Michelle was 14 when her sister, then taking cosmetology classes in high school, asked her for a haircut. She went into formal training at 19 and became a stylist at 20. Twenty-five years later she owns the place: Brooklyn Axccents LLC, named for the borough she grew up in, with a scissor and comb hidden in the logo.
The hardest part, she said, was never the hair.
“She Gave Me a Confidence I Didn’t Have”
“My journey into hairstyling started long before I ever imagined it would become my career,” said Michelle, the owner of Brooklyn Axccents on Hamilton Boulevard in Trexlertown.
She became a stylist at 20, but the love for it showed up at 14. Her sister was taking cosmetology classes in high school at the time, and one day she asked her younger sister for a haircut and handed over the scissors.
“I remember her encouraging me and telling me that I was a natural at it,” Michelle said. “She gave me a confidence in myself that I didn’t necessarily have at the time, and that experience planted the seed for what would eventually become my career.”
An Assistant in a Room That Never Slowed Down
After high school she followed the feeling into formal training, enrolling at 19 at the Hair Design Institute at Fifth Avenue in New York. Brooklyn is where she grew up, where she was educated and where she started working.
Once she graduated she took a job as an assistant at a very busy, fast-paced salon.
“It was an incredible learning experience,” she said. She worked her way up quickly and began building her own clientele, a good share of it walk-in traffic.
“Being in such a busy salon taught me how to think on my feet, work efficiently, connect with all different types of people, and most importantly, how much I truly loved what I was doing,” she said.
After a few years she moved to an even bigger salon and kept learning, mostly by watching: every stylist on that floor had techniques of their own. That room stayed with her. Her own salon today is designed much like it.
The Part She Was Scared Of
For years, ownership was not on the list.
“To be honest, I was scared. I didn’t think I could do it,” she said. “Being a great hairstylist was one thing, but owning and running an entire business was something completely different, and I wasn’t sure I was capable of taking that step.”
Then, in 2023, an opportunity came along that changed everything.
“I decided to take a chance on myself,” she said.
It was a big decision, and she was excited and a little scared at the same time. What tipped it was everyone else’s certainty. Her clients believed in her. Her children believed in her. Her sister and her brother pushed her. Her now-fiancé kept telling her she was capable of building something of her own, and backed her at every step.
The Name Arrived in the Car
Born and raised in Brooklyn, she knew the salon would carry a Brooklyn name. The rest of it showed up unannounced.
“The name Brooklyn Axccents came to me one day as I was driving. It was amazing, it just popped in my head and I knew that is what the salon name had to be,” she said.
Look closely at the logo and the X in Axccents is a scissor and a comb.
The Clients Who Came With Her
One of the most telling parts of the move was how many of her clients made it with her.
“Their loyalty meant more to me than I can put into words,” she said. “I had spent years building relationships with these people, and having them trust me enough to follow me into this new chapter was incredibly meaningful.”
The Hardest Part Wasn’t the Hair
Opening her own business also introduced her to a side of the industry she had never had to touch.
“The biggest challenge for me wasn’t the hair itself. It was learning the business side,” she said. “There were so many things I had never had to think about before.”
The job now includes the finances, the scheduling, the marketing, the licensing, the taxes and the client management, plus all of the behind-the-scenes work nobody sees from the salon chair.
“I am incredibly proud of myself for taking that chance and continuing to move forward,” she said. “It was one of the best decisions I have ever made.”
A Ribbon and a Very Large Pair of Scissors
The Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting at the salon, oversized ceremonial scissors and all. For a business that hides a scissor and comb inside the X of its own logo, the prop was well chosen.
What Happens in the Chair
“What I love most about being a hairstylist is that it goes so much deeper than hair,” she said. She loves the color, the cutting, the styling, the transformations and the steady work of picking up new techniques. She also loves the part that has nothing to do with technique.
The menu runs from extensions and highlights to balayage and lived-in color, plus the Brazilian Blowout smoothing treatment she is certified in.
“I’m committed to creating a space where my clients feel pampered, relaxed and confident,” she said.
The room makes the argument on her behalf. Tufted armchairs in gilt frames, a marble-topped side table, a chandelier sconce, a coffee bar built into an antique dresser, and on the wall a framed print of the Brooklyn Bridge reading “Brooklyn, where my story begins.”
“When someone sits in my chair, I want them to feel comfortable, confident, and completely themselves. I want them to feel heard. I want them to know that I am not just looking at their hair. I am listening to what they want and helping create something that makes them feel amazing,” she said.
“And when they leave my chair, that’s exactly how I want them to feel: amazing. Just to know how much my clients appreciate me and show their true happiness in the service I provide for them makes me feel fulfilled and happy.”
She is clear about where the growth came from.
“I am incredibly proud that I have been able to maintain a strong reputation and a five-star level of service while continuing to welcome new clients,” she said.
“My business has grown because of the trust my clients have placed in me, and that is something I never take for granted,” she said.
Never Done Learning
She also thinks there is something particular about being a stylist from her generation, having watched the industry change as much as it has over a quarter century in the trade.
“I love that I can bring the experience I’ve gained throughout my career while still continuing to educate myself, evolve, and stay current with new techniques and trends,” she said. “I truly believe you never stop learning in this industry.”
“Continuous learning, modern styles, and techniques have brought me to my desired destination,” she said. “Twenty-five years later, my passion remains unwavering.”
Brooklyn Axccents LLC is still growing, and she wants more of it. The goal, she said, is to expand, get bigger and better, and build an even greater experience for the people in the chair.
Years Later
“When I look back at the 14-year-old girl who first picked up scissors to cut her sister’s hair, I never could have imagined where that moment would eventually lead me,” she said.
Her gratitude, she said, goes to everyone who supported her along the way, and to one person in particular: the sister who entrusted her with her hair when she was 14.
“My sister was the first person to tell me I was a natural. Years later, I finally believed her.”
“And now, I am incredibly grateful that I had the courage to believe in myself, too.”
At a Glance
- Business: Brooklyn Axccents LLC, a hair salon at 7150 Hamilton Blvd., Suite 160X, Trexlertown
- Owner: Michelle, behind the chair for 25 years
- Opened: 2023
- Services: Cutting, color, styling, extensions, highlights, balayage, lived-in color, and the Brazilian Blowout smoothing treatment, in which she is certified
- Trained at: Hair Design Institute at Fifth Avenue, New York, enrolled at 19
- Name origin: Brooklyn, where she was born and raised. The X in Axccents is a scissor and a comb
- Recognition: Ribbon cutting by the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce
- Contact: 610-392-9878, brooklynaxccentsllc@gmail.com
- Online: brooklynaxccents.com; Instagram @brooklynaxccentsllc; Facebook, Brooklyn Axccents LLC
