Scott Yance

Founder of Scottfree

Milwaukee – Chicago

Education background:

I have been a hairstylist for nearly four decades, and the path into our industry looked very different when I was getting started. I began working for a barber at just fourteen years old, and by sixteen, I was doing everything in the shop except cutting hair. From there, I attended a beauty school in Kenosha, WI. 

After graduating, I joined a comb company, travelling to hair shows across the US almost every week. This was long before the internet, cell phones or social media, so those shows were where you discovered inspiration and connected with the industry’s most influential artists. It was there that I watched legends such as Irving Rusk, Trevor Sorbie, and many others demonstrate their craft. At one event, I found myself at the Vidal Sassoon booth collecting information – the old-fashioned way, with nothing more than an address and a phone number. 

That single moment changed the course of my career.

I enrolled at the Vidal Sassoon Academy in Santa Monica, California, essentially attending beauty school for a second time. My foundational education, and ultimately my philosophy as a hairdresser, was shaped almost entirely by Sassoon. After graduating, I continued my career with the company, where precision, discipline and craftsmanship became the cornerstones of everything I do.

First creative project:

While working with Vidal Sassoon, I had the opportunity to contribute to advertising campaigns for Procter & Gamble hair brands. I assisted on – and contributed hair for – a Head & Shoulders print campaign that appeared in major magazines throughout the country. Around that same time, I was also incredibly fortunate to collaborate with Annie Humphreys on a cut and color project. Experiences like these broadened my perspective and reinforced the importance of working alongside exceptional creative talent.

Signature style/artistic expression:

Although my work has continued to evolve over the years, I have always remained a minimalist at heart. Whether I am cutting or styling, I rely on a simple toolkit and use products sparingly. I believe the strongest work never feels overworked. I want hair – whether on a runway, in an editorial, or behind the chair – to feel effortless, slightly undone, yet completely intentional. To me, hair should complement the overall aesthetic rather than compete with it. It should elevate the entire story.

Most fulfilling job worked on, or someone worked with:

Over the course of my career, I have been fortunate to work in nearly every corner of our industry – from fashion weeks and editorial shoots to television, film, celebrity styling and advertising campaigns. Along the way, I have had the privilege of learning from and collaborating with some of the industry’s most respected artists, including Peter Gray, Odile Gilbert, Jon Reyman, Ezel Mustafa and Oscar Bond.

As meaningful as those experiences have been, my greatest source of fulfillment today is much closer to home. Every day I have the privilege of working alongside my wife Emily Yance, my sister Kristine Roberts and an extraordinary team of talented artists. Even my oldest son, Seth Yance, chose this profession, and we still have opportunities to collaborate. After all these years, I’ve come to believe that success is measured less by where you work than by who you get to share the journey with.

Career turning point, big break:

Looking back, there have been several pivotal moments that changed the trajectory of my career. After leaving Vidal Sassoon, I joined the Aveda network during an exciting period of growth. Shortly after Aveda opened its academy in London, Modern Salon invited a small group of us to attend advanced education there. It was during that experience that I met David Adams, whose deep connections within the fashion industry opened doors I never imagined. 

Through David, I was introduced to editorial stylists working at New York Fashion Week. My very first season, I worked backstage on nine shows. From that moment on, I was completely captivated. The energy, creativity, and collaboration backstage became a place where I felt entirely at home. There was no turning back.

Scariest and proudest moment:

Today I find myself in both the proudest and most intimidating chapter of my career. I have owned a salon for sixteen years, but over the past two years, we made the intentional decision to reinvent nearly every aspect of our company – our people, our philosophy, our culture and even our flagship location. Starting over by choice is both exhilarating and humbling. It requires conviction, resilience and a willingness to let go of what is comfortable in pursuit of something better. It has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my professional life.