I first learned how to do hair from drag queens. I learned eyelashes are the key to life, because they make everyone look fabulous.

Like a therapist hairdressers are in a position of trust. We are transforming not just how a person looks but how they feel.

During a color consultation, I like to reference food as a visual. Hot fudge and orange marmalade paint a clearer picture and helps prevent end results that leave you feeling unsatisfied.

Creativity runs across many categories in life, from the arts-and-crafts project a mum or dad does with their kids, to the bestselling author's manuscript, to the designs of the hairdresser, to the creations of the computer programming genius.

By the way, intelligence to me isn't just being book-smart or having a college degree; it's trusting your gut instincts, being intuitive, thinking outside the box, and sometimes just realizing that things need to change and being smart enough to change it.

A lot of people forget how important it is to be creative. We get caught up in getting ahead and in day-to-day minutiae. But creativity is a fundamental mode of expression, as is being tenacious and standing by your own convictions and passions, even if it's not the "popular" choice.

Sometimes, in order to follow our moral compass and/or our heart, we have to make unpopular decisions or stand up for what we believe in. It can be difficult and even frightening to go against the grain, whether it's a personal disagreement with a friend, partner, or family member or a professional decision that affects coworkers and colleagues.