By Remy Sisk • Photos by Antonio Pantoja
Kaitlyn Hubert is an icon of style. Her Instagram page @kaitlyn_hubert has over 148,000 followers, and the success of her products line, Tomboy Hair Care, propelled her to open three salons. While it may look on the surface that Hubert’s success has come naturally to her – and perhaps it has – what the photos don’t show is Hubert’s journey to get to where she is now. Her road from addiction to sobriety was a tumultuous one, but one she walked with determination – one that led her to her success today.
“My life is a testament to the power of resilience, hard work and the unwavering belief in second chances,” Hubert says. “Today, I want to share my story – not just as a narrative of struggles and triumphs but as a beacon of hope for those facing their own challenges.”
Fifteen years ago, Hubert was facing the challenge of addiction, losing custody of her children and landing her at The Healing Place, a recovery program and shelter in Louisville. She spent a full year there working to overcome the hold addiction had on her and remembers, “While it was a time filled with uncertainty and despair, it also became a space for healing and reflection.”
Her decision to lead a life of sobriety came on New Year’s Day 2014. “The journey was not easy,” she emphasizes. “It required relentless dedication and a willingness to confront my past. Each day brought new challenges, but I learned to lean on the support of others. I attended meetings, sought guidance and focused on rebuilding my life. The struggle was real, but so was the victory. Gradually, I began to reclaim my identity and my role as a mother.”
Making this change came with its challenges but also with wins, both big and small. The greatest, however, was getting her kids back. “Regaining custody of my children was a monumental achievement that filled my heart with joy,” she recalls. “It was a symbol of my commitment to transformation and a reminder of my purpose. I wanted to create a stable and loving environment for them, one where they could thrive and feel secure. My children became my motivation, driving me to push through the toughest moments and strive for a brighter future.”
Invigorated with the shape her life was taking, her newfound independence and her tenacious determination, Hubert took a leap of faith into entrepreneurship, chasing a dream she now felt ready to pursue. She launched her first business, Tomboy Hair Care, in 2018 before opening two salons in Louisville and one in Lexington. “Each venture represents not just financial success but a personal triumph over adversity,” she says.
The brand of Tomboy is founded on kindness and equality with its primary goal being to fill the gap in gender-neutral/ non-binary styling products. “I didn’t think that there were many short hair products made for male or female clients,” she says. “And I just wanted it to be a universal kind of short, funky hair product that men, women, gays, theys, everyone can use. I just wanted it to be very inclusive.”
The success of Tomboy led to Hubert’s salons: Pelo Beauty Collective located in Middletown, Pelo Lexington and then the newest addition, Pelo West inside the Galt House Hotel. Similar to Tomboy, the core concept of the brand is to be inclusive, to be positive and to uplift clients of all walks of life. “I hope they come in and they feel special, they feel taken care of, they feel a positive energy” Hubert says. “I really pride myself on hiring the right people because you can’t have a space with the wrong people in it. So, when people come into one of my spaces, everyone’s smiling, everyone’s greeting them. I want them to leave feeling better than they did when they came in.”
With kindness as the concept, it’s hard to go wrong, and as the latest location continues attracting new clients downtown, there’s no end in sight to Hubert’s upward spiral. “My journey has taught me that challenges can be transformed into opportunities for growth,” she reflects. “I want my story to inspire others who may be struggling, reminding them that change is possible. No matter how dark the circumstances, there is always a way forward. I believe in the power of community and the importance of sharing our experiences to foster hope and resilience.”
While the smiling and styling photos on Instagram may not explicitly reveal her story, perhaps her smile says it all. The smile that’s a result of determination to make a new life, to regain the identity she thought was lost and to follow a dream that had once seemed out of reach. Her choice to overcome and to heal despite the challenge feeling insurmountable is proof that it’s never too late to start over, as you never know what the future holds when you decide to make a change.
“As I reflect on my journey, I am filled with gratitude for the lessons learned and the obstacles overcome,” she shares. “My life is a testament to the belief that we can rise from our struggles and create a life we love. I hope that by sharing my story, I can inspire others to embrace their own journeys and pursue their dreams, no matter how daunting they may seem. Together, we can lift each other up and build a brighter future.”
