Rising Stars: Meet Natalie Carmichael

Today we’d like to introduce you to Natalie Carmichael.

Hi Natalie, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
The way that I got started with my career is by not getting a position in another. I was eager and trying hard for a position in human resources at a hospital where I worked for four years. I didn’t get the job. I was so heartbroken that I put in my two-week notice that very next day. I up and moved two and a half hours away and risked it all to go to beauty college 40 hours a week, working 20 hours a week on top of that and barely making it not having any financial support from my parents, or anyone else.

But I had wanted to be in the beauty world since as far back as I could reach a makeup brush, lip-gloss, or anything beauty related. I’ve always loved it. I knew it was the perfect career path for me when I was a senior in high school.  After graduating from beauty school, I boldly went booth rent immediately and risked everything which turned out in my favor, after that I had a salon suite for two years. In 4 years, I had my own 5-star, 6-station full-service salon with a nail room and lash room for 5 years. I grew to become the number 1 Google search result in Chico, CA always booked 3 months in advance with a waitlist of 8-10 people. I reached the ceiling in my career, and I was at an all-time high. That was when the story took a downturn.

My journey has been scary and often times heartbreaking. I have made a lot of bold choices by leaning into my fear just to come out ahead each time… which still blows my mind if you knew it all. The span of pain and heartbreak started when my ten-year-old loyal sweet chihuahua girl companion/salon dog had tragically and suddenly passed away from CHF in my arms, while I was pounding on the door of the just closed-for-the-day veterinary office. A year later I bought and renovated a home in a town called Paradise, CA. It was my first home, and it was awesome! I had a pool and a huge yard and was everything I wanted.

A year after that I found myself driving through walls of flames and barely surviving a catastrophic wildfire that destroyed the entire town of Paradise, CA in one day. I lost everything. Everyone lost everything. I’m thankful to have my life. 85 people died in that fire. It was called the Camp fire on November 8, 2018, I lost the salon that I had for five years just ten days before the fire due to my lease being expired and my landlord having plans to renovate. Just 4 days before he gave me notice, my boyfriend of 2.5 years and I broke up. So in a matter of two months, I had lost love, my salon, and my home… it was crippling. 

After the fire and everything that happened, people who I thought were my friends turned on me. Some even joined together and grouped up to bully me and attacked me for any reason they could find. The energy was so negative and the environment was so toxic that I decided that the best thing for me to do was to run away.  I ran as far away as I possibly could and get away from everyone and everything that I knew, and start over  in Maui.  I didn’t know anybody there really at all… In the first nine months, I couldn’t work because of my PTSD. My brain couldn’t process comprehensive thinking or scheduling or formulas or problem-solving…, everything was just really overwhelming.

Finally, when I was able to start working, I bought a little salon and Lahaina just off Front Street in Maui. Four months later Covid happened, and our island was shut down for seven months. I barely survived financially through that difficult time and it’s only by the grace of God that I made it through one miracle after another…Maui opened back up in October 2020 but barely trickled in tourists with intense restrictions well into the summer of the following year… That’s when I got a call from one of my long-time family friends that I was going to his wedding in Chattanooga in September 2021.

Getting to Chattanooga is nothing short of a miracle. I had close to no money left in my savings account and I couldn’t see a way that I could swing making it out there for his wedding with all the expenses. But my best friend made it happen. She had every girl in this huge wedding party, pay me in advance to do their hair for the wedding, and made sure that I had someone to bunk with. Everyone joined together to make it happen for me.

Being at that wedding opened my eyes to show me how lonely I was in Maui and how incredibly depressed I was. I realized how sad and how painful my existence was out there by myself without my true friends that have known me my whole life, who I call my family by my side. I was missing everyone and everything being so far away.  Now that I have healed from my PTSD and I’m back to normal I was questioning myself. What am I doing out here?? I need to get back home, but where is home?? Home burned down to the ground and is gone.

We spent two days in Chattanooga and two days in Nashville and it was so much fun and the drive from Chattanooga to Nashville was so incredibly beautiful. After being on an island for two years I had lost touch with reality, and I forgot that there’s a whole world out here. A world that has our natural born freedom and our rights.  It’s normal out here! It’s not normal out there at all…

So if you can believe it, I cried going all the way back home to Maui.  I did a lot of soul-searching for the next month or so and just asking God and really paying attention and just praying a lot and asking where do I belong and where do I go. I started by asking my friends’ wife, who was born and raised in Chattanooga what she thought about me maybe going to Tennessee. She told me I belong in Franklin.

So, I went to Facebook and I asked in a post, “do I have any friends here that are in Tennessee”? Sure enough three fire survivors are in the state of Tennessee, and another friend of mine from high school. I private messaged each one of them and every single one of them told me, “Natalie you belong in Franklin”. I said OKAY it’s Franklin or bust! I started to prepare and put my full faith in Gods plan for me.  I sold my salon and my car. Turned my condo into an Airbnb. I made a plan, packed up and here I am!

I have been blessed every single step of the way, and I have been living in the belly of pure gratitude every day since I landed on May 10th, 2022.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
In my professional journey, I have mastered 16 years in the world of hair and now I am transitioning into real estate.

However, what truly sets me apart is my specialization in people. I am known for my heartfelt approach, resilient nature, and unwavering faith. Regardless of how challenging a situation may be, I firmly believe that there is something truly remarkable waiting on the other side of a setback, or painful heartbreak. This unwavering belief, coupled with my positive outlook and trust in God, has been a driving force in my life.

One of my greatest strengths lies in encouraging others to persevere through their pain and guiding them toward healing. I take pride in providing unwavering support, reminding individuals that their pain is temporary and that brighter days are ahead. By fostering a sense of hope and instilling faith in their ability to overcome obstacles, I empower others to embrace their journey of healing.

Through my own personal and professional experiences and unwavering commitment to people, I have developed a profound understanding of the human spirit. My unique blend of compassion, resilience, and faith enables me to connect with individuals on a deep level and make a lasting impact. I am truly grateful for the opportunity to utilize my skills and passion to bring positivity, healing, and encouragement to those I encounter.

Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
What makes me happy is helping people, sharing with people, and positively encouraging people and the most positive outcome for them. Period. It makes me happy because I know what it’s like to be alone in this world. I know what it’s like to not have anybody to rely on but yourself and I know what it’s like to just tread through quicksand and try and get through those trenches alone with not a hand to reach up to help you out and to be the hand for others for me is the most rewarding thing that I have in my life that keeps me going and it fills my cup.

That makes me happy. That and bringing smiles to other people’s faces by making them feel pretty or feel attractive behind the chair or smiling at them or somehow bringing them a smile through being a part of their journey with their home purchasing or selling makes me happy. Just being a part of a person’s journey in a positive way makes me happy. Also, my chihuahua makes me happy. And sparkles. I love sparkles. And of course God.

Contact Info:

• Website: natalie.hellocard.me
• Instagram: @NatalieHStylist
• Facebook: NatalieJCarmichael
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-carmichael-a8982b38/
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/natalie-carmichael-hairstylist-franklin-3?uid=fUk_rv6aD3pqdtgddfHC0w&utm_campaign=www_business_share_popup&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=(direct) 

Image Credits
[email protected] and @dk2dallasmedia.com