Michelle O’Connor (@michelleoconnorbeauty) is a 2021 BTC #ONESHOT winner, Matrix Global Artistic Director, Ulta Beauty Pro Team Member and salon owner. Creativity has been the cornerstone of Michelle O’Connor’s life for as long as she can remember. As a hairstylist in a top Ft. Lauderdale salon; on the set of music videos, commercials, catalogs and editorial shoots; as a salon owner; as an educator and in her roles working for major brands, Michelle has always trusted her creative instincts—and they have never let her down. She launched her hair career in Ft. Lauderdale in 2000, working for the Paul Triana Salon—one of the most prestigious salons in the area. There she took advantage of the diverse clientele to hone her skills in all aspects of cutting, coloring and styling, equipping her to easily straddle the worlds of textured and non-textured hair. After a few years, she signed with an artists’ agency in Miami, and soon was one of the area’s most in-demand freelance hair stylist, working for clients like Victoria’s Secret and J.Crew and at New York Fashion Week. After succeeding in the freelance arena, she set her sights on manufacturer education, Michelle was soon invited to join the MIZANI education team. At the same time, she decided to flex her entrepreneurial muscles, and opened a small boutique salon. The year 2016, was a monumental one in her already-impressive career. She won the North American Hairstyling Award for Texture; she was nominated for BTC’s #ONESHOT Awards in the Color and Avant Garde categories and she was nominated for a Bangstyle Supreme Award. To date, Michelle has won five NAHA awards. Michelle remains a trailblazer in the beauty industry and continues to dominate the texture genre! She continues to break barriers by leading Matrix Education as a Global Artistic Director. She also continues to offer her business, technical and artistic expertise to the brand, as diversity and inclusion for all hairdressers remains her most passionate platform.
