I do… I decided to throw myself in the deep end.

I bought a ticket to New York, reached out to contacts through industry and social media, and somehow managed to assist at some shows.

This was ten years ago. And I loved every single second of it.

From that point forward, I made Fashion Weeks part of my regular education. New York became my stomping ground twice a year, then Paris, Milan and London followed. Over seven years, I worked some of the biggest shows in the world: Dior, Valentino, Versace, Givenchy, Dolce & Gabbana, Rick Owens, and more — assisting top stylists, working on top models, flying all over Europe.

Sounds glamorous, doesn’t it?

It wasn’t.
It was hard.

20-hour days. Voluntary work. Constant pressure.
Stressful environments that made you question your skill, your worth, and whether you belonged in the room.

I’ve seen tears. I’ve seen people cut from teams mid-show.
But I kept getting called back — and I kept going.

Over time, I built trust.
I built consistency.
I built a reputation.

People started saying, “We see Aussies at Fashion Week all the time — but you’re the only one we see every season.”

That was perseverance. That was networking. That was staying in touch, even from the other side of the planet.

And you know what?

That’s exactly how you should be with your clients.

Clients don’t just want your skills — they want your story.
They want to feel your commitment. They want to trust you.
And they want to be proud to sit in your chair.

In September 2019, I hit a milestone I never imagined:
I was named Key Hairstylist for a show at Paris Fashion Week.

PARIS. FREAKIN’. FASHION WEEK.

I still find it surreal.
I don’t have the name or image that goes with being a “big name” hairdresser.
I’m not the best stylist in the world — but I worked hard, and I showed up.

Then COVID hit. And just as my international career was taking off… it all paused.
No travel. No shows. No next season.

That airport I mentioned at the start of this email?
It was my return to the game — unsure if I’d have to start from scratch again.
And if I did?

Honestly… I was okay with that too.

Because this journey was never about fame.
It was about growth.

The better I get at what I do, the more desirable I become to my clients.
And the more experiences I have, the more I can share with them.

Clients love being part of your story.
They talk about it. They brag about it.
It builds the kind of connection that no loyalty card ever could.

So here’s what I know for sure:

I chased my dreams.
And my clients loved it just as much as I did.

Key Points:

• Never stop learning — education is what opens doors.

• That thing you feel under-qualified for? Lean in.

• You don’t need to be a celebrity stylist to be extraordinary to your clients.

• Connection is currency. Your story is part of your value.

• Dreams are worth chasing — even if the path resets sometimes.

If this is your first time reading this:
Welcome. You’re at the beginning of The Solo Stylist.

If you’ve been with me a while:
Thanks for being here. We’ve still got work to do.

More soon,

Craig

The Solo Stylist

P.S. Not sure if freelancing is right for you?
Download the free “Are You Ready to Freelance?” Checklist and find out where you stand.

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