Patrice - Business Owner / Hairstylist

This post is part of "The Story Behind Hazleton," a senior project completed by Paige Onder, an Immanuel Christian School graduate from the class of 2023.

While many encourage children to be creative and not to let anyone stop them, Patrice has taken this life lesson from childhood into the real world and she not only became a business owner but she became one doing something she loved while creating something others would love. Patrice is a hairdresser located in the Heights and for a living she makes people feel confident about how they look, something that is becoming harder and harder in our society.

When Patrice was just 14 years old, she figured out what her life passion was. During this time, she learned about the Votech (renamed the Career Center in Hazleton) and found out about cosmetology. Right away, Patrice felt a connection with it and could see herself doing something within the field long term. Around this time, something even bigger happened. Right around the time she began high school she became a Christian. While it has been roughly 30 years since she converted to Christianity, she says the impact she feels of God in her life daily keeps her going.

When she isn’t doing hair, she enjoys spending time with her cats, reading, listening to music, and spending time with her family. All these things have grown not only her faith but her relationships with family and friends too. “One of the most important things when it comes to relationships is to have a relationship with God,” Patrice says. “We learn to love people more when we know their creator made them in His image.”

Patrice grew up in the Hazleton Area as the middle child of six children. While having this many siblings isn’t always easy, she describes it as being such a blessing. As she has grown up in this area, something she said she enjoys is having gotten to meet so many people through the line of work she does as well as forming relationships with her clients. Through her job however, she says her favorite part has been helping people change and move forward, because sometimes the push people need is a change in hair color, or some bangs.

Today, Patrice still does hair at her business, Patrice’s Cutting Edge. While many forget to enjoy their hobbies and utilize their artistic side, Patrice continues to do so daily, and through her art, she encourages people to make changes.