Ashley Stout has been bringing style and beauty to the residents of Hope and Hempstead County for 15 years. As a stylist at Strands Salon, she spends her time working with clients to add a little flair and a whole lot of confidence to their days. Ashley’s dedication, hard work, and friendly personality make her a favorite with clients and co-workers. 

Ashley provides a variety of salon services including haircuts, hair colors, lash fills, custom air-brush spray tans, facial waxing, and more. Even though her services may vary from one client to the next, one thing remains the same for each and every client she sees: Ashley individualizes every service she provides to best suit the needs of each client. Ashley says, “Everyone is different. A style or cut that might work for one person, might not work for another. It is my job to customize every service I offer to meet the needs of my clients.” To further this goal, Ashley spends a great deal of time researching products, in addition to the best and latest trends, continuing her education so she can offer her clients the most current styles available. “I think it’s important that I continue to grow. I want to give my clients access to the newest styles out there,” she says. 

Ashley says she’s always known she wanted to be a stylist. She says, “I’ve never thought about doing anything else. This is something I’ve been inspired to do my whole life.” Ashley was trained at Mary Lynn’s Beauty School where coincidentally her co-workers, Courtney Powell and Shay Ratcliff, were also trained, which allows them to work together smoothly. Powell, who is also the owner of Strands Salon, shared with SWARK.Today the experience of working with Ashley for 15 years. Powell said, “Ashley is a joy to work with and I'm not surprised she was nominated for a Citizen Spotlight. I have worked with Ashley for 15 years and she is a great asset at Strands Salon. Ashley’s co-workers and clients love her. I appreciate her for making everyday work-life enjoyable and for always putting her clients first.” 

Ashley’s clients give rave reviews about her services. While she is spreading her fashionable artistry, she does so with a smile, making her clients feel comfortable and confident. Janet Banister says she loves going to Ashley for her styling needs. “Ashley is good at what she does,” says Banister. “She knows what looks good on me and she will make suggestions. I can trust her to do a good job every time.” Jen Hawley says she appreciates Ashley’s devotion to her clients and the time she takes to learn the newest styles. Hawley says, “Ashley is a phenomenal hair stylist. She is always doing research to stay up to date on the latest hair trends and more. Also, she is personable and kind. Ashley absolutely deserves to be nominated for the Citizen Spotlight."

When Ashely isn’t working she puts her energy and attention toward her family: her husband, Ryan; her son, Grayson; and daughter, Aniston. Their favorite activities are camping and trips to the beach. Also, the weeks are divided between watching Aniston dance and watching Grayson shoot trap or practice Tae-kwon-do. Ryan says Ashley is deserving of praise for her work at the salon, plus her devotion to her family. He says, “We’re so proud of Ashley and everything she has accomplished. She’s a really hard worker and loves what she does. She is also a great Mom to our two kids. We are blessed to have her in our family.”

Whether one is going for fabulous and flirty with a lash fill and beach waves, or modern chic with a slick new bob and an arched brow wax, Ashley can do it all. The most important service she provides, however, is giving her customers that smile when they feel great about themselves after a turn in her chair. For some of her clients, providing a boost of self-esteem is priceless and worth more than a dollar amount, so for them that is the greatest service of all she provides. All of these, though, have made Ashley Stout a success in her field and why she is this week's SWARK.Today Citizen Spotlight.

Thanks to Ashley and the crew at the Strands Salon for inviting SWARK.Today to observe and learn about what you do every day and allowing us to share it with the community.

SWARK.Today’s Citizen Spotlight is for recognizing those whose dedication and knowledge are an essential part of our community and industry. Often, those roles behind the scenes are equally as valuable, yet not common knowledge. To achieve success, every job is necessary and every person’s role is critical. If you know of someone who should be nominated for a Citizen Spotlight, send an email to [email protected] with the person’s name and a brief description of what he or she does, we would love to talk with them!