Uncommon Women

New Site!

2009-09-05T12:38:00.000-07:00

Uncommon Women has moved to a new and improved site!
Please join us at:

http://uncommonwomen.wordpress.com/

Check out wonderful new features and the latest UC news. Be sure to bookmark the new page and visit often!

Thank you for being a part of our community.

Sincerely,
Kelly Cameron

Profile of An Uncommon Woman: Jen Hoover

2009-08-19T19:26:00.000-07:00

I first met Jen Hoover nearly a year ago. She was the stylist and make up artist for a shoot I was talent for. I was impressed with her easy going attitude, attention to detail and utter lack of pretension. Not long after, she was my stylist for another shoot and we got to know each even better. It is with great pleasure and -yes- glee that I introduce you to her!
Courtesy of Pearl, the salon Jen owns, here is her artist profile.

"During her 8 years of hair and make-up experience, Jen has been in Philadelphia, Los Angeles, and now Austin learning from great artists, and creating wonderful things along the way. Victoria's Secret, Disney, and FX Network are just a few of the clients she did hair and make-up for for while in LA. Jen prefers natural make-up looks. Concerning hair, she is a color specialist and excels in correction, natural dimensional blondes and reds, and loves the challenge to spice up any head of hair with some fresh, glossy color. A skilled cutter as well, go to Jen for textured cuts with lots of movement. She can give you a great dry cut, if appropriate, to work with your hairs natural patterns. No blunt lines here!"

Jen is September's featured Uncommon Woman and will be our guest at the September 10th shindig, sharing her heart as well as lots of hot make up tips that the everyday gal (like me, a housewife with a toddler) can use. We did an email interview and I am so excited to feature her here!

Uncommon Women: So, Jen, when did you decide you wanted to be a hair stylist and make up artist? What were some of the things, events and/or people that drew you to this dream?

Jen: I decided right out of high school. My mother helped me go in that direction, but only because mothers know best! I had always been the one who got my friends glam growing up, whether that meant plucking their eyebrows at age 14, or doing hair for dances. I also began experimenting on myself at a young age. My mother had 2 left hands when it came to hairstyling, and also wasn't big on buying the latest tools, ex. hair crimper, so I was doing it myself, and from scratch since elementary school! I was always an artist, always creating, and my mother saw that and helped point my to a fun career and skill set.

UC: What do you love most about what you do?

Jen: I get to play hair and make-up and talk to great women all the time!

UC: Why do you feel it is important for women to pay attention to their hair and make-up, or, in other words, take care of themselves physically?

Jen: I definitely think it is important, number one, because it is absolutely proven that when you look good, you feel good. And what "good" means to me, is putting effort into what you have, in a complete way. You don't need long thick hair. You don't need a super toned body. Work with what you have in the present moment. I do believe fitness is important to us however, being active physically makes you feel energized, and more positive. All of these positive feelings I've mentioned will help us in all areas. Relationships, reaching our goals, realizing we are worth all that we can dream for ourselves. To me, the following is secondary, but important as well. We must realize that people look at our outsides first, and get to know our insides second. How we take care of our outsides is often a direct representation of how we take care of ourselves, and other areas of our life-people put this together. We must take care of ourselves and get the most out of life, by feeling the best we can.

UC: You've come so far in a relatively short amount of time. You're 26 and own your own salon and were voted this summer as one of Austin's top stylists. What do you attribute to your success?

Jen: Motivational books and cd's. Acting and not quitting. I read a book called Dare to Win when I was 19. It was my first dose of goal setting, and the idea -fact- that you can achieve anything you want by mapping out and working towards it. I was instantly hooked. Of course I'm human and I go downhill, but I remember what pulls me out, and pick right back up. Revisit the books and tapes often, and don't listen to nay-sayers.

UC: Owning your business, how do you balance your life, relationships, and time for yourself? What are your daily "musts" or top priorities?

Jen: Haha. I laugh because I'm always striving for better balance! I schedule things in when I'm busy. Workouts, date nights(once a week) and time with friends can be a little more flexible and last minute luckily. It takes some work to remind yourself of all the elements that contribute to a healthy life- self, partner, friends, family, fitness, business.. don't forget the power of written reminders. Priorities are talking on the phone with family, date night every week with my fiance, quiet hot tea time with me and book, and some form of physical activity. The business/work part is always there, and finds its way into my life the easiest!

UC: How would you encourage others who have unrealized dreams -things they'd like to do, but haven't made the steps toward them yet- and those working on making them a reality, but stuck in a rut?

Jen: Well as I mentioned, I would recommend reading some great books and listening to cd's. Dare to Win by Jack Canfield is great, other great authors and speakers are Chris Widner, Mark Victor Hansen, Darren Hardy, and Napoleon Hill. You can start with a CD on the way to and from work, right?

UC: What makes you want to live an uncommon life, one of passion and purpose?

Jen: What's really driven me is the cheesy, "I just want to be happy!". I do -really happy, fulfilled, full of adventure, and I want to do it while expressing what's in my heart. After I read that book when I was 19, I wrote the mission statement, "My purpose is to help others realize their full potential". I actually find motivation in others who seem unfulfilled. It really saddens me when I hear a woman say, "well I've always wanted to do that, but then I met my husband and I just forgot all about it", or , "Yeah, it's a job". It's not just a job, it's your life, and I think YOU are holding yourself back and let your dream go, not your husband! Do it ladies, why not? Your husbands will love you more for it!

For me, my passion is creating with my hands, making women feel great, and helping others dream and achieve.

UC: Give us some juicy beauty tips!

Jen: You want a juicy beauty tip!? Smile more!! I'd love to answer any questions you have. Bring it! Remember balance(cheeks, lips, eyes), and don't use too much coverage on your skin, or too much powder. Fresh and glowing looks great on any age and face. Try blotting papers before powder throughout the day, powder only if necessary.
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Thank you, Jen, for sharing your heart with us! It's so inspiring to hear from women around us who are living their passions, living with purpose, and who's love for life is contagious.

Come meet Jen and get her expert advice at our September 10th event in Georgetown, Texas!

Kick-Off Event!

2009-08-16T19:28:00.000-07:00

Special Event
Manicures & Fall Make-Overs

Thursday, September 10, 2009
7:00-9:30pm
My Home
Georgetown, Texas

Evening Events Include
DIY Manicures
Delicious Nibbles and Sips
Fall Make-Over Demonstration by Stylist Jen Hoover
Inspirational Chat on Being an Uncommon Woman

This is the kick-off of Uncommon Women and I want you to be there! You've never been part of a group quite like this one. No membership dues, no sales pitches, no prerequisites. Just a once a month get together with women from all walks of life, learning from each other, getting inspired, sharing laughs, being supportive, positive and purposeful.

I've invited Jen Hoover, stylist in the entertainment industry for the past 8 years and current salon owner, to share some fresh make-up tips with us and she has some incredible Fall colors perfect for every skin tone. We'll get to ask her questions on how to freshen up our looks for every day and evening wear, plus hear some of her story that has lead her this far toward reaching her goals and dreams.

Please invite your friends and contact me for more information if you have questions. If you run across this at random, are in the central Texas region and want to come, DO! Email me or leave a comment to request directions and any specifics.

*Coming Soon* a personal interview with Jen Hoover on Uncommon Women!

Mark your calendars and see you ladies there!

Mission Possible

2009-08-12T11:04:00.000-07:00

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to join in in my vision to encourage women of all ages to be confident, godly, beautiful -inside and out, and live purposeful, passionate lives.

I want you to think of a combination of several things well known to most of us and see if you can grab on to what Uncommon Women is all about.

Think:
Girl's Night meets
Women's Bible Study meets
Finishing/Charm School meets
Business Classes meets
Networking Events meets
Personal Life Coach meets
Inspirational Speaker.

That's what I have in mind and that's what I am creating here. This is a virtual community where I hope to include as many women who seek to live uncommon lives, as I seek to.

So what's an uncommon woman? Let me introduce you to Stacy, she is the perfect candidate.

Stacy can barely keep up with life. Between working full time and managing a household with three kids, there's not even time in the day to think, much less start working out, eating healthier, renovating her wardrobe, relationship maintenance with friends and family, joining a bible study or book group, and she can't even fathom getting back into her previous and well-loved hobbies. Stacy is existing, not living, and one night when the house is quiet and she's looking at OldNavy.com finding deals on school clothes for the kids -it hits her. There's GOT to be more. She WANTS more. Time freezes, her breathing slows -she realizes that she has been living without direction and without purpose, a slave to the daily grind. A deep aching rises inside her and she longs, oh how she longs, to not waste her life. She wants to be an Uncommon Woman.

Stacy. You're in.

Explore with me what it means to be Uncommon Women. We'll be interviewing women just like you who have decided to live fuller, inspired and purposeful lives. I want with all my heart to share the tremendous blessings, those "hidden secrets" to living -this moment forward- with passion, joy and direction. Please, join me!