Where are they now – Kristie Lash

By January 26, 2016#TCFAV, Where are they now

“Tracey is not only by far one of the most humble and kind women you will meet, but also one of the most honest and funniest girls!”.

Lash was working, at another well known salon, in Los Angeles while also working at a local Starbucks (workaholic much??). Tracey started coming into Starbucks where Kristie would serve her coffee and the two would chat.

“Shortly after meeting her she told me I should come into Neil George, where she was working at the time. I wasn’t  looking for another salon,  but we seemed to get along so well and I have a tendency in life to always explore my options”. Lash adds, “ I had no idea who Tracey was, she just seemed to me a young girl, like I was”. Kristie went to the Neil George Salon, as proposed by Cunningham, just to stop by and take a look at the place. Five hours later, the day was winding down and where Kristie had originally just intended to pop in, instead she found herself organically assisting Cunningham and the day zoomed by!

That was the beginning of what quickly grew to be an amazing team between Cunningham and Lash.

“It was just myself and one other assistant that ended up joining us. We were easily doing 25-30 clients back then and ending our nights on house calls. We were a well oiled machine. Tracey was always an amazing colorist and continued to become a well known name in the ‘celebrity world’ and things just never stopped from there”.

“Tracey is so damn funny and anyone who has had the pleasure of being around her will attest to that. She is the hardest working woman I have had the honor of growing and working with. Not everyday was easy, there were grueling days at times, but I loved it all and I can’t think of a better place to learn and grow”.

Kristie worked with Tracey for several years and then when she was pregnant with her daughter returned home to be around family. Kristie says, “Probably one of the hardest things I did was to leave it all behind and have my friendships, Tracey, so far away”.

Since having her daughter and living in another state, Kristie has had the pleasure of returning to Tracey and Meche periodically and brushing up on current techniques. She also participates  in Cunningham’s classes and training

“Last year when we were returning from Dubai, we had a layover in Paris, we decided to stay to explore, I remember Tracey hadn’t even had 2 full days off from working. We had  completed 40 hours of work in 3 days in Dubai and she looked at me and said –  Paris is so beautiful isn’t it? I love it here, but I can’t wait to get back home and see my clients – I really miss them and hearing their stories,  I wanna see how they are doing”.

“That’s Tracey Cunningham to a T”.

“At the end of the day Tracey loves what she does and is always thankful, you won’t ever hear her complain or be negative and that’s what she has taught me”.

Lash says that once you’re a part of Tracey’s ‘family’ you will always be apart of it.

“Tracey has always been and always will be everyone else’s biggest supporter, she always tell us that when you come to work everyday, show up like it is a job interview….everyday!

You never know who you will meet and what opportunities you can be a part of – show up and give it your best! If a person offers you that job, you take it. She truly wants the best for everyone”.

Currently Kristie is living and working in Bend Oregon at a beautiful spot, Salon Envy.

“I love my job and my clients, while it’s not the city and it is not Meche,  I find myself surrounded by a great group of really hard working women and they are just as eager to grow and learn as I am. I don’t ever want to stop learning, and I am lucky enough to go see Tracey and everyone at Meche, they aren’t just co workers, they are family and you can’t beat that!”.

Join the discussion One Comment

  • Emily says:

    I live in Ridgecrest, CA and I love stories like this one. you don’t always get to move to the city of fame, but everyone counts, you listen and learn from their stories, take in what their reality is and think that is what a hair stylist does everyday. We make happen what the guest imagines. That is what matters. make them fell at home.

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