Today we’d like to introduce you to Annie Willow.
Annie, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Originally, I was a general business manager and CPA in the corporate world in Dallas where I fast tracked myself to a career that while being financially successful drained my spirit leaving me feeling depleted and unfulfilled. In my early thirties, my inner artist broke free and I took the bold blind leap of faith into my desire to live the creative life I had always dreamed of having. I walked away from a six figure salary and entered cosmetology school.
My passion for color combined with a deep compassion for others allowed me the opportunity to be a working artist providing my clients with the hair and skin of their dreams while setting their spirit free. Many thought I had lost my mind to leave the financial security to work in a salon and that I was wasting my college degree. However, after three years of working for other people, I opened my first salon and discovered a whole new level of professional and personal satisfaction in my work. After a few years, I opened a second salon and before long found myself back to the hustle and bustle of life in the fast lane.
Enjoying countless road trips to Galveston over the years I made another huge bold leap of faith, gave my salons to my staff and moved to the quiet island I have loved forever to start my life over again at a much slower pace called island time.
A year after I moved to Galveston, I began to experience the undesirable results of using salon products with harsh chemicals for several years and before long was diagnosed with cornea erosion in both eyes. My doctor told me I needed to stop working in a salon immediately or face a possible double cornea transplant. After a few days of feeling as though my world was shattered, I came to the realization that my diagnosis was actually a blessing in disguise.
I was driven to find natural ways to continue my cosmetology career while searching for alternative remedies to treat myself. Using my life savings, I enjoyed a three year sabbatical studying and mastering several holistic modalities while discovering botanical based products to enhance my client’s hair and skin. When my doctor told me that a miracle had happened and my corneas had fully regenerated I knew I had unlocked the secrets of the Universe and I was ready to get back to business.
I acquired my DBA, signed a lease and went to Dallas to borrow money from my bank. As I was signing the loan papers, Hurricane Ike destroyed the island including the salon space I had acquired just three days before. I came back, rebuilt and Happy Pretty You was open for business in record time. The biggest obstacle I had in starting a private holistic salon and spa was the majority of locals were displaced from their homes and without jobs as their place of employment was destroyed from the storm. Everyone thought I was crazy to go ahead and open for business but my response was the island needs happy and pretty inspiration to not just survive but thrive now more than ever.
Today, I am happy and grateful to be the recipient of several awards, an abundance of stellar five star reviews across the internet and am entering my tenth year of business serving islanders, Houstonians and tourists with the hair, skin and holistic services of their dreams.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
One of my personal sayings is “It’s never a problem but merely an opportunity.” Therefore, what may seem to be a struggle or challenge was simply a push to guide me onto the path I was meant to be on.
Starting a business as unique as Happy Pretty You in the wake of a natural disaster was challenging but I believed in what I was doing, persevered with an aggressive marketing plan and before long the business and my client base was growing quickly.
Another challenge was that Reiki was an unknown concept to many potential clients. It is human nature to be afraid of anything we don’t understand. In addition to my love of art I also immensely enjoy writing. To help educate the community, I created a column in two local magazines for several years sharing natural holistic ways to improve the quality of life on subjects including aromatherapy, plant remedies, reflexology, Reiki, Law of Attraction, Feng Shui and more. Over time the level of understanding and respect for my natural ways became wide spread and my reputation blossomed along with the business.
Happy Pretty You! Reiki Salon & Spa – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Happy Pretty You! Reiki Salon & Spa offers full service hair, skin and holistic services in a private and relaxing environment where artistry and beauty create a special oasis of love, peace & light.
One of our favorite things is spa parties for brides, showers, family reunions and girls just having fun. Any service can be incorporated into a party and we also create a personalized menu for each party. In addition, we offer complimentary champagne punch, infused water and light snacks for guests to enjoy between services. Upon request, we can bring the spa party to your beach house or hotel.
Our philosophy is to set your inner beauty free naturally, assist you in achieving a healthy mind-body-spirit connection and inspire you to go forward with joy and ease into the life of your dreams.
We are unique to the beauty industry in that all products used are free of sulfates, parabens, toluene, ammonia, formaldehyde and gluten in addition to being vegan and cruelty free. I also developed an organic, botanical and essential oil based skin care system called Happy Pretty Skin that is bottled in house that is formulated for sensitive, oily and mature skin.
Our motto is “Come in for the pretty and leave feeling happy because it’s all about you!”
Everything is by appointment only and unless a client brings someone with them, they are the only customer which provides them the ultimate in customer service and personal attention. This also allows the privacy to discuss holistic ways to improve the quality of their lives along with learning the life coach program, Happy Pretty Life, that is offered complimentary to anyone receiving services.
Reiki is the basis of everything I do at Happy Pretty You from a brow wax or a man’s haircut to a complete hair color and style transformation to an amazing glow facial. I love all the services I offer but am most passionate about the holistic treatments and life coaching where I can truly transform the lives of my clients.
I believe that when the mind, body & spirit are harmoniously balanced that is where the true inner beauty shines out to the world. Therefore, by offering the healing touch of Reiki in everything I do I am able to spiritually mentor all that walk through the doors of Happy Pretty You allowing everyone to return to their own world feeling like a rockstar and believing that anything is possible when you are surrounded in light with a positive attitude.
In the beginning, many thought Reiki was my last name. Reiki is an ancient form of Japanese healing that restores peace to the mind body and spirit. The concept of the mind, body and spirit being connected as one is understood and accepted by many. At all times, the three must be in balance whether it is a healthy balance of ease or an unhealthy balance filled with dis-ease. When one is experiencing an emotionally or spiritually challenging moment that creates a feeling of unease, the body has no choice but to mirror the mind and spirit by creating a state of dis-ease.
Where water is known as life force energy, Reiki is known as healing life force energy. Both are essential for life. As a Reiki Master/Teacher, I am much like the conduit of pipes that connect from a water tower you may or may not know exists to your kitchen faucet that then pour out life force energy (water). When I send healing Reiki energy to any living thing such as a client, plant or animal, I am merely a conduit of healing life force energy restoring balance to the mind, body and spirit.
Living on an island on the Gulf of Mexico an hour south of Houston, the local economy is supported by tourists. Yes, the island businesses love the locals with all our everything but it is the Houstonians and tourists that allow us the liberty of being small business owners on the island. I believe I speak for all island businesses when I say we are equally grateful for the locals, Houstonians and tourists that visit our island from all around the world.
Quite often someone will come in for a spa treat while on vacation and discover their life has taken on a whole new meaning after a haircut, Reiki treatment, foot reflexology detox or the $99 Spa Special package.
For the first time in years their spirit feels free, their body is relaxed and their mind is at peace. It’s not just the physical service that facilitated the change but rather the inspiring words and lessons I share with my clients that allowed for this life altering moment to happen.
Just because we are to the “hug and shared tears of joy at the door moment” in the service does not mean any of the magic has to end. So many times, I have been asked “Can I put you in my bag and take you with me?
I’m not quite done learning how to live a happy pretty life”. The most awesome thing about what I do is that energy is energy is energy. Being a Reiki Master I can continue assisting my clients with their healing process from anywhere in the world and that includes distance Reiki, spiritual counseling and of course the Happy Pretty Life coach program.
Spiritual mentoring helps you find the positive in the most undesirable of situations to transform that undesirable moment into one of love and gratitude. Then and only then can you go forward with peace in your heart to create the reality beyond your wildest dreams which you can now call happy pretty life.
I am most passionate about making the world a better place for everyone and since I was a young child, it has been my goal to find a way to turn tears of fear into tears of joy in others. My vision for the near future is an online version of Happy Pretty Life that will allow people worldwide to receive Reiki, spiritual mentoring and the necessary tools to go forward in life with joy and ease. It is my intention that HappyPrettyLife.com will be available this year to help people that have yet to receive the pleasure of visiting Galveston Island and Happy Pretty You.
All services are by appointment only to serve you better with appointments available days, evenings and weekends. People have busy schedules of work, school and family and this allows clients the freedom to select a day and time that is convenient to them.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
Clients have told me for many years, I don’t come to you to receive great hair and skin I really come to you to talk and learn how to be truly happy and filled with inner peace. It just so happens that while you are giving me the hair and skin of my dreams I am also given the tools and sage advice on how to be happy. With a smile that shines from head to toe I know I have done the work I was divinely guided to do. It’s not the money that makes me show up every day. It’s the hugs at the door I receive when the service is over. Like the shop motto says: Come in for the pretty and leave feeling happy because it’s all about you!
I am also very proud of our 100% cleanliness and sanitation rating by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. We had a random inspection recently and the state inspector said “If all salons were impeccably clean and orderly as yours is I would be out of a job. I think it is amazing that in over 25 years of being a cosmetologist you have maintained a perfect ranking.”
Pricing:
- $99 Spa Special – lavender facial, restorative eye treatment, brow shaping and light upper body massage.
- We offer spa bucks for new client referalls – For every three people you send us you receive $50 off your next service.
- New clients receive $10 off their first service.
Contact Info:
- Address: Happy Pretty You! Reiki Salon & Spa
1615 23rd Street,
Galveston, TX 77550 - Website: HappyPrettyYou.com
- Phone: 409-765-5502
- Email: HappyPrettyYou@yahoo.com
Image Credit:
Zach Elliot
Getting in touch: VoyageHouston is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
