Michelle seemed to have a successful career as a hairstylist all tied up—with nearly two decades of experience in the business, she was booked out months in advance at the salons in New York and San Francisco where she worked, splitting her time between coasts, not to mention her roster of devoted celebrity clients that demanded her services before stepping out on the red carpet (Zooey Deschanel, Sienna Miller, Amanda Peet and Zoe Kravitz to name a few). But that didn't stop her from upping her professional game at an unlikely moment. Just two months after giving birth to her daughter River Mae she opened her very own salon, Barrow, in downtown San Francisco. "I designed and built the salon from the ground up all while having a baby on my boob," recalls Michelle. Now both River and Barrow are coming up on 4 years, and both are thriving. The salon has taken home countless "best of" awards, and a session with Michelle's shears is now more in-demand than ever. But even the A-listers will have to wait if she is off spending quality time with her family. She and wife Malia (also a business owner and Power Mom in her own right) love to travel with River—they just returned from a nearly 3-week family sojourn through Japan.
Proud Moment: "I am still so proud of the fact that I quit smoking (pack a day) after 15 years, cold turkey. I did it 8 years ago."
Words of Wisdom: I find that taking time for myself helps me a lot. When I get away from my family to focus and recharge then they get a better me all around. And a little tequila goes a long way.
