Here's My Story....

   

After watching my mom do my grandmother's hair at least once a month with color or perms while growing up, I became fascinated with hair color and shapes. I started Page Beauty School in Lancaster, CA at the ripe old age of 16, thanks to the wonderful R.O.P program. Falling in love with color I decided that I would specialize in cuts & color.

After an interesting two years in school I was on my way to become Lancaster's Newest Hair Colorist...unfortunately life intervened and I pushed back my dreams of becoming a top colorist temporarily. Getting back into the game in the early 90's I worked at a few salons in the South Bay & Lakewood but just wasn't feeling it yet...although I would still do my friends' and my own hair ...then in 1995...BAM!

 

It was time to step into the Hair industry once again and make it good this time. I began this journey by taking a brush-up course at Career Academy in Seal Beach for 100 hours, and then I was on my way back into the industry that I missed. In late 1995, after a few not to good salons, I stated working at George Oliveri Salon as an assistant for two stylists...I have to say that is was the best move I made...I ended up working for some GREAT hairstylists, one of which became my mentor. Continuous education became a very important factor and I attended many classes. In 1996 I attended the Toni & Guy Hairdressing Academy for a nine-week course in cutting & coloring. After assisting for a year for several different stylists I was officially on the floor to take clients. I stuck around Oliveri's until late 1999 when I decided it was time to move on.

Moving to D'Aversa the Salon in the Bixby Village center I continued to build a fantastic clientele and hone my skills as a stylist and colorist. Still continuing with education I completed the Redken Specialist Program which included advanced training in Redken's numerous color lines including Shades EQ. I continued with D'Aversa the Salon at the Bixby location until 2002 then moved to the Marketplace location for another two years.

This is where I decided to jump on the internet band wagon and created the Stephen @ D'Aversa website.  Unfortunately, to little fanfare as I had little experience advertising on the web.  In the summer of 2004 after a wonderfully relaxing trip to Maui, I decided it was time to find a quieter, more relaxing atmosphere for myself and my clients.   I was lucky to find such a place at A Cut Above Salon in Belmont Shore, A salon with over 30 years in Belmont Shore.

Since I was a kid it had been my dream to work in "The Shore" and I was finally realizing that dream. As soon as I walked into the salon I knew I was home. The warmth & friendliness that I experienced was just what my clients & I needed. This is when Stephen @A Cut Above Salon was created.

This brings us to today.  Nearly five years after joining A Cut Above things couldn’t be better.  StephenatACutAbove.com has become a source of information for my clients as well as a portal to my world.  November 2008 saw me voted as the Number One Colorist in Los Angeles by MyFoxLA’s Hot List.  I still continue my education, going to Hair Shows (just attended the Las Vegas show in June with my lovely co-workers) and classes throughout the year. I feel that you can never have too much education or training.

 

To sum things up, I have my health, my education, my clients and a wonderful place to practice my trade.  Could I be any happier?