Sometimes, the first thing you try as a job is not the thing that ends up being your passion, even if you’ve dedicated many years to it. This is what Gemma Gullaksen realized when she decided to move into the beauty field and out of counseling, which was her existing background. Learn more about Gemma’s journey by reading on.

Gemma Gullaksen’s Search for Meaning

What were you doing before the beauty field?

I actually have a master’s degree in industrial organizational psychology. I’ve been in the corporate world for a little bit and got burned out on it. My background was counseling, so I really want to help people feel better about themselves or help them through a life that is difficult. But I felt like I had enough with the corporate world.

How did you make the choice to move into the beauty industry?

I believe in God, so I prayed and asked, “What should I do with my life?” I mean, I know I can just stay at home and be a wife and cook, and just do the laundry and, you know, housewife work, but I want to have meaning in my life.

So, I was just searching on the internet, “What can I do to enhance my business?” I have a little business. I’m like, “Okay. Maybe I can do facials. Maybe I can do makeup and stuff,” which I don’t know how to do. So I was just searching schools on Google, you know, everybody’s friend. And Ogle is the nearest. I’m just 20 miles away, which is pretty close in Texas. So, I’m like, “Okay, let me check that out.”

How did you plan out your beauty experience?

I’m very much a Type A personality. I think about, “If I’m going to do this, how many hours? 750 hours, I need to put in this, I need to put every day and–” I planned it all out. I came in here, I saw Jennifer. And I told Jennifer, “If I join Ogle, I will pay out-of-pocket, so I have no problem with that, but I want to do it part-time to begin with, with the fourth quarter—October, November, December—but then, when January comes in, I want to do it full-time. I want to finish it all. I want to be done in five months.”

So, I came in for three months, I accomplished 240 hours, and I have a remaining number of hours, and I can be done around the end of March or April. I figured that all before even coming in. I knew the moment I came here, it felt like home right away. I know that I’d be working with people that are compassionate, and they really want to help you. They want to work with you on how you can achieve what you want to achieve. I fit right in, and everyone was incredibly helpful. I was putting in hours at night with Ms. E. I’m a happy person, so I’m a friend of the whole school at night. And it’s just a home.

Have you used any esthetics work now that you’re knowledgeable in the field?

I have always felt like if you want to go into the beauty industry, you better be beautiful, right? I ran a marathon near the end of my beauty experience, and the next day, I bought six sessions for this IPL, intense pulsed light, to work on my hyperpigmentation. And my last session, I was so excited because it’s clearing up. I don’t need to put on makeup anymore. It’s just a BB cream, and I’m good to go. That last session changed my whole perspective of what I want to do. It’s really taught me everything; that’s how people will feel when I help them as well.

What do you love about the beauty industry?

What inspired me to be in the beauty industry, first, is I think this industry will bring out the compassion in people. That’s what I want; I want to create beauty with compassion. And that’s what we talk about in my product, in Human Nature, bringing about the beauty from within. And this school really feels like they’re not looking at your scar on your face but what’s inside you.

Discover Your Own Beautiful Story

Your story may be similar to Gemma’s or entirely different. Either way, Ogle School wants to support you in your journey. With the Ogle cosmetology program and esthetics program, you can unlock a passion you may not have even been aware of. Request more information today to start learning about a new experience with Ogle School.