YOUR CAREER
A TIME TO RECONNECT AND REINVENT
In Partnership with
What a year of transition for salon pros. And what an exciting time to come together again.
Like you, the Ulta Beauty Design Team met many challenges since salons had to push pause, then restart. And they found ways to create new opportunities.
These 15 stylists are the heartbeat representing the family of salon pros in Ulta Beauty's 1,200+ locations working at Stylist, Master and Elite levels. All reunited mid-July for a three-day education immersion in Chicago with the Ulta Beauty Pro Team. And they can't wait to take their energy and passion for beauty back on the road to support in-salon education, industry events, photo shoots and more.
Our new Design Team roster was announced in early 2020, with five new members joining 10 returning stylists, then the world shut down," Ulta Beauty Senior Manager/Design Team Haley Kimble says. "With resilience and kind hearts, they supported each other to take their skills where our changing industry needs us all to be."
Learn how three Design Team stylists—Laura Gunter, Beto Sanchez and Stacey-Ann Houston—used a unique moment in time to build new skills and success. They share their journeys to encourage all stylists to recharge or reprioritize your own career. Channel new yearning and learning, and you may discover a beautiful new way to BeU.
SEIZE THE UNCOMFORTABLE, PURSUE YOUR GROWTH
There's never a bad time to improve or expand your technical abilities.
"At Ulta Beauty, we expect all stylists to level up and work confidently with all textures of hair," says Kimble." In addition to identifying and owning her skill gap this past year, Laura Gunter leaned into education in general. She's always looking for ways to use and share the mentorship she has received from the Ulta Beauty Pro Team and her Design Team peers. She pushes herself in every direction."
@lauragunterhair
Elite Stylist + Design Team
5.5 years with Ulta Beauty, Marietta, GA
Joined Design Team in 2017
Laura Gunter-She/her/hers
REFLECTING
FEELING SUPPORTED
LEVELING UP
SHARING MY PASSION
MENTORING MAGIC
PROUD MOMENTS
BeU DISCOVERY
SHAPING THE FUTURE
REFLECTING
FEELING SUPPORTED
LEVELING UP
SHARING MY PASSION
MENTORING MAGIC
PROUD MOMENTS
BeU DISCOVERY
SHAPING THE FUTURE
In my entire life as a hairstylist, I'd never before been unable to do my job. I wrestled with being described as non-essential, knowing our clients don't feel that way.
Right away, Ulta Beauty provided safe spaces to talk through hard things. Georgia was the first state to open back up, so there were lots of questions. Our leadership put more safety measures in place above what the state required.
For the first time since I was 15, I wasn't working a traditional schedule. Used to spending 40 hours a week on my feet, I had a lot of energy to redistribute. I love to garden and playing in the dirt was therapeutic, but I wanted to stay sharp professionally. In addition to leaning into what Ulta Beauty had already been focusing on with texture, I committed to becoming a better stylist and ally overall.
I now help lead texture teams for our Design Team and as a Matrix educator. I share openly about the skills gap I worked through. And I can now service a wider audience of guests.
When Michelle O'Connor, who is a Matrix global artistic director and leading industry voice on inclusion, joined the Ulta Beauty Pro Team, two of my families came together even more. Danielle Keasling, also part of both the Pro Team and Matrix artistic team, helps me focus on my business and career goals. I appreciate the chance to work with and learn from Pekala Riley and respect the entrepreneurial spirit and generosity of all the Pro Team members.
•Collaborating on our Design Team collection chosen as a NAHA 2020 finalist as a team. And working on a new shoot and entry for 2022!
•Before we could all reconnect, I did a solo photo shoot, self-styled and planned, and MODERN SALON published it in the Summer 2021 issue.
I found 95% of my identity is wrapped up in what I do for a living. But I realized that even when I couldn't be a hands-on hair stylist, I love to help people feel good about themselves.
This past year has taught me to dream bigger. There are multiple ways of being successful, and as stylists, we don't have to rule anything out.
Click to learn about Laura!
FINDING STRENGTH IN MENTORSHIP AND ENGAGEMENT
Stylists at the top of their game can keep climbing and discovering.
"Beto Sanchez came to Ulta Beauty and the Design Team as a seasoned, successful stylist, a true educator with a great background," says Kimble. "He chose to join Ulta Beauty seeking a different level of growth. It's no surprise one of our biggest wins this past year was led by Beto."
The Ulta Beauty field team was looking for a new way to honor and inspire Elite level stylists, those who earn six figures or more working in Ulta Beauty salons. Sanchez dove into content coaching, launching a regional pilot program that is now rolling out across the country.
He crafted a series of virtual "Breakfast with Beto" meetings to bring together five Elite stylists from different salons to creatively explore how to upgrade a social media page. They worked on authentically representing personality, reaching a desired audience, and meeting professional objectives. Success grew well beyond engagement.
"With Beto's help, these top-performing stylists even found a way to improve their average tickets," Kimble says.
Click to learn about Beto!
@betoloveshair
Elite Stylist + Design Team
2.5 years with Ulta Beauty
Chicago, Michigan Avenue Salon
Joined Design Team in 2019
Beto Sanchez - he/him/his
REFLECTING
Social Challenge
Feeling Supported
Leveling Up
SHARING MY PASSION
PROUD MOMENTS
BeU DISCOVERY
SHAPING THE FUTURE
REFLECTING
What is the beauty industry going to look like? Will it change in the future? That's the uncertainty I felt when the crisis hit. But I also felt protected and taken care of by Ulta Beauty.
Social Challenge
Stylists are social individuals and we feed off our work environment, so suddenly not having guests or being with teammates at the salon was hard. I found new ways to motivate myself by inspiring others.
FEELING SUPPORTED
Being part of a strong company gave me peace of mind, and our leaders, the Pro Team, kept the energy going by doing hair and makeup nonstop, and challenging us. My teammate Laura Gunter and I were supposed to be featured in a runway show at in April at America's Beauty Show in Chicago. Mentors Nick Stenson and Ammon Carver asked us to do the looks we'd planned, but on mannequins, and to share them. Their reminder that we always have our art and can train ourselves on new skills helped us push through.
LEVELING UP
Before I joined Ulta Beauty, I was 100% focused on skills and craft, color specifically. Then I started helping other stylists grow their social media numbers. Possibilities followed, first with my salon team and Design Team colleagues, then mentoring fellow Elite stylists: What else could they do for their careers, themselves? How could they be more personable on their social media? What superpowers or skills could they identify and highlight? Now I'm mentoring other Design Team members through the process of developing their own groups.
SHARING MY PASSION
Ulta Beauty provides so many outlets to share and supports me being an educator for Wella and ghd. As grateful as I've been to educate virtually and socially, I've missed being with stylists in the field and at shows, and can't wait to be back at NAHA, America's Beauty Show, Premiere, and everywhere Ulta Beauty is stepping out boldly.
PROUD MOMENTS
•When the first team of Elite stylists I mentored sent me a beautiful, creative flower arrangement.
•As a Design Team member, assisting the Pro Team in editorial photo shoots and creating visuals for Ulta Beauty consumer marketing
•Our Design Team NAHA collection being nominated as a finalist for 2020
BeU DISCOVERY
By showing vulnerability while staying positive with posts, I learned that the energy and good vibes you put out there come right back at you. Communicating in the most honest way has helped me be more real with my clients.
SHAPING THE FUTURE
Do what you like to do and be excited about it in the moment. Go with an open mind into a photo shoot, beauty show or a class you are going to attend or teach. My confidence comes from knowing that through my career and life, I have listened and used feedback to try to be more helpful to other stylists.
NATURAL INSTINCTS: BUILDING YOUR OWN BRAND
No matter where you are on your journey, be open to possibilities.
"Stacey-Ann Houston was one of our five newest additions to the Design Team, someone who brought great energy to her audition," recalls Kimble. "She was already celebrated as a stylist, doing it all. Anyone who sat in her chair in our original Manhattan location would receive great service. She is a shining example of what any stylist could aspire to be."
Houston didn't have much background as an educator, but was open to stretching. "Call Stacey-Ann and she would be in, always up for the challenge," Kimble says. "When we needed to do an online Design Team session to talk about black-owned brands and texture, we owned our lack of understanding. Stacey-Ann grasped the moment to share and teach what she knew so well." Houston is boldly shaping the future and her personal brand, as she supports her salon, company and community.
Click to learn about Stacey-Ann!
@stacceyann
Master Stylist + Design Team Member
10 Years with Ulta Beauty
NYC 86th Street Salon
Joined Design Team in 2020
Stacey-Ann Houston - she/her/hers
REFLECTING
FEELING SUPPORTED
LEVELING UP
SHARING MY PASSION
PROUD MOMENTS
BeU DISCOVERY
SHAPING THE FUTURE
REFLECTING
I got the news I'd been invited to join the Design Team, then the world shut down. It was a scary moment, but being part of this Ulta Beauty group gave me the chance to work and stay focused. There were so many new experiences. We were partnered with the marketing team to generate new types of digital content. With clients at home, we explored ways to talk about products, to educate. We were assigned tutorial videos, like how to manage texture at home.
FEELING SUPPORTED
When I was first asked to do certain projects right after joining the Design Team, I didn't feel I was ready for such responsibility. But my leaders believed in me and gave me confidence. Haley Kimble, Ammon Carver and all the Pro Team inspired me to dig deep and knock it out. Zoom trainings and sessions with the Design Team helped, too.
LEVELING UP
I've always done every type of hair—not just one range. But as we focused on growing our social media during the shutdown, I learned new strategies. If you focus on one brand or expertise, you build your audience. I started the process of becoming a texture specialist with myself. I used the time of working from home to transition my own hair to natural. I posted a before pic with relaxer in my hair and started documenting my journey, sharing an update of each stage, along with knowledge and tips. People were so supportive and encouraging. I gained a lot of followers from the textured hair community, who were asking questions about their own hair.
SHARING MY PASSION
After I focused on texture, things happened fast. I was invited to join our own Texture Team, a subgroup of the Design Team. Groups outside of Ulta Beauty reached out, too. Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Chicago asked me to teach a Zoom class on caring, styling and appreciating curly hair to a group of "littles." I used a mannequin and taught different texture sets. It became so emotional. At the end, they had so many questions about their hair and how to style it to wear.
Proud Moments
By being and accepting myself and my hair, I'm helping others embrace their own hair. It makes me happy. I'm still learning, and whatever I learn, I share. I also I discovered a new self-care hobby during this transition time—running! I keep moving forward.
BeU DISCOVERY
•I told our Design Team leader Haley Kimble that I was going to fill my book with so many curly girls, and I did it. My appointment book is 80% filled with texture clients, even though I still can and do take care of any guest who walks into an Ulta Beauty salon.
•Whenever followers and brands share my work on their social media. Patterns, owned by Tracy Ellis Ross, often reposts my content and that is always a thrill.
•I remain so proud of being named to the Design Team and am super excited to start actually traveling and working in person together. We have become so close despite distance, but I can't wait to work side by side.
Shaping the Future
I want to keep specializing to help Ulta Beauty build on our texture education commitment, to help train all our stylists and the industry on how to best care for every guest, every hair texture and curl pattern.
BE REENERGIZED
A CHECKLIST
11 tips for any beauty pro who wants to level up or try on a new skill.
Start within the four walls of your own salon. Reach out and find a partner, a colleague who wants to practice and grow. Be vulnerable and ask for guidance from someone who has the skills you want to develop.
Ulta's Design Team was created by Nick Stenson, Ulta Beauty SVP Store and Services Operations, and Ammon Carver, Ulta Beauty Chief Artistic Director, with the goal of bringing together a dynamic, diverse and talented group of industry rising stars. Each member receives mentorship, education and exposure, such as social media, photo shoot and stage experience.
Nick Stenson
@nickstenson
Ammon Carver
@ammoncarver
Sonya Dove
@sonyadove
Sean Godard
@seangodard
Danielle Keasling
@danielle.keasling
David Lopez
@davidlopezzz
Michelle O’Connor
@michelleoconnorbeauty
Pekala Riley
@pekalariley
Deney Adam
@deney_adam
Join the Ulta Beauty Team!
Be practical
on the hair you really love doing and that you want to see in your chair every day. Get models and do techniques that represent the guests or business you want to develop. And don't forget to post!
Be focused
Identify someone who is already successful in an area you want to improve, reach out and ask if they will help you on your journey. Offer to give back or exchange skills. Mentorships can be a two-way street—learn from each other!
Be proactive—find a mentor
Consider hiring a personal business or skills coach, even for a limited time. Or find a salon that offers the equivalent support in education and business.
Be willing to invest in yourself
Pay attention to content to artists who are at the top of their game as well as working stylists you relate to, who are only a step or two ahead of your current skill level. Following individual Ulta Beauty Design Team and Pro Team members is a great place to start!
Be a (smart) follower
Events and experiences are back. Be safe and follow your urge to reconnect and get close to hands-in-hair education.
Be out there
While live, hands-on classes deliver unmatched experiences, virtual education is here to stay—at Ulta Beauty and beyond. Digital classes can be accessible, affordable and provide a one-on-one coaching feeling, even working with stylists all over the country.
Be plugged in
Practice, practice, practice. Start with your favorite color or cut, then branch out. Share. Ask for input. Repeat.
Be friends with your mannequin
Film your technical practice and stream it. Don't be afraid to share your knowledge. You might discover you're really good at it
Be brave
Pick one expertise, category or service and brand yourself. There is so much in this beautiful industry we all love to do. Reach for the stars can mean narrowing your focus.
Be a specialist
Don't be afraid to show your personality on social media. Success is not about copying someone else. Speak and share in your authentic voice. BeU!
Be bold
Click to play
Click to play
Click to play
Follow, learn and grow with the Ulta Beauty Design Team Members.
design team
Jerwin Carlos
@jwinclos
Bianca Donahue
@biancad.beauty
Janelle Eyre
@jeyre.hair
Gilad Goldstein
@myguiltycrown
Laura Gunter
@lauragunterhair
Reva Haga
@reva_danielle
Haley Kimble
@haleyki
Anthony Negron
@kinganthonyyyy
Galyna Poczciwinski
@ufirami
Meghan Felicione
@meghanfelicione
Stacey-Ann Houston
@stacceyann
Cristina Rodriguez
@thatssotinaa
Beto Sanchez
@betoloveshair
Takeyra Shipps
@hair_bytakeyra
Justin Toves-Vincilione
@ahappyjustin
Leo Valencia
@leo.valencia
Click to play
FINDING STRENGTH IN MENTORSHIP AND ENGAGEMENT
Stylists at the top of their game can keep climbing and discovering.
"Beto Sanchez came to Ulta Beauty and the Design Team as a seasoned, successful stylist, a true educator with a great background," says Kimble. "He chose to join Ulta Beauty seeking a different level of growth. It's no surprise one of our biggest wins this past year was led by Beto."
The Ulta Beauty field team was looking for a new way to honor and inspire Elite level stylists, those who earn six figures or more working in Ulta Beauty salons. Sanchez dove into content coaching, launching a regional pilot program that is now rolling out across the country.
He crafted a series of virtual "Breakfast with Beto" meetings to bring together five Elite stylists from different salons to creatively explore how to upgrade a social media page. They worked on authentically representing personality, reaching a desired audience, and meeting professional objectives. Success grew well beyond engagement.
"With Beto's help, these top-performing stylists even found a way to improve their average tickets," Kimble says.
Click to learn about Beto!
@betoloveshair
Elite Stylist + Design Team
2.5 years with Ulta Beauty
Chicago, Michigan Avenue Salon
Joined Design Team in 2019
Beto Sanchez - he/him/his
REFLECTING
SOCIAL CHALLENGE
FEELING SUPPORTED
LEVELING UP
SHARING MY PASSION
PROUD MOMENTS
BeU DISCOVERY
SHAPING THE FUTURE
REFLECTING
What is the beauty industry going to look like? Will it change in the future? That's the uncertainty I felt when the crisis hit. But I also felt protected and taken care of by Ulta Beauty.
SOCIAL CHALLENGE
Stylists are social individuals and we feed off our work environment, so suddenly not having guests or being with teammates at the salon was hard. I found new ways to motivate myself by inspiring others.
FEELING SUPPORTED
Being part of a strong company gave me peace of mind, and our leaders, the Pro Team, kept the energy going by doing hair and makeup nonstop, and challenging us. My teammate Laura Gunter and I were supposed to be featured in a runway show at in April at America's Beauty Show in Chicago. Mentors Nick Stenson and Ammon Carver asked us to do the looks we'd planned, but on mannequins, and to share them. Their reminder that we always have our art and can train ourselves on new skills helped us push through.
LEVELING UP
Being part of a strong company gave me peace of mind, and our leaders, the Pro Team, kept the energy going by doing hair and makeup nonstop, and challenging us. My teammate Laura Gunter and I were supposed to be featured in a runway show at in April at America's Beauty Show in Chicago. Mentors Nick Stenson and Ammon Carver asked us to do the looks we'd planned, but on mannequins, and to share them. Their reminder that we always have our art and can train ourselves on new skills helped us push through.
SHARING MY PASSION
Ulta Beauty provides so many outlets to share and supports me being an educator for Wella and ghd. As grateful as I've been to educate virtually and socially, I've missed being with stylists in the field and at shows, and can't wait to be back at NAHA, America's Beauty Show, Premiere, and everywhere Ulta Beauty is stepping out boldly.
PROUD MOMENTS
•When the first team of Elite stylists I mentored sent me a beautiful, creative flower arrangement.
•As a Design Team member, assisting the Pro Team in editorial photo shoots and creating visuals for Ulta Beauty consumer marketing
•Our Design Team NAHA collection being nominated as a finalist for 2020
BeU DISCOVERY
By showing vulnerability while staying positive with posts, I learned that the energy and good vibes you put out there come right back at you. Communicating in the most honest way has helped me be more real with my clients.
SHAPING THE FUTURE
Do what you like to do and be excited about it in the moment. Go with an open mind into a photo shoot, beauty show or a class you are going to attend or teach. My confidence comes from knowing that through my career and life, I have listened and used feedback to try to be more helpful to other stylists.
Click to play
NATURAL INSTINCTS: BUILDING YOUR OWN BRAND
No matter where you are on your journey, be open to possibilities.
"Stacey-Ann Houston was one of our five newest additions to the Design Team, someone who brought great energy to her audition," recalls Kimble. "She was already celebrated as a stylist, doing it all. Anyone who sat in her chair in our original Manhattan location would receive great service. She is a shining example of what any stylist could aspire to be."
Houston didn't have much background as an educator, but was open to stretching. "Call Stacey-Ann and she would be in, always up for the challenge," Kimble says. "When we needed to do an online Design Team session to talk about black-owned brands and texture, we owned our lack of understanding. Stacey-Ann grasped the moment to share and teach what she knew so well." Houston is boldly shaping the future and her personal brand, as she supports her salon, company and community.
Click to learn about Stacey-Ann!
@stacceyann
Master Stylist + Design Team Member
10 Years with Ulta Beauty
NYC 86th Street Salon
Joined Design Team in 2020
Stacey-Ann Houston - she/her/hers
REFLECTING
FEELING SUPPORTED
LEVELING UP
SHARING MY PASSION
PROUD MOMENTS
BeU DISCOVERY
Shaping The FUTURE
REFLECTING
I got the news I'd been invited to join the Design Team, then the world shut down. It was a scary moment, but being part of this Ulta Beauty group gave me the chance to work and stay focused. There were so many new experiences. We were partnered with the marketing team to generate new types of digital content. With clients at home, we explored ways to talk about products, to educate. We were assigned tutorial videos, like how to manage texture at home.
FEELING SUPPORTED
I got the news I'd been invited to join the Design Team, then the world shut down. It was a scary moment, but being part of this Ulta Beauty group gave me the chance to work and stay focused. There were so many new experiences. We were partnered with the marketing team to generate new types of digital content. With clients at home, we explored ways to talk about products, to educate. We were assigned tutorial videos, like how to manage texture at home.
LEVELING UP
I've always done every type of hair—not just one range. But as we focused on growing our social media during the shutdown, I learned new strategies. If you focus on one brand or expertise, you build your audience. I started the process of becoming a texture specialist with myself. I used the time of working from home to transition my own hair to natural. I posted a before pic with relaxer in my hair and started documenting my journey, sharing an update of each stage, along with knowledge and tips. People were so supportive and encouraging. I gained a lot of followers from the textured hair community, who were asking questions about their own hair.
SHARING MY PASSION
After I focused on texture, things happened fast. I was invited to join our own Texture Team, a subgroup of the Design Team. Groups outside of Ulta Beauty reached out, too. Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Chicago asked me to teach a Zoom class on caring, styling and appreciating curly hair to a group of "littles." I used a mannequin and taught different texture sets. It became so emotional. At the end, they had so many questions about their hair and how to style it to wear.
PROUD MOMENTS
By being and accepting myself and my hair, I'm helping others embrace their own hair. It makes me happy. I'm still learning, and whatever I learn, I share. I also I discovered a new self-care hobby during this transition time—running! I keep moving forward.
BeU DISCOVERY
•I told our Design Team leader Haley Kimble that I was going to fill my book with so many curly girls, and I did it. My appointment book is 80% filled with texture clients, even though I still can and do take care of any guest who walks into an Ulta Beauty salon.
•Whenever followers and brands share my work on their social media. Patterns, owned by Tracy Ellis Ross, often reposts my content and that is always a thrill.
•I remain so proud of being named to the Design Team and am super excited to start actually traveling and working in person together. We have become so close despite distance, but I can't wait to work side by side.
SHAPING THE FUTURE
I want to keep specializing to help Ulta Beauty build on our texture education commitment, to help train all our stylists and the industry on how to best care for every guest, every hair texture and curl pattern.
pro team
pro team
Ulta Beauty puts safety first. Images shot pre-DELTA with vaccination and/or negative COVID status confirmed.
Ulta Beauty puts safety first. Images shot pre-DELTA with vaccination and/or negative COVID status confirmed.
Ulta Beauty puts safety first. Images shot pre-DELTA with vaccination and/or negative COVID status confirmed.
Ulta Beauty puts safety first. Images shot pre-DELTA with vaccination and/or negative COVID status confirmed.
Ulta Beauty puts safety first. Images shot pre-DELTA with vaccination and/or negative COVID status confirmed.
Ulta Beauty puts safety first. Images shot pre-DELTA with vaccination and/or negative COVID status confirmed.