We had the good fortune of connecting with Nicole Cheever and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Nicole, do you have a budget? How do you make lifestyle and spending decisions?
In February 2019 my husband and I started our debt free journey following Dave Ramsey’s baby steps. So we stuck pretty close to our monthly budget so we could pay down our debt under two years. We became debt free in May 2020. Once we didn’t have any more debt the way we handle our finances now is a little different. We check in on our money twice a month to make sure were staying on track with our goals. We know our minimum monthly expenses and our monthly savings goals and now we are more flexible with our spending. To me becoming debt free was very important because I felt it hindered our chances of reaching financial goals in life, It’s very hard to build for a future and enjoy a certain lifestyle when all your money is going to monthly bills to keep up with debt. When we talk about money and finances we talk about are dreams and goals for life. That’s how we make decisions on how we spend our money. I like to make decisions on purchases by making sure it has a positive effect on my life.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I have been a hairstylist for 13 years. I started doing hair at a young age and I think my career has evolved so much from then. I moved to San Diego two years ago and got a chance to reinvent my business, I took several classes to get better with at my craft and I also started educating myself on the business side of being a hairstylist. I am most proud of how far I’ve come in the last few years in my career. Once I started working on my business and learning more about money management and getting my own personal finances in order then that started to become a passion of mine. So I started sharing my journey on Instagram so that I could help other hairstylists with their money both personal and in their business. So one of my goals is to become a financial coach for hairstylists as well as continue to grow my business behind the chair.

Any great local spots you’d like to shoutout?
Id take my friend to La Jolla Cove to check out the seals, The Cave Store and the hidden swing. Torrey Pines Gliderport to check out the amazing view of the coastline and all the paragliders and hanggliders. Id take them to Coronado Dog beach early morning before it got to packed. Maybe get out on the water for Sup Yoga or check out one of the many outdoor yoga spots. Id take them to find our friends at Big Squeeze Lemonade for some fresh lemonade. Some places I’d take them to eat would be Flavors Of East Africa, Tacos El Gordo, Tajimas and Ten Barrel for some drinks.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My parents and my husband are my biggest supporters. My parents have always been supportive of my dreams and they taught me about hard work and being self sufficient. My husband has been so supportive of me and given me the opportunity to build my career as a hairstylist in San Diego. I am also very thankful for the woman who have supported my career and continue to trust me with their hair. There are two books that I have read that have changed my life and career. “The Total Money Make Over” By Dave Ramsey and “Profit First” By Mike Michalowicz. The first book changed my personal finance life and the second changed my business financial life.

Website: https://www.sandiegohairbynicole.com/
Instagram: @sandiegohairbynicole @thedebtfreehairstylist
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sandiegohairbynicole/
Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/san-diego-hair-by-nicole-san-diego

Image Credits
Caitlin Garret

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