Leaving a college career track is a prospect many students fear, but for one hair stylist, it was the best decisions she ever made.

Taylor Nidiffer opened her hair salon on October 29 of this year, and she said she is already living her dream.

“I always wanted to own a salon, and Elizabethton always had a place in my heart,” Nidiffer said.

She said she has been working on hair since her time at East Tennessee State University.

“I went there for two years, and the whole time I knew this was not where I wanted to be,” she said.

She said she left ETSU to pursue cosmetology school, eventually going to the Bristol School of Hair Design.

Four years after she graduated from there and working at another hair place in Elizabethton, Nidiffer said she is exactly where she wanted to be.

“This is the best thing I have ever accomplished,” she said.

Nidiffer said it was a difficult decision to leave ETSU to pursue cosmetology, but she said the stigma surrounding trade jobs is not only untrue but also hurtful.

“College is for some people. For me, it was not,” she said.

For Nidiffer, she said the hardest part of the process was taking the initial risk.

“It was the scariest thing I have ever done,” Nidiffer said. “I did not know what to expect, but I had to take that plunge.”

Nidiffer paid for the building in April, and renovated much of the inside, keeping the brick walls and the floor pattern.

“I had a lot of help from my family,” she said. “Dad was the brains behind everything. My family and friends were a big help.”

Now, a month after opening her doors, Nidiffer is even looking to hire two more hair stylists to expand their resources.

Nidiffer said she hopes her shop will add to the livelihood of downtown Elizabethton.

“I want to meet everyone I can,” she said. “I want to make others feel good about themselves. That is the best part of the job.”

Those interested in making an appointment or in the open positions can contact Nidiffer at 423-297-1060 or stop by the salon itself at 405 East Elk Ave.

For those considering making a similar leap towards their dreams, Nidiffer said perseverance is key.

“It may take time, but you have got to stick with it,” she said.