Follow your heart to find your “Forever Home”

Growing up McKenna Thatcher always looked up to her Aunt Stephanie as a mentor, “she has been like a mom to me. She is one of the reasons I chose La’ James International College! She is a graduate from the Cosmetology School Des Moines in the early 2000s. She is soooooo creative and she is still doing hair!” McKenna attended a local community college for a short time and wasn’t finding her “home”; “I was taking general studies thinking maybe psych but it just wasn’t for me. I felt like I was going against the values that were instilled in me. I just always related to the creativity that my Aunt showed me as I was growing up with her. She is my everything!”McKenna followed her heart to LJIC in Iowa City, “it just felt right!”

McKenna has found her “Forever Home” at LJIC. She loves styling, color and sculpture! But her absolute favorite is makeup artistry; she has already had the opportunity to do make up for a Ford commercial through Mudd Advertising. McKenna has also worked withNational Runway Artists and Big Sexy Hair at the Great Clips Annual Event in Cedar Rapids. “Great Clips has been an unexpected relationship and surprise for me! I am planning to work at Great Clips after graduation! Jerry Akers is amazing! Great Clips has an awesome benefits package like 401K, medical insurance including dental and vision plus paid vacation. But the thing I like most is that they reward their employees and treat them like part of their family. There is a stigma out there that you can’t make money as a Cosmetologist but this industry does very well! It is an amazing industry with a great earning potential!” 

McKenna’s words of wisdom for anyone out there especially those considering this industry, “This is my favorite quote! ‘You can never hate anyone whose story you don’t know’, which to me means get to know others and give them a chance! In this industry surrounded by competition it is easy to dismiss others or let ego get in the way, but you are missing out on the potential of a lifelong friendship! The other most important thing I want to share is to find your place. It is like finding the one thing that is your ‘Forever Home’ feeling!”