Behind the Chair: Laughs, Tears, and a Little Gray Goose

This week’s Brewed Awakenings began almost the same way as usual, just without coffee. We opted for a cup of water and a scoop of chicken salad in a diner booth. (No worries, I already had a pot before I left home). It is in moments like these that I’m reminded why I love sitting down with people to talk about what drives, motivates, and inspires them to pursue the work they do and the passion behind it. These conversations have taught me that the path someone takes often matters just as much, if not more, than where they end up. Somewhere between the first sip and the last refill, real talk with real people presents more than a story; it reveals the person. 

I sat down with Karyle Elder, owner of Just Stylin’ Salon, for a conversation that deserved a little quiet. Stepping away from the hum of blow dryers and salon chatter gave our discussion room to breathe. It became clear early on that Karyle’s experiences had prepared her for where she is today. The understanding that no one gets through hard seasons alone sits at the heart of Karyle's vision. Having faced difficult chapters early in her life, she knows firsthand how much difference steady love and support can make. Her lived experiences helped her create Just Stylin’ Salon to be more than a place where hair is styled, but a judgement free space where people can unwind, share stories, talk things through, and walk out feeling better than when they arrived. From the beginning, building the right team wasn’t about resumes, it was about shared values and mutual respect.

Regardless of who is behind the chair, Karyle, Micheal Michelle, Lilly, or Baylee, that same sense of ease defines the culture. And because of that, words you never planned to say out loud, sometimes thoughts you haven’t even shared with your closest friends have a way of slipping out. You quickly realize you’re not just getting your hair done; you’re being heard.

Karyle didn’t wake up one day and decide she’d open a salon. Long before Just Stylin’ had a name, one dreamed up on the back of a motorcycle, she was cutting friends’ hair at twelve years old, already showing both the skill and the heart for it. Years later, that same determination guided a more measured approach. When the right building came along, paired with an almost too‑good‑to‑pass‑up rent opportunity, she took it. She opened Just Stylin’ in 2013, not on impulse, but with intention. For six months, she kept her full‑time insurance job and cut hair in the evenings, making sure the dream could stand on its own. She’s quick to acknowledge that she didn’t do it alone. During this time, her husband quietly handled meals and housework. He provided the kind of behind-the-scenes support that made it all possible. It’s a staunch reminder that the most meaningful things are rarely built solo.

Now, thirteen years later, Karyle knows success doesn’t mean bigger, it means better. Better people, better products, and better pricing. From trusted color expertise, precision cuts, extensions, and esthetics to deeply personal hair‑loss solutions, Just Stylin’ meets people where they are. The salon is one of few to offer customized options such as human hair wigs, toppers, ponies, and cranial prostheses designed specifically for medical hair loss, work inspired when Karyle’s mother experienced hair loss during cancer treatment. That trial revealed a gap in the industry where affordable, realistic, customized solutions were often out of reach. Led by the simple belief that access to quality shouldn't be limited by circumstances, she was determined to change the landscape, and she did. When a client looks in the mirror and truly sees themselves again, the reaction says everything. This is the reason why Just Stylin’ isn’t just a "retail wig shop", but a place rooted in people, driven by relationships, and built on trust. The work here is personal, emotional, and deeply human. The goal is to create a place where people feel seen, supported, and respected at every stage, what she likes to call, “the Corner Market for Hair.”

Karyle understands the hesitation behind that first phone call. With female pattern baldness herself, she knows the courage it takes to reach out, ask questions, and trust someone with something so personal. That shared understanding shapes not just the conversation, but the choices behind the scenes, including continued education and industry conventions. Those efforts aren’t about chasing trends; they’re about understanding evolving needs, honoring individual experiences, and making sure every client is met with knowledge, compassion, and care.

Here I was, once again, starkly aware that every profession holds layers we don’t always see at first glance. Behind the chairs are stories of connection, trust, and the kind of experiences that stay with you long after you leave. 

Before we parted, just for fun, I had to ask, “Since this is Coffee, Laughs, and Chats, if Just Stylin’ had a signature coffee drink, what would it be called, and what would be in it?”

Karyle answered with an easy laugh (and yes, a little snort), “The Totally Out There,” she said, "with a little vodka, but not just any vodka; it would have to be Gray Goose."

I had to laugh too, because honestly, that tracks! 

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Until Next Time

Sip....Laugh....Repeat