"Giving Back is the New Black"

Kate Owens (center) with members of the Kate's Kuts team and Paul DeJoria, CEO of Paul Mitchell (center left)

Kate Owens, stylist and proprietor at Kate's Kuts, her Paul Mitchell Focus salon in Bonita Beach, FL, is a woman with a mission: to help every woman, regardless of income or life adversities, feel beautiful.

Kate believes in the transformational power of beauty. She says, "I have seen women walk in my shop, shoulders slumped, head down.....but walk out anew! Full of life and confidence! It happens every day for women who can afford it, I wanted to make it happen for women who can't."

In order to make women's dreams come true, Kate began asking all her clients if they knew anyone in need and also contacted local organizations such as women's shelters in the area, Dress for Success, and a local mental health facility, The David Lawrence Center.  Kate got some great leads and soon was conducting her first free makeover on a young woman named Brandy who had just received a Habitat for Humanity house in the local area. With less then 24 hours to do the makeover, Kate and her team had Brandy ready for the house dedication, looking beautiful.

The next makeover was on Pat, a single mother of three, who, with no child support, struggles to get by and can't spend her money on hair care, so Kate's team took over. 

Says Kate, "The most emotional make over so far was Miss Jamie. Her transformation was something else, and so is her story. She was in an awful car accident that has left her with quite a large scar on the left side of her forehead and a portion of her brow missing. She was married to the love of her life for two months and he was killed accidentally at a gun range." 

Kate says Jamie looked "like a rock star" when the makeover was done, and "she was so grateful, appreciative, so happy." Kate even enlisted her good friend, Tara Gower of Inflicting Beauty Tattoo in Flagler Beach, Fl  to donate permanent makeup to correct Jamie's eyebrow so that she no longer has anything to hide.

Kate and her team have two more makeovers booked right now. One is for a women coming out of treatment and the other is for a women whose daughter is severely handicapped. Says Kate, "I am so looking forward to having these women inspire me with their journeys, their stories and their courage."

Kate draws inspiration from three sources: her own story, the stories of her staff, and the corporate culture at Paul Mitchell. 

Kate herself has overcome great adversity. "I can tell you right upfront that I am a survivor, a warrior, and a women that would not be where I am without God, my family, and my friends. I have overcome an abusive first marriage, raised a son as a single mom, had a battle with drugs and alcohol, and have made it to the other side, stronger with a renewed faith. I know if I can make it, anyone can," she says.

Among Kate's staff, two women are widowed, one lost her husband at 36 and another was two months pregnant when she lost the child's father in an freak accident. Another staff member was a mom at sixteen to a child with Down's Syndrome. Another employee is a military veteran who served in Afghanistan. 

Says Kate, "I have watched these women on a daily basis overcome these obstacles, show up to work wearing smiles and giving all they have to make our salon what it is every day."

Finally, Kate is inspired by the Paul Mitchell culture, as Kate's Kuts is a Paul Mitchell Focus salon.  John Paul Mitchell Systems is a 32-year-old hair-care products line, which, according to the LA Times, is sold in 87 countries and logs nearly $1 billion in annual sales. The company is led by CEO Paul DeJoria, who has an amazing personal rags-to-riches story and who has a 30 year history of giving through Chrysalis, a nonprofit organization that helps the homeless and low-income individuals get back on their feet and become self-sufficient. 

When Kate is giving back to others, she feels most rewarded. "How lucky am I?," she says.  "I get the chance to change a life everyday."

For more information about Kate's Kuts and her makeover program, or if you want a great haircut for yourself, or know someone in the SW Florida area in need, contact (239) 947-5283.