Hairstylist Jamie Waier has taken her talents elsewhere - just down the road, anyway.
Waier, who owned The Director's Cut Salon on West McCarty Street, recently began a partnership with Amy Knollmeyer Photography, where she now operates a one-woman salon alongside the photo studio at 1213 E. McCarty St. in Jefferson City.
"It has the potential for business growth for both of us," Waier said of the move.
The pair began a professional relationship a few years ago when Waier needed high-fashion photos of a model whose hair she had colored.
"She did great work, and her creativity complemented mine very well," Waier said of Knollmeyer.
"From there we just became really good friends and had a really good working relationship together."
Since then, they've partnered on projects like Amy Knollmeyer Photography's "Mod Squad" - where young models in kindergarten through 12th grade participate in photo shoots and the annual MADD Mad Fashion Show, for which Waier provides makeup and hair styling - and Project Hair - where Waier creates one-of-a-kind hair and makeup looks for models who Knollmeyer photographs.
"It just kind of grew to where we were really marketing together. So much of what we did was just together. So it made sense," Knollmeyer said.
When staffing changes at The Director's Cut Salon led Waier to consider moving on earlier this summer, she decided to close the business and rent the salon space already set up at Knollmeyer's studio.
Knollmeyer had prepared the room for a stylist years before, but hadn't found someone who was the right fit to rent it.
"Finding the people that mesh well with you, that share that same creativity, that you want to work with day in and day out, it's not easy," Waier said.
In addition to making more time for her to spend with her children, removing the stresses of being a larger-scale business owner will allow Waier to focus more on her creative pursuits, she said.
"I will still do all of my normal services that I've done in the past, but I'm branding myself as a master colorist and a creative color specialist," Waier said. "It really has become my niche."
Waier and Knollmeyer also plan to expand the ways they collaborate, most recently adding the Feel Beautiful Project, which offers a makeover and fashion photo shoot experience for women ages 30 and up and also partners with Nikki Payne, owner of a Fine Mess Boutique, who chooses clothing for the makeovers.
The five winners of the inaugural Feel Beautiful Project were recently announced, and Waier and Knollmeyer plan to make it an annual event.
Waier is available for services including women's and men's haircuts, hair coloring and styling by appointment.
Her salon hours at Amy Knollmeyer Photography are 9 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Tuesdays, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays, 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Fridays and 8 a.m.-noon Saturdays.