My Over 50 Career Journey Is Not Over: The Road to Coaching

My Over 50 Career Journey: Education to Coaching

If you’ve been following my over-50 career journey, finances and family have necessitated a return to full-time work outside the home. Our youngest son is in school, I no longer work in our business, and my online writing outlet has closed (not my beauty blog), so we need money, and I am unsure what I want to be when I grow up.

A friend got me a temp job in a law firm for three months. When the person I covered for returned from maternity leave, they suggested another law firm, and I was hired. The women I worked with left me with this advice, “Don’t go backwards. Each new job that gives you experience and knowledge builds your skills and your resume, so ensure you are paid what you deserve, and always more than your last job.”

My new employer was a pig, and I stayed three days. And by pig, the reader can use their imagination. However, I didn’t forgo law altogether. I began the process to take the LSATs, which I ultimately completed. I applied to only one school, my alma mater, Hofstra University, and was placed on a waitlist.

Not waiting and not in love with law anyway, I applied for a position as an admissions counselor for a private cosmetology school. Do what you know, right? I received an immediate response asking if I would like to be a cosmetology teacher. The hiring manager came across my blog and thought I would be a great fit. I was hired and began the process of adult education certification.

The school closed, and I worked a brief stint in hair replacement. I despised that. Not the toupee and wig application, but the gas lighting of customers who were sold a lie, and worst of all, the private rooms where some men felt they could say and do whatever they’d like. Guess who was a client? The pig lawyer.

I went back to teaching, finding a job far from home, where I met my next employer —a famous stylist who owned a high-end salon in Manhattan and two cosmetology schools. I began as an educator, and within two months, I moved into the director role. Until both my parents became ill and passed, only days from each other, while in hospice.

Shortly after their deaths, I returned to work as a salon manager for ULTA Beauty; however, the pandemic soon struck. I stayed on, wearing a mask and face shield when we reopened our doors. However, the corporation subsequently dissolved the salon and prestige manager positions, combining the two to form a service manager role that would not require work behind the chair. With no interest in retail or working weekends, I utilized my severance, earned a Master’s Degree in English, and wrote a guide, "The Future Professional’s Guide to Cosmetology: Is Beauty School for You?" Write what you know. This was while I was serving as the Executive Director of another cosmetology school in Brooklyn, with over 70 locations throughout the United States.

Sadly, I had started to lose interest in the beauty field at the same time as we were moving to New Jersey. I worked for another beauty school, serving as the director or school supervisor, depending on how the owners labeled me on any given day. I stayed six weeks, leaving when I discovered nefarious activity.

I’m not done yet.

I worked as a medical receptionist for a major hospital conglomerate in the state, struggling to find my identity: manager, beauty industry professional, or both? I was miserable, but not nearly as bad as the next job made me feel.

Reflecting on both, I accepted a management position at a professional salon retail company. It was a glorified stock clerk position. I cried every morning on my drive to work until an angel in the form of a client appeared as the first sale of the day. She asked for my advice, then paused after I answered, staring at me, and followed up with a question in the form of a statement: “Why are you here? You are wasting your talents." She didn't know me from Adam.

I left and began certification as a coach. My students, whom I advised regularly and others I’d tutored, had for years suggested to me that I should be a coach. Employees remarked that I could be a therapist. Co-workers still call me to ask for my advice and opinions about workplace rules and violations, marveling at how hard I work and how I can pivot without losing sight of my goals.

When I began coaching courses, I was surprised to learn how different it was from therapy, and I fell in love with the process of helping others. Watching clients realize their full potential was a joy, and I was grateful to be a part of their journey. Then I had my aha moment. I had come full circle, back to the beginning of my college career, truly enjoying being of service.

Why I Became a Coach

I became a coach to help others succeed, share my success, empower women, and foster a symbiotic relationship of gratitude and life, which is the foundation of who I am. Becoming a coach was a natural progression from the journey I am about to retell. I coached my family, colleagues, friends, employees, and students. Coaching with Ms. D pays homage to the students who inspired me and encouraged me to become a coach. However, although I coached, I never realized it was my calling until I found peace.

To be continued…My Over-50 Career Journey is Not Over

My journey isn’t over, and I look forward to assisting you with yours.

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I AM NOT A LICENSED THERAPIST OR PSYCHOLOGIST. COACHING SESSIONS ARE NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR THERAPY OR MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING. We focus on the present and future. I provide personalized support and strategies to help you achieve your career goals and self-evaluate your progress. Together, we work towards your ultimate success. Schedule your free consultation now!

Do you want to work in the beauty field? My book, The Future Professional's Guide to Cosmetology, answers all your questions about the industry. Email your inquiries to coachingwithmsd@gmail.com or call me at 732-800-6416 (during Eastern Standard Time business hours).

Follow me on TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram for coaching and site subscription updates. Coming soon: Online classes and webinars. Visit www.asktheprostylist.com for online cosmetology tutoring, state board prep, and a downloadable cosmetology practice exam.

©Deirdre Haggerty 2025. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. It is unlawful to reproduce this article or any part without the author’s prior written permission and consent.