October 29, 2024 • 28 mins
In this episode of Purpose Project, Leslie Pagel interviews Brittany Neu, who shares her inspiring journey of living out her life's purpose. Brittany's purpose was sparked by her early experiences with her grandfather and aunt in the hair industry. Despite facing challenges like moving to a new state and starting cosmetology school, she persevered. Brittany discusses her path from beauty school to owning her salon, highlighting the determination, hard work, and relationship-building required to succeed in the industry. She also delves into the financial uncertainties and emotional aspects of the profession, emphasizing the importance of aligning one's job with their passion. Brittany's story is a powerful reminder of the rewards of pursuing one's dreams despite hardships and underscores that happiness in a career is more valuable than financial gain.
00:00 Introduction to Purpose Project
00:32 Meet Brittany Neu
01:25 Brittany's Early Life and Inspirations
02:45 Journey to Becoming a Hairdresser
05:15 Cosmetology School Challenges
07:48 Building a Career
11:17 The Joys of Being a Hairdresser
14:52 Moments of Doubt and Financial Struggles
18:09 The Emotional Connection with Clients
19:42 Finding Joy and Purpose in Work
22:27 Advice for Pursuing Your Dreams
25:30 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
Purpose Project is a research study on the topic of life's purpose. You can follow along in the making of Purpose Project:
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LinkedIn: @purposeproject-media
TikTok: @purpose.project
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Leslie (00:04):
When I first had the idea of starting Purpose
Project, I of course shared itwith my hairdresser and in this
conversation where I'm sharingwith her, this idea of doing a
podcast that explores the topicof life's purpose and in hearing
her story about her life'spurpose.
I knew that I wanted her to beon the show.
(00:27):
Hi, my name is Leslie Pagel andwelcome to Purpose Project.
On the show, we have BrittanyNeu, who shares this uplifting
story about following yourdreams.
Let's take a listen.
Brittany, thank you so much forbeing here on Purpose Project.
I have been looking forward tothis conversation for months.
(00:50):
Yes,
Brittany (00:53):
I've been excited for it.
Have you?
I've been nervous.
I have.
I've seen it on my books, butI've been nervous.
Yeah.
Leslie (00:59):
Well, that's natural taking you out of your comfort
zone.
That's for sure.
To tell your story.
Yeah.
Well, I'm even more honored thatyou're here the fact that you're
here to tell your story, makesme feel very honored.
Good.
So thank you for that.
I'm here for you.
I can't wait to dive into yourpurpose and, share that with
(01:20):
those that are listening.
But before we do that, tell us alittle bit about yourself.
Who is Brittany?
All right
Brittany (01:27):
my name is Brittany.
I grew up in Michigan.
Um, I'm married to my husbandDavid for almost 11 years.
And we have three kiddos.
Our oldest is Selah, she's 10.
Hallie is 8 and Brent is 6.
Nice!
Leslie (01:43):
So, wife, a mother.
Hairdresser.
Hairdresser.
Been doing hair for 16 years.
Wow.
16 years.
I know.
Brittany (01:51):
Isn't that crazy?
Yeah.
Leslie (01:52):
I've known you forever.
I know.
I've known you for a little bitlonger than that.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Oh my gosh.
Time flies by so fast.
That's crazy.
I know.
I can't believe how old
Brittany (02:01):
your girls are.
Leslie (02:02):
Well, you know, speaking of them, that is why Purpose
Project got started becausewe're going to be empty nesters
and I was looking for somethingto do and it was like, I don't
I'm going to do a podcast aboutpeople's purpose in life.
That's a hard one.
It's a hard question.
Yeah.
Yes.
Brittany (02:20):
And to figure out their purpose.
That's great.
Leslie (02:22):
Yeah.
I remember sitting in yourchair, you were doing my hair
and telling you about this.
And I remember asking you, doyou have a purpose?
And I remember what you said.
Do you remember to be ahairdresser?
Yes.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I've always known.
Yes.
So tell me was there a definingmoment that happened in your
(02:43):
life?
How did it come to be?
Brittany (02:45):
I don't know.
So I was really little and mygrandpa always did hair.
He was a barber.
And then my aunt was ahairdresser and she would do our
hair down in her basement.
And I remember always looking ather like wall of products and
being like, these are expensiveand yeah, this is cool.
And we never got to have any.
(03:06):
of those products, but we got toget our hair cut and it was, it
was fun.
I loved it.
I always, of course, wanted morethe highlights, the perms, the
all of it, but we couldn'tafford it.
And so we got our two haircuts ayear and I always was like, I
think I want to do hair and Iwant people to be able to afford
it and they can enjoy it.
(03:29):
So.
Leslie (03:30):
Okay.
So, it sounds like in yourchildhood you were around people
that were hairdressers.
Is that the proper?
Yeah.
Okay.
Brittany (03:40):
Hairdressers,
Leslie (03:40):
cosmetologists.
Okay.
Barbers.
Yeah.
The hair world.
But you were, yeah.
You were around people that didit for a living.
Yes.
And in getting your hair done.
Yeah.
noticed the possibility and youliked trying new things, with
your hair.
Yeah, I mean,
Brittany (03:57):
I didn't do a crazy things.
It was more the natural things,but, we didn't get to do it all
the time, it was like one timething.
Because it was, it's expensive,it's expensive to get your hair
done,
Leslie (04:07):
so, um, was that a part of it though?
The, realization that it feltlike a privilege, a big deal to
be getting your hair done.
Absolutely, I would say yes.
Why is that?
Brittany (04:20):
Cause it was something special.
And you know how good you feelafter you get your hair done?
I wanted to make people feelgood.
and my aunt wasn't the onlyperson I went to.
We got to go to other peopletoo.
that, like great clips andstuff.
Things, but, and they, you wouldhave some nice people and not
some nice people.
And I, I don't know.
I just always wanted to peopleto enjoy coming in and seeing me
(04:43):
and hanging out.
that's what I love.
Leslie (04:46):
So it sounds like you knew this all along.
Yeah.
It was a part of growing up.
You just realized this is what Iwant to do.
Yeah.
Brittany (04:55):
Um, but I was scared because I wasn't good at my own
hair.
Okay.
I didn't know how to braid.
I mean,
Leslie (05:02):
how old were you when you were noticing this?
Oh, probably 12.
Okay.
Yeah.
Did you work at it then?
Did you say, I'm going to learnhow to braid or
Brittany (05:11):
no, I never really practiced on anybody until I
started.
When I was 17 at beauty school.
Okay.
So and started learning about itand you sit in a classroom for
six weeks and they throw you outon the floor.
Really?
Yeah.
Go
Leslie (05:27):
for it.
But what even took you to beautyschool?
Cause I'm hearing, I knew Iwanted to be this, but I was
scared because I didn't think I,I could do my own hair better
yet someone else's.
How did you make this step to goto cosmetology school?
I want
Brittany (05:47):
to say, so we moved to Indiana when I was 15.
And we went to a, I went to asmall school all growing up.
And then I got thrown into ahuge school.
It was a huge change.
So I really had to get out of mycomfort box to be able to have
conversations, to talk to peopleeven.
(06:07):
And that probably pushed me andthen of course I did not enjoy
high school at all.
And so I graduated early so Icould go straight into beauty
school.
Okay.
Okay.
Leslie (06:17):
Do you think if you hadn't moved, things would be
different?
Oh, absolutely.
Brittany (06:22):
Really?
I'd be a different person, Ithink.
I'd be a different person.
Hairdresser, I think I'd be waymore quiet.
Um, yeah, it, it pushes you outof your comfort zone.
It was probably the hardest, oneof the hardest things.
From, but you, you would havestill been a hairdresser.
I, I would think so.
I looked at other things in caseI couldn't carry a conversation.
(06:43):
I looked at doing x ray tech orthings that only had to go to
school for like two years, causeI hated school.
but I thought, Hey, I'm, I'myoung.
I'm going to graduate highschool early and I'm going to
try beauty school.
And if it doesn't work out, thenwe'll try x ray tech.
Yeah.
It was hard.
It was hard to start out, but Ilove it though.
I
Leslie (07:02):
love that you had the self awareness.
Yeah.
You understood that there wasfear there.
You've recognized the fear, butyou went and did it anyway.
Yeah.
You have to try.
You don't know if you don't try.
So you went to cosmetologyschool.
Tell us how you're feelingthrough that.
Brittany (07:18):
it was a newer school, so there was only like six kids
in the class, which was reallycool because we got a lot of,
One on one attention and theywere learning and we were
learning.
So great time.
they teach you a lot of oldschool stuff, so it still
doesn't feel like when yougraduate beauty school after 10
months, you still don't knowlike the modern way to do hair
because it's so old fashioned.
(07:39):
So I went to be an assistant atan Aveda salon and I was
somebody's assistant for 10months.
And.
That's where you learneverything.
So, um, that was really great.
And that gave me the confidenceish to, I did leave after about
a year there and another saloncalled me and I worked out in
(07:59):
Greenfield for a little bit andGoing from Noblesville to
Greenfield, it's just adifferent clientele of people.
Okay.
And then you start to realizethat too, like the different
conversations that you start tohave.
Yeah.
And you're like, okay, reallythis is at my place?
So the conversation's differenttoo.
It is.
And it's different people,right?
And so it's like, well, I can'treally relate to the pig
(08:20):
farmers.
In Greenfield, and they don'tcome to the salon as much, and
it was just a slower pace.
So, then my dad said to startdown in Greenwood, and I did.
I had three other jobs, to beable to afford to pay rent,
because I didn't have aclientele still.
I was an assistant.
For so long, but I was ready toget behind the chair, and I had
(08:41):
enough confidence at that point.
Started up and you're probablyone of my first.
I was, I mean, I had no clue.
You got to fake it till you makeit.
Leslie (08:51):
Well, and all these years later.
Yeah, I know.
Yeah.
Yeah.
It's been great.
So tell, tell us about what youwere, I mean, go back in time to
when you were in cosmetologyschool, you were taking the
steps to pursue this, purpose ofyours of doing hair, how are you
feeling while you're gettingstarted?
Brittany (09:14):
Um, I think the whole scary part is I can learn all
these skills and you could dothe best haircut, but really
what it also comes down to, Ithink is the conversation you
have with people and therelationship that you have with
them and making them feel goodand comfortable and whatnot.
So do they teach that in beauty
Leslie (09:30):
school?
Brittany (09:30):
No, not at all.
Yeah.
I don't even know how I got tothat.
I guess more doing just likefriends hair and like the kids
that I all watched growing up,,just doing their families and
being comfortable with them.
And, starting with thoserelationships and then building
to strangers.
Leslie (09:47):
Well, and you were saying how you're feeling as
you're starting to learn.
How did you feel?
Oh, intimidated.
Brittany (09:55):
I mean, you don't, I mean, I knew nothing, nothing at
all.
Like I could not even braid.
And you still did it anyway.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yep.
And they didn't teach you that,but they taught you, they
started baby steps and you learnlike chemistry and stuff.
And okay.
I like chemistry.
And you learn that in highschool.
So they start there.
And then when you get themannequin head and, I mean, you
(10:16):
don't know, you don't know whatyou're doing.
I melted some, a comb insomebody's hair and they were
mortified, you know, like, Ilike plastic melted in their
hair.
Like you have to cut that out.
That's sad that I did that.
It's scary, but you makemistakes and people know coming
to a beauty school that,
Leslie (10:34):
that that's part
Brittany (10:35):
of it as part of it.
I was young and.
Yeah, I mean, yeah, you makemistakes, but you just got to
keep, that's how you learn.
I mean, that's the only way youcan learn.
Leslie (10:43):
Yeah.
So, so you're in Greenwood, soyou went, go through cosmetology
school.
You're an assistant for, itsounds like a year or so about
up on the north side ofNoblesville.
You recognize that clientelechanges and you're like, I need
to find my people.
Yeah.
And so you get a job inGreenwood, get a job.
(11:03):
How long ago was this 16 years,16 years ago, maybe
Brittany (11:07):
15.
Leslie (11:07):
Okay.
Brittany (11:08):
Yeah.
Leslie (11:08):
and so take us through 15, 16 years ago to now.
How has it been?
How's that journey been?
Brittany (11:17):
Oh, I love it.
It's literally my pride and joy.
It's my happy place.
I love going to work.
Everybody.
that comes to see me.
I just, they just all make myday and they all touch my heart
in different places.
And, um, starting out, it wasvery slow.
To a point and you have a lot ofturnover at the beginning.
I was lucky enough to start in asalon that every, all the
(11:40):
stylists had a full clientele.
So they would throw me their,overflow.
And then I made a bunch ofbaskets, um, um, with candy and
coupons and stuff.
And I would deliver them to thedoctor's offices and the schools
and I don't know, wherever Icould think of.
To try to get clients to comein.
(12:01):
And did someone give you thatidea or you're just, they tell
you that in school, okay.
You know how to build abusiness.
You get maybe one or two off of,you know, a lot.
Yeah.
Cause a lot of people have,their own stylist are ready.
So you're just hoping to findsomeone who's looking for
somebody.
And I was new, which issometimes scary when I don't
(12:21):
have all the experience under mybelt.
But yeah, it slowly just builds.
It takes gosh, three to fiveyears
Leslie (12:27):
to finally build
Brittany (12:28):
up your clientele.
You're
Leslie (12:30):
building your business.
Brittany (12:31):
Yes.
And the nice thing is doingbooth rent, you get to make your
own schedule and buy what youwant, use what you want.
Do what you want, really.
You're your own business owner,really.
Yes.
And that is really nice.
cause some things work and somethings don't.
And you get to choose whatproducts.
And then with the kids, that,the schedule making is really
(12:52):
nice.
And you can move people aroundthat way.
And go to their things.
Yeah.
Leslie (12:57):
I love it.
I saw your face light up and Iasked the question, for someone
whose purpose is like yours,where it's, every day is every
day the same.
No, no, not even a little bit.
Brittany (13:12):
Um, you know, you get to walk through people or with
people through life and they're,they open up to you and you get
to.
Speak to them and comfort themor be excited with them or go to
their wedding or their firstbaby.
You might be the first personcause they don't want to put
color on their hair.
(13:32):
So they tell you, but nobodyelse knows.
Like, it's just really cool.
The stories you get to hear andthe way people open up to you.
Sometimes they come for you forcomfort.
I don't know.
You're more
Leslie (13:43):
than a hairdresser.
Yes.
That's what I'm hearing.
I feel
Brittany (13:46):
like I.
Not that I am anywhere near atherapist, but, um, people do
open up to me probably more thaneven a therapist does.
They do to a therapist when theyhave, those sessions.
Leslie (13:57):
Yeah.
Do you think that a going backto your childhood you wanted to
do hair, but did you think thatwas also a, did you realize that
this piece that seems to fillyou up so much today?
Was also a part of it.
Brittany (14:13):
I don't think at that young of an age that I would
know that.
I thought it was just cool to,you know, put tinfoil in your
hair and roll hair up on rodsand feel beautiful.
And so I don't think that Ithought of that at all, but the
relationships that you have, andI don't know the way you can
(14:36):
speak into people's lives.
Just makes the job, in myopinion.
Yeah.
I mean, you know, I can do hairwith my eyes closed.
And I'm not the best hair cutteror colorer but, I really think,
like, having that relationship,With people is what, I think
makes it I'm.
Leslie (14:52):
I don't know.
Yeah, did you ever have momentsof doubt?
Brittany (14:55):
Yeah, so a lot even even still I mean I have a full
clientele I can't accept newclients But you'll have weeks
where everybody startscanceling, you know People are
sick or and you're just like, ohmy gosh, did I do something?
Oh my goodness in my You take itpersonally.
I shouldn't.
You shouldn't.
But sometimes you think, oh mygosh, did I buy the wrong thing?
(15:17):
Did I do the wrong formulation?
Did they sit long enough?
You know, you just run throughall that stuff in your mind of
like, I had a really slow weekor month.
And, um, when you work off, Imean, you don't get paid if you
don't work.
I mean, it just, it just affectsyou more than one way.
Yeah.
Yeah.
But.
It's just part of the job too.
You just
Leslie (15:36):
gotta be smart.
So it sounds like the, any doubtthat you have had has been more
from the financial side ofthings.
Brittany (15:44):
I would say financial, but also it was like, well, did
I do something wrong?
People were too scared to tellme.
Like, I don't want people to bescared to tell me I want to fix
it.
Um, but it's, it's usually noteven that it's they're sick or
their kids are sick or theydon't have the finances or
whatnot.
So I guess any doubt is.
Just making people upset, Iguess.
But, they always come back.
They do.
Yeah.
(16:04):
I love it.
So they always circle backaround or they wanna try
somebody else and that's fine.
You can't, you can't take itpersonal.
Especially in the hairdressingjob.
But you just wanna make sure youdo it all right.
I don't, I don't want to bewrong.
Leslie (16:16):
Yeah.
Yeah.
So your job, the way you make aliving is through your pursuit
of purpose, which isn't alwaysthe case for people I've
learned, what are some of the.
Challenges that come with that,if any.
Brittany (16:36):
Um, I don't think I could honestly, confidently say
I could support myself in mycareer.
Okay.
Just because it's so up and downbetween the product prices and
people canceling.
If maybe if I like took people'scredit cards and charged them
like for that, but.
Like I said at the beginning,like when I, I don't want to
(16:57):
financially hurt somebodybecause they couldn't make their
point.
Like things happen, they do, butit does then hit me financially.
So you have to have a goodcushion to build up for those
weeks or months or say COVIDwhen we got shut down for seven
months or seven weeks.
If I don't work, I don't makeanything.
So that would be the struggle, Ithink., so I am thankful for my
(17:20):
husband and his job for allowingme to be able to do what I
absolutely love.
Leslie (17:27):
Cause I can't imagine.
So having the support there.
Yes.
And in your case, it's financialsupport.
It is.
Brittany (17:33):
Yeah.
It is.
If I worked full time, maybe, Idon't know.
I mean, booth rent, I mean, it'sexpensive.
Products, it's expensive.
And then when people cancel onyou, it just, it hits you hard.
Yeah.
Leslie (17:47):
Yeah.
So don't cancel on your, yourhairdresser.
Brittany (17:52):
If you can.
If you can.
Leslie (17:54):
If, yeah.
Try not to.
Try not to.
Brittany (17:58):
Things happen.
Of course things happen, but.
Leslie (18:00):
Yeah.
It does.
So the challenging side of yoursituation is more on the
financial side of things.
Any other challenges?
Brittany (18:10):
Um, I would say some people, I mean, when you meet,
they just, you can't make themhappy.
There's some people you can'tmake happy.
And there's some picky people,which I love.
Cause then you know when theyleave that they love what you
did because they're so picky.
They're like, all right, that'sfine.
It's good.
I'm like, great! Um, I mean, youjust meet so many different
kinds of people, and again, youcan't take it personally.
(18:32):
I mean, you can, you can open upto them.
I do, I'm spiritual, so I dotalk about God, and I love that
about our job, that we are ableto bring that in, the Bible and
faith and, um, sometimes thatcomforts people.
Sometimes they like to ask morequestions about that.
And.
I mean, I am an open book.
(18:52):
I will tell anybody anythingthey want to know.
And, um, I have nothing to hide.
And so if they think how I wouldwant to handle something, I can
tell them or teach them what Iknow.
Not that I'm no, again, notherapist.
But, um, or things that comfortme and reach out to them that
way.
Yeah, I was, and it's hardsometimes.
I mean, I feel like I do feel, Ilove my clients so much that
(19:16):
sometimes I do take the heavyweight home.
I was wondering.
You know, and sometimes my mindwill run and worry about them
all night.
Or all week.
Or whatever, and I'll pray forthem and reach out to them and
ask if I can do anything orbring them anything.
So it runs deeper than justcutting their hair.
It's those relationships andfriendships, I think.
I just love and care for people,though, I hope, and show God's
(19:39):
love and be a light, I guess, inother people's life.
Leslie (19:43):
Do you have to do anything to pump yourself up in
the morning to go to work?
No, I, once I'm at work, I'm sohappy.
Well, you said it's your happyplace.
It really
Brittany (19:53):
is.
I like to have a cup of coffee.
Um, just to wake me up a littlebit because I'm not a morning
person, but I do start at 8o'clock in the morning and I'll,
I'll take them as early as like7.
30.
I've had people call me in themiddle of the night.
Like, they need their hair doneat 4 a.
m.
because, you know.
It's, it's, whoever did it hasmessed it up and they need it
fixed before they go into work.
So I've run in.
(20:14):
So you're there for them.
I will.
I'll run in and fix it for them.
Even though they've cheated onme and gone somewhere else, they
come back and we'll fix
Leslie (20:21):
it.
But that's alright.
So.
Okay.
So no need to pump up your, youlook forward to it.
I do.
15 years later, 16 years later.
Okay.
You still have that joy andspark in your every day, which
is, I mean, I feel so blessed.
Yeah.
(20:41):
And that's what we all want,right?
Yeah.
We all want to be doing thingsthat are so in alignment with
what we've discovered to be ourpurpose.
Yes.
And you found that and it hasn'tworn off.
It does.
Yeah.
No, I love it.
Brittany (20:57):
I just think it's aspirational.
I'm very blessed.
I was talking to our trainerabout it too.
And he feels the same way.
Like a lot of people don't lovetheir job and you spend so much
time doing so much time.
And I don't know that that'shard.
That's so sad.
It is very sad.
Leslie (21:17):
It is a lot of time.
It's part of why Purpose Projectexists to, to help people.
Discover their purpose.
I found that, not everyone evenhas found it.
You're very fortunate at a youngage.
I do.
I feel so blessed.
To have that clarity.
Yeah.
but then once we find it,there's a lot of things that
hold us back and money's one ofthem.
(21:40):
uncertainty, skills is another.
You've talked about all of thosethings.
Brittany (21:43):
Yeah, for sure.
Um, even my husband, I think hewanted to be like a marine
biologist.
And I mean, in Indiana, that'shard to do, but what if it
wasn't hard to do and he didfollow that dream?
Right.
Like, I don't know.
You could just have a wholedifferent life.
Like, what if I didn't take therisk and you know, I could, I
(22:04):
could be not as happy.
Exactly.
Yeah.
And love my job.
I just can't imagine.
I love my job.
Uh huh.
I absolutely follow your dreams.
Yeah, let's do it.
Even if it's hard, just pushthrough it.
It's worth it.
It is so worth it.
Even if you're not making a tonof money,
Leslie (22:20):
money doesn't make you happy.
Exactly.
It doesn't buy happiness at all.
It really does.
When you look in your futureahead, what, what do you see?
Brittany (22:34):
I love that my job's so flexible, I guess.
That's what I see that it'sflexible that I can.
I can go on vacation when Iwant.
I can go to my kids things.
My clients are pretty flexiblewith me, knowing that I have
three kids.
I can move around certainthings.
And working part time, I try tobe pretty flexible with them
when I gotta bounce thingsaround, or they have to bounce
(22:55):
things around.
But then I am full, too, withthe three kids schedules.
But, um the future.
I don't right now.
I'm probably in my prime.
I would say with my fullclientele.
Um, I mean, as I get older, I'msure it will dwindle or people
will leave or people will comeand,.
I don't know.
I hope I don't have to leave mysalon.
(23:17):
I love all the girls I'm with.
There's no drama.
That's huge
Leslie (23:21):
um, so, but you, it sounds like you, You always see
yourself doing hair for as longas you can.
Oh
Brittany (23:28):
yeah.
Yeah.
I would love to.
Yeah.
And sometimes I think about likewhat my aunt does.
She works at like a retirementhome.
And she'll sit and do perms androller sets all day with the old
retired people.
And I would even do thatsomeday, but then I have a
stylist next to me who's, youknow, in her eighties and she's
still, Doing hair in the salon,one day a week and I would do
(23:49):
that too.
I hope my hands can keep up.
I guess that's another likeScary thing is it is hard on
your body.
So to take that time off to fixyour hands or whatever.
Yeah, to take care of yourselfso you can keep doing it.
Yeah, but then you might losepeople because you're off for
six weeks.
It's a huge financial hit.
So those things are scary.
Everything will happen the wayit's supposed to.
Leslie (24:10):
Yeah.
I imagine there are peoplelistening to this that have a
similar purpose and might not,it could be to be a hairdresser,
but it might be to be a teacheror whatever.
Yeah.
What advice do you have forthem?
Brittany (24:25):
I mean, if that's your purpose, if that is the skill
God gave you, like go use it.
Follow your dreams.
Just do it.
I mean, you have to do it.
It's totally worth it.
It's so worth it.
I don't know how else to say it.
Yeah.
It's worth it.
Just do it.
Just do it.
Go for it.
If that's what your passion is,like, I don't know.
(24:48):
Do as much research.
Work your hardest at it.
Um, no matter what you got todo, like I, I worked those three
jobs.
I worked at a gas station, likeit was not fun, but it was hard
work.
So I could pay my booth rent.
You know, I had three clients.
I came in for once a month, butI still had to pay my booth
rent.
And, um, I taught swim lessonsand worked at the gas station
and did hair for years.
(25:10):
So I, it's not always glamorousand it's not.
Fun.
And it doesn't happen overnight.
Absolutely not.
You've got to work at it.
You do.
And you got to improve yourselfand you like, that's how you,
that's how you learn.
You got to make your mistakes.
You do it while you're young.
If you can, if you try, don'tfall off.
Leslie (25:28):
Yes.
Yeah.
Do it.
So we've talked about a lot.
Thank you so much for sharingyour story.
Is there anything left unsaid interms of pursuing purpose and
what you've learned?
Brittany (25:43):
I would just say, do it.
I follow your dreams, whateverskill you absolutely love, like
do your best at it, research it,try your hardest.
In my experience, you'll behappy.
Yeah.
You'll be so happy.
You'll love to go to, I don'teven feel like I go to work.
I feel, I literally feel like Igo hang out with my friends
(26:04):
every time.
Leslie (26:04):
One, who doesn't want to feel that way?
Yeah.
You know, at work.
Yeah.
Brittany (26:09):
And it's like 10 o'clock at night and I still
don't even feel like.
You're working.
No.
Like I just got done hanging outand I'm pretty tired.
Leslie (26:16):
Yeah.
It's great.
Thank you so much, Brittany, forbeing here and for sharing your
story and the joy and what weget from pursuing our purpose
and, and just doing it.
Brittany (26:34):
Just do it.
Try your hardest.
Leslie (26:36):
Thank you.
Season one of Purpose Projecthas been a conversation with
individuals who have clarity intheir life's purpose and they're
actively pursuing it.
I have been learning a lotthrough these conversations and
one of the things that hasbecome really clear to me is
that each of us.
(26:57):
Is responsible for our own lifepurpose.
It's not up to our employer, toour family and our friends.
It is up to us eachindividually.
And this conversation withBrittany really amplified that
for me.
That if we have a dream that wewant to pursue or that feeling
(27:20):
in our gut, it's up to us tojust go for it.
Yes.
Our family, our friends, ouremployers might need to support
us, but it is up to us to justgo do it.
Brittany, thank you for being onthe show and thanks to all of
you for tuning in.
I hope you have a wonderful day.
(27:47):
Purpose Project is brought toyou for education and for
entertainment purposes.
This podcast is not intended toreplace the advice that you
would receive from a licensedtherapist or doctor or any other
qualified professional.
When I first had the idea of starting Purpose
Project, I of course shared itwith my hairdresser and in this
conversation where I'm sharingwith her, this idea of doing a
podcast that explores the topicof life's purpose and in hearing
her story about her life'spurpose.
I knew that I wanted her to beon the show.
(00:27):
Hi, my name is Leslie Pagel andwelcome to Purpose Project.
On the show, we have BrittanyNeu, who shares this uplifting
story about following yourdreams.
Let's take a listen.
Brittany, thank you so much forbeing here on Purpose Project.
I have been looking forward tothis conversation for months.
(00:50):
Yes,
Brittany (00:53):
I've been excited for it.
Have you?
I've been nervous.
I have.
I've seen it on my books, butI've been nervous.
Yeah.
Leslie (00:59):
Well, that's natural taking you out of your comfort
zone.
That's for sure.
To tell your story.
Yeah.
Well, I'm even more honored thatyou're here the fact that you're
here to tell your story, makesme feel very honored.
Good.
So thank you for that.
I'm here for you.
I can't wait to dive into yourpurpose and, share that with
(01:20):
those that are listening.
But before we do that, tell us alittle bit about yourself.
Who is Brittany?
All right
Brittany (01:27):
my name is Brittany.
I grew up in Michigan.
Um, I'm married to my husbandDavid for almost 11 years.
And we have three kiddos.
Our oldest is Selah, she's 10.
Hallie is 8 and Brent is 6.
Nice!
Leslie (01:43):
So, wife, a mother.
Hairdresser.
Hairdresser.
Been doing hair for 16 years.
Wow.
16 years.
I know.
Brittany (01:51):
Isn't that crazy?
Yeah.
Leslie (01:52):
I've known you forever.
I know.
I've known you for a little bitlonger than that.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Oh my gosh.
Time flies by so fast.
That's crazy.
I know.
I can't believe how old
Brittany (02:01):
your girls are.
Leslie (02:02):
Well, you know, speaking of them, that is why Purpose
Project got started becausewe're going to be empty nesters
and I was looking for somethingto do and it was like, I don't
I'm going to do a podcast aboutpeople's purpose in life.
That's a hard one.
It's a hard question.
Yeah.
Yes.
Brittany (02:20):
And to figure out their purpose.
That's great.
Leslie (02:22):
Yeah.
I remember sitting in yourchair, you were doing my hair
and telling you about this.
And I remember asking you, doyou have a purpose?
And I remember what you said.
Do you remember to be ahairdresser?
Yes.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I've always known.
Yes.
So tell me was there a definingmoment that happened in your
(02:43):
life?
How did it come to be?
Brittany (02:45):
I don't know.
So I was really little and mygrandpa always did hair.
He was a barber.
And then my aunt was ahairdresser and she would do our
hair down in her basement.
And I remember always looking ather like wall of products and
being like, these are expensiveand yeah, this is cool.
And we never got to have any.
(03:06):
of those products, but we got toget our hair cut and it was, it
was fun.
I loved it.
I always, of course, wanted morethe highlights, the perms, the
all of it, but we couldn'tafford it.
And so we got our two haircuts ayear and I always was like, I
think I want to do hair and Iwant people to be able to afford
it and they can enjoy it.
(03:29):
So.
Leslie (03:30):
Okay.
So, it sounds like in yourchildhood you were around people
that were hairdressers.
Is that the proper?
Yeah.
Okay.
Brittany (03:40):
Hairdressers,
Leslie (03:40):
cosmetologists.
Okay.
Barbers.
Yeah.
The hair world.
But you were, yeah.
You were around people that didit for a living.
Yes.
And in getting your hair done.
Yeah.
noticed the possibility and youliked trying new things, with
your hair.
Yeah, I mean,
Brittany (03:57):
I didn't do a crazy things.
It was more the natural things,but, we didn't get to do it all
the time, it was like one timething.
Because it was, it's expensive,it's expensive to get your hair
done,
Leslie (04:07):
so, um, was that a part of it though?
The, realization that it feltlike a privilege, a big deal to
be getting your hair done.
Absolutely, I would say yes.
Why is that?
Brittany (04:20):
Cause it was something special.
And you know how good you feelafter you get your hair done?
I wanted to make people feelgood.
and my aunt wasn't the onlyperson I went to.
We got to go to other peopletoo.
that, like great clips andstuff.
Things, but, and they, you wouldhave some nice people and not
some nice people.
And I, I don't know.
I just always wanted to peopleto enjoy coming in and seeing me
(04:43):
and hanging out.
that's what I love.
Leslie (04:46):
So it sounds like you knew this all along.
Yeah.
It was a part of growing up.
You just realized this is what Iwant to do.
Yeah.
Brittany (04:55):
Um, but I was scared because I wasn't good at my own
hair.
Okay.
I didn't know how to braid.
I mean,
Leslie (05:02):
how old were you when you were noticing this?
Oh, probably 12.
Okay.
Yeah.
Did you work at it then?
Did you say, I'm going to learnhow to braid or
Brittany (05:11):
no, I never really practiced on anybody until I
started.
When I was 17 at beauty school.
Okay.
So and started learning about itand you sit in a classroom for
six weeks and they throw you outon the floor.
Really?
Yeah.
Go
Leslie (05:27):
for it.
But what even took you to beautyschool?
Cause I'm hearing, I knew Iwanted to be this, but I was
scared because I didn't think I,I could do my own hair better
yet someone else's.
How did you make this step to goto cosmetology school?
I want
Brittany (05:47):
to say, so we moved to Indiana when I was 15.
And we went to a, I went to asmall school all growing up.
And then I got thrown into ahuge school.
It was a huge change.
So I really had to get out of mycomfort box to be able to have
conversations, to talk to peopleeven.
(06:07):
And that probably pushed me andthen of course I did not enjoy
high school at all.
And so I graduated early so Icould go straight into beauty
school.
Okay.
Okay.
Leslie (06:17):
Do you think if you hadn't moved, things would be
different?
Oh, absolutely.
Brittany (06:22):
Really?
I'd be a different person, Ithink.
I'd be a different person.
Hairdresser, I think I'd be waymore quiet.
Um, yeah, it, it pushes you outof your comfort zone.
It was probably the hardest, oneof the hardest things.
From, but you, you would havestill been a hairdresser.
I, I would think so.
I looked at other things in caseI couldn't carry a conversation.
(06:43):
I looked at doing x ray tech orthings that only had to go to
school for like two years, causeI hated school.
but I thought, Hey, I'm, I'myoung.
I'm going to graduate highschool early and I'm going to
try beauty school.
And if it doesn't work out, thenwe'll try x ray tech.
Yeah.
It was hard.
It was hard to start out, but Ilove it though.
I
Leslie (07:02):
love that you had the self awareness.
Yeah.
You understood that there wasfear there.
You've recognized the fear, butyou went and did it anyway.
Yeah.
You have to try.
You don't know if you don't try.
So you went to cosmetologyschool.
Tell us how you're feelingthrough that.
Brittany (07:18):
it was a newer school, so there was only like six kids
in the class, which was reallycool because we got a lot of,
One on one attention and theywere learning and we were
learning.
So great time.
they teach you a lot of oldschool stuff, so it still
doesn't feel like when yougraduate beauty school after 10
months, you still don't knowlike the modern way to do hair
because it's so old fashioned.
(07:39):
So I went to be an assistant atan Aveda salon and I was
somebody's assistant for 10months.
And.
That's where you learneverything.
So, um, that was really great.
And that gave me the confidenceish to, I did leave after about
a year there and another saloncalled me and I worked out in
(07:59):
Greenfield for a little bit andGoing from Noblesville to
Greenfield, it's just adifferent clientele of people.
Okay.
And then you start to realizethat too, like the different
conversations that you start tohave.
Yeah.
And you're like, okay, reallythis is at my place?
So the conversation's differenttoo.
It is.
And it's different people,right?
And so it's like, well, I can'treally relate to the pig
(08:20):
farmers.
In Greenfield, and they don'tcome to the salon as much, and
it was just a slower pace.
So, then my dad said to startdown in Greenwood, and I did.
I had three other jobs, to beable to afford to pay rent,
because I didn't have aclientele still.
I was an assistant.
For so long, but I was ready toget behind the chair, and I had
(08:41):
enough confidence at that point.
Started up and you're probablyone of my first.
I was, I mean, I had no clue.
You got to fake it till you makeit.
Leslie (08:51):
Well, and all these years later.
Yeah, I know.
Yeah.
Yeah.
It's been great.
So tell, tell us about what youwere, I mean, go back in time to
when you were in cosmetologyschool, you were taking the
steps to pursue this, purpose ofyours of doing hair, how are you
feeling while you're gettingstarted?
Brittany (09:14):
Um, I think the whole scary part is I can learn all
these skills and you could dothe best haircut, but really
what it also comes down to, Ithink is the conversation you
have with people and therelationship that you have with
them and making them feel goodand comfortable and whatnot.
So do they teach that in beauty
Leslie (09:30):
school?
Brittany (09:30):
No, not at all.
Yeah.
I don't even know how I got tothat.
I guess more doing just likefriends hair and like the kids
that I all watched growing up,,just doing their families and
being comfortable with them.
And, starting with thoserelationships and then building
to strangers.
Leslie (09:47):
Well, and you were saying how you're feeling as
you're starting to learn.
How did you feel?
Oh, intimidated.
Brittany (09:55):
I mean, you don't, I mean, I knew nothing, nothing at
all.
Like I could not even braid.
And you still did it anyway.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yep.
And they didn't teach you that,but they taught you, they
started baby steps and you learnlike chemistry and stuff.
And okay.
I like chemistry.
And you learn that in highschool.
So they start there.
And then when you get themannequin head and, I mean, you
(10:16):
don't know, you don't know whatyou're doing.
I melted some, a comb insomebody's hair and they were
mortified, you know, like, Ilike plastic melted in their
hair.
Like you have to cut that out.
That's sad that I did that.
It's scary, but you makemistakes and people know coming
to a beauty school that,
Leslie (10:34):
that that's part
Brittany (10:35):
of it as part of it.
I was young and.
Yeah, I mean, yeah, you makemistakes, but you just got to
keep, that's how you learn.
I mean, that's the only way youcan learn.
Leslie (10:43):
Yeah.
So, so you're in Greenwood, soyou went, go through cosmetology
school.
You're an assistant for, itsounds like a year or so about
up on the north side ofNoblesville.
You recognize that clientelechanges and you're like, I need
to find my people.
Yeah.
And so you get a job inGreenwood, get a job.
(11:03):
How long ago was this 16 years,16 years ago, maybe
Brittany (11:07):
15.
Leslie (11:07):
Okay.
Brittany (11:08):
Yeah.
Leslie (11:08):
and so take us through 15, 16 years ago to now.
How has it been?
How's that journey been?
Brittany (11:17):
Oh, I love it.
It's literally my pride and joy.
It's my happy place.
I love going to work.
Everybody.
that comes to see me.
I just, they just all make myday and they all touch my heart
in different places.
And, um, starting out, it wasvery slow.
To a point and you have a lot ofturnover at the beginning.
I was lucky enough to start in asalon that every, all the
(11:40):
stylists had a full clientele.
So they would throw me their,overflow.
And then I made a bunch ofbaskets, um, um, with candy and
coupons and stuff.
And I would deliver them to thedoctor's offices and the schools
and I don't know, wherever Icould think of.
To try to get clients to comein.
(12:01):
And did someone give you thatidea or you're just, they tell
you that in school, okay.
You know how to build abusiness.
You get maybe one or two off of,you know, a lot.
Yeah.
Cause a lot of people have,their own stylist are ready.
So you're just hoping to findsomeone who's looking for
somebody.
And I was new, which issometimes scary when I don't
(12:21):
have all the experience under mybelt.
But yeah, it slowly just builds.
It takes gosh, three to fiveyears
Leslie (12:27):
to finally build
Brittany (12:28):
up your clientele.
You're
Leslie (12:30):
building your business.
Brittany (12:31):
Yes.
And the nice thing is doingbooth rent, you get to make your
own schedule and buy what youwant, use what you want.
Do what you want, really.
You're your own business owner,really.
Yes.
And that is really nice.
cause some things work and somethings don't.
And you get to choose whatproducts.
And then with the kids, that,the schedule making is really
(12:52):
nice.
And you can move people aroundthat way.
And go to their things.
Yeah.
Leslie (12:57):
I love it.
I saw your face light up and Iasked the question, for someone
whose purpose is like yours,where it's, every day is every
day the same.
No, no, not even a little bit.
Brittany (13:12):
Um, you know, you get to walk through people or with
people through life and they're,they open up to you and you get
to.
Speak to them and comfort themor be excited with them or go to
their wedding or their firstbaby.
You might be the first personcause they don't want to put
color on their hair.
(13:32):
So they tell you, but nobodyelse knows.
Like, it's just really cool.
The stories you get to hear andthe way people open up to you.
Sometimes they come for you forcomfort.
I don't know.
You're more
Leslie (13:43):
than a hairdresser.
Yes.
That's what I'm hearing.
I feel
Brittany (13:46):
like I.
Not that I am anywhere near atherapist, but, um, people do
open up to me probably more thaneven a therapist does.
They do to a therapist when theyhave, those sessions.
Leslie (13:57):
Yeah.
Do you think that a going backto your childhood you wanted to
do hair, but did you think thatwas also a, did you realize that
this piece that seems to fillyou up so much today?
Was also a part of it.
Brittany (14:13):
I don't think at that young of an age that I would
know that.
I thought it was just cool to,you know, put tinfoil in your
hair and roll hair up on rodsand feel beautiful.
And so I don't think that Ithought of that at all, but the
relationships that you have, andI don't know the way you can
(14:36):
speak into people's lives.
Just makes the job, in myopinion.
Yeah.
I mean, you know, I can do hairwith my eyes closed.
And I'm not the best hair cutteror colorer but, I really think,
like, having that relationship,With people is what, I think
makes it I'm.
Leslie (14:52):
I don't know.
Yeah, did you ever have momentsof doubt?
Brittany (14:55):
Yeah, so a lot even even still I mean I have a full
clientele I can't accept newclients But you'll have weeks
where everybody startscanceling, you know People are
sick or and you're just like, ohmy gosh, did I do something?
Oh my goodness in my You take itpersonally.
I shouldn't.
You shouldn't.
But sometimes you think, oh mygosh, did I buy the wrong thing?
(15:17):
Did I do the wrong formulation?
Did they sit long enough?
You know, you just run throughall that stuff in your mind of
like, I had a really slow weekor month.
And, um, when you work off, Imean, you don't get paid if you
don't work.
I mean, it just, it just affectsyou more than one way.
Yeah.
Yeah.
But.
It's just part of the job too.
You just
Leslie (15:36):
gotta be smart.
So it sounds like the, any doubtthat you have had has been more
from the financial side ofthings.
Brittany (15:44):
I would say financial, but also it was like, well, did
I do something wrong?
People were too scared to tellme.
Like, I don't want people to bescared to tell me I want to fix
it.
Um, but it's, it's usually noteven that it's they're sick or
their kids are sick or theydon't have the finances or
whatnot.
So I guess any doubt is.
Just making people upset, Iguess.
But, they always come back.
They do.
Yeah.
(16:04):
I love it.
So they always circle backaround or they wanna try
somebody else and that's fine.
You can't, you can't take itpersonal.
Especially in the hairdressingjob.
But you just wanna make sure youdo it all right.
I don't, I don't want to bewrong.
Leslie (16:16):
Yeah.
Yeah.
So your job, the way you make aliving is through your pursuit
of purpose, which isn't alwaysthe case for people I've
learned, what are some of the.
Challenges that come with that,if any.
Brittany (16:36):
Um, I don't think I could honestly, confidently say
I could support myself in mycareer.
Okay.
Just because it's so up and downbetween the product prices and
people canceling.
If maybe if I like took people'scredit cards and charged them
like for that, but.
Like I said at the beginning,like when I, I don't want to
(16:57):
financially hurt somebodybecause they couldn't make their
point.
Like things happen, they do, butit does then hit me financially.
So you have to have a goodcushion to build up for those
weeks or months or say COVIDwhen we got shut down for seven
months or seven weeks.
If I don't work, I don't makeanything.
So that would be the struggle, Ithink., so I am thankful for my
(17:20):
husband and his job for allowingme to be able to do what I
absolutely love.
Leslie (17:27):
Cause I can't imagine.
So having the support there.
Yes.
And in your case, it's financialsupport.
It is.
Brittany (17:33):
Yeah.
It is.
If I worked full time, maybe, Idon't know.
I mean, booth rent, I mean, it'sexpensive.
Products, it's expensive.
And then when people cancel onyou, it just, it hits you hard.
Yeah.
Leslie (17:47):
Yeah.
So don't cancel on your, yourhairdresser.
Brittany (17:52):
If you can.
If you can.
Leslie (17:54):
If, yeah.
Try not to.
Try not to.
Brittany (17:58):
Things happen.
Of course things happen, but.
Leslie (18:00):
Yeah.
It does.
So the challenging side of yoursituation is more on the
financial side of things.
Any other challenges?
Brittany (18:10):
Um, I would say some people, I mean, when you meet,
they just, you can't make themhappy.
There's some people you can'tmake happy.
And there's some picky people,which I love.
Cause then you know when theyleave that they love what you
did because they're so picky.
They're like, all right, that'sfine.
It's good.
I'm like, great! Um, I mean, youjust meet so many different
kinds of people, and again, youcan't take it personally.
(18:32):
I mean, you can, you can open upto them.
I do, I'm spiritual, so I dotalk about God, and I love that
about our job, that we are ableto bring that in, the Bible and
faith and, um, sometimes thatcomforts people.
Sometimes they like to ask morequestions about that.
And.
I mean, I am an open book.
(18:52):
I will tell anybody anythingthey want to know.
And, um, I have nothing to hide.
And so if they think how I wouldwant to handle something, I can
tell them or teach them what Iknow.
Not that I'm no, again, notherapist.
But, um, or things that comfortme and reach out to them that
way.
Yeah, I was, and it's hardsometimes.
I mean, I feel like I do feel, Ilove my clients so much that
(19:16):
sometimes I do take the heavyweight home.
I was wondering.
You know, and sometimes my mindwill run and worry about them
all night.
Or all week.
Or whatever, and I'll pray forthem and reach out to them and
ask if I can do anything orbring them anything.
So it runs deeper than justcutting their hair.
It's those relationships andfriendships, I think.
I just love and care for people,though, I hope, and show God's
(19:39):
love and be a light, I guess, inother people's life.
Leslie (19:43):
Do you have to do anything to pump yourself up in
the morning to go to work?
No, I, once I'm at work, I'm sohappy.
Well, you said it's your happyplace.
It really
Brittany (19:53):
is.
I like to have a cup of coffee.
Um, just to wake me up a littlebit because I'm not a morning
person, but I do start at 8o'clock in the morning and I'll,
I'll take them as early as like7.
30.
I've had people call me in themiddle of the night.
Like, they need their hair doneat 4 a.
m.
because, you know.
It's, it's, whoever did it hasmessed it up and they need it
fixed before they go into work.
So I've run in.
(20:14):
So you're there for them.
I will.
I'll run in and fix it for them.
Even though they've cheated onme and gone somewhere else, they
come back and we'll fix
Leslie (20:21):
it.
But that's alright.
So.
Okay.
So no need to pump up your, youlook forward to it.
I do.
15 years later, 16 years later.
Okay.
You still have that joy andspark in your every day, which
is, I mean, I feel so blessed.
Yeah.
(20:41):
And that's what we all want,right?
Yeah.
We all want to be doing thingsthat are so in alignment with
what we've discovered to be ourpurpose.
Yes.
And you found that and it hasn'tworn off.
It does.
Yeah.
No, I love it.
Brittany (20:57):
I just think it's aspirational.
I'm very blessed.
I was talking to our trainerabout it too.
And he feels the same way.
Like a lot of people don't lovetheir job and you spend so much
time doing so much time.
And I don't know that that'shard.
That's so sad.
It is very sad.
Leslie (21:17):
It is a lot of time.
It's part of why Purpose Projectexists to, to help people.
Discover their purpose.
I found that, not everyone evenhas found it.
You're very fortunate at a youngage.
I do.
I feel so blessed.
To have that clarity.
Yeah.
but then once we find it,there's a lot of things that
hold us back and money's one ofthem.
(21:40):
uncertainty, skills is another.
You've talked about all of thosethings.
Brittany (21:43):
Yeah, for sure.
Um, even my husband, I think hewanted to be like a marine
biologist.
And I mean, in Indiana, that'shard to do, but what if it
wasn't hard to do and he didfollow that dream?
Right.
Like, I don't know.
You could just have a wholedifferent life.
Like, what if I didn't take therisk and you know, I could, I
(22:04):
could be not as happy.
Exactly.
Yeah.
And love my job.
I just can't imagine.
I love my job.
Uh huh.
I absolutely follow your dreams.
Yeah, let's do it.
Even if it's hard, just pushthrough it.
It's worth it.
It is so worth it.
Even if you're not making a tonof money,
Leslie (22:20):
money doesn't make you happy.
Exactly.
It doesn't buy happiness at all.
It really does.
When you look in your futureahead, what, what do you see?
Brittany (22:34):
I love that my job's so flexible, I guess.
That's what I see that it'sflexible that I can.
I can go on vacation when Iwant.
I can go to my kids things.
My clients are pretty flexiblewith me, knowing that I have
three kids.
I can move around certainthings.
And working part time, I try tobe pretty flexible with them
when I gotta bounce thingsaround, or they have to bounce
(22:55):
things around.
But then I am full, too, withthe three kids schedules.
But, um the future.
I don't right now.
I'm probably in my prime.
I would say with my fullclientele.
Um, I mean, as I get older, I'msure it will dwindle or people
will leave or people will comeand,.
I don't know.
I hope I don't have to leave mysalon.
(23:17):
I love all the girls I'm with.
There's no drama.
That's huge
Leslie (23:21):
um, so, but you, it sounds like you, You always see
yourself doing hair for as longas you can.
Oh
Brittany (23:28):
yeah.
Yeah.
I would love to.
Yeah.
And sometimes I think about likewhat my aunt does.
She works at like a retirementhome.
And she'll sit and do perms androller sets all day with the old
retired people.
And I would even do thatsomeday, but then I have a
stylist next to me who's, youknow, in her eighties and she's
still, Doing hair in the salon,one day a week and I would do
(23:49):
that too.
I hope my hands can keep up.
I guess that's another likeScary thing is it is hard on
your body.
So to take that time off to fixyour hands or whatever.
Yeah, to take care of yourselfso you can keep doing it.
Yeah, but then you might losepeople because you're off for
six weeks.
It's a huge financial hit.
So those things are scary.
Everything will happen the wayit's supposed to.
Leslie (24:10):
Yeah.
I imagine there are peoplelistening to this that have a
similar purpose and might not,it could be to be a hairdresser,
but it might be to be a teacheror whatever.
Yeah.
What advice do you have forthem?
Brittany (24:25):
I mean, if that's your purpose, if that is the skill
God gave you, like go use it.
Follow your dreams.
Just do it.
I mean, you have to do it.
It's totally worth it.
It's so worth it.
I don't know how else to say it.
Yeah.
It's worth it.
Just do it.
Just do it.
Go for it.
If that's what your passion is,like, I don't know.
(24:48):
Do as much research.
Work your hardest at it.
Um, no matter what you got todo, like I, I worked those three
jobs.
I worked at a gas station, likeit was not fun, but it was hard
work.
So I could pay my booth rent.
You know, I had three clients.
I came in for once a month, butI still had to pay my booth
rent.
And, um, I taught swim lessonsand worked at the gas station
and did hair for years.
(25:10):
So I, it's not always glamorousand it's not.
Fun.
And it doesn't happen overnight.
Absolutely not.
You've got to work at it.
You do.
And you got to improve yourselfand you like, that's how you,
that's how you learn.
You got to make your mistakes.
You do it while you're young.
If you can, if you try, don'tfall off.
Leslie (25:28):
Yes.
Yeah.
Do it.
So we've talked about a lot.
Thank you so much for sharingyour story.
Is there anything left unsaid interms of pursuing purpose and
what you've learned?
Brittany (25:43):
I would just say, do it.
I follow your dreams, whateverskill you absolutely love, like
do your best at it, research it,try your hardest.
In my experience, you'll behappy.
Yeah.
You'll be so happy.
You'll love to go to, I don'teven feel like I go to work.
I feel, I literally feel like Igo hang out with my friends
(26:04):
every time.
Leslie (26:04):
One, who doesn't want to feel that way?
Yeah.
You know, at work.
Yeah.
Brittany (26:09):
And it's like 10 o'clock at night and I still
don't even feel like.
You're working.
No.
Like I just got done hanging outand I'm pretty tired.
Leslie (26:16):
Yeah.
It's great.
Thank you so much, Brittany, forbeing here and for sharing your
story and the joy and what weget from pursuing our purpose
and, and just doing it.
Brittany (26:34):
Just do it.
Try your hardest.
Leslie (26:36):
Thank you.
Season one of Purpose Projecthas been a conversation with
individuals who have clarity intheir life's purpose and they're
actively pursuing it.
I have been learning a lotthrough these conversations and
one of the things that hasbecome really clear to me is
that each of us.
(26:57):
Is responsible for our own lifepurpose.
It's not up to our employer, toour family and our friends.
It is up to us eachindividually.
And this conversation withBrittany really amplified that
for me.
That if we have a dream that wewant to pursue or that feeling
(27:20):
in our gut, it's up to us tojust go for it.
Yes.
Our family, our friends, ouremployers might need to support
us, but it is up to us to justgo do it.
Brittany, thank you for being onthe show and thanks to all of
you for tuning in.
I hope you have a wonderful day.
(27:47):
Purpose Project is brought toyou for education and for
entertainment purposes.
This podcast is not intended toreplace the advice that you
would receive from a licensedtherapist or doctor or any other
qualified professional.
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