This week’s spotlight is on Breanna Varnadoe.
Breanna is from Colleton County growing up in Lodge. She was educated in the Colleton County School District attending elementary school at Bells Elementary. She attended middle school at Colleton County Middle School and high school at Colleton County High School. While in high school she was on the track team. Most people when they think of track and field think of running and forget the field element. Breanna’s specialty was pole vaulting and she was good enough to make it to state qualifying one year.
Ms. Varnadoe is a young professional working right here in Walterboro. She is a cosmetologist and does hair at Bei Capelli. She is licensed in hair, nails, and makeup, but currently is concentrating on hair. She has been licensed for almost a year and loves what she does. It took a couple of starts and stops to land in the cosmetology world. After high school it wasn’t on her radar yet. She started college pursuing nursing. Her first year of school she went to USC Aiken and finished coursework there. Then she came home and went to Orangeburg Tech for two years, but she was put on the wait list twice for their nursing program. Deciding to take a break from academia she took a job at a small restaurant in Earhardt where she worked for about a year or two. During her break she applied to the Technical Colleton of the Lowcountry and was put on the wait list there as well. As luck would seem to have it a spot opened up, and she filled the spot. However, it got to the point where she didn’t have the passion for what she was studying, especially when it came to classes that were not nursing related. She remembers thinking, “I don’t like this. Why am I taking this? Why do I have to take social studies when I’m going to be a nurse?” It ultimately came down to a “have to” and not a “want to”.
Then Orangeburg Tech got a new cosmetology student graduating in October 2023. Breanna has always loved doing makeup and hair. She laughs and comments, “I was always the one that got people ready for prom and events.” Cosmetology falls into her personality of what she describes as “a giver”. Of course, like anyone, she does like to receive sometimes, but she really enjoys giving. Even if it is something that seems small like giving a small massage to the hairline when she is shampooing a client or making sure her client is comfortable and taking the time to really listen to what they want and truly advising the client on what will work and what won’t.
When she isn’t being Breanna Varnadoe, cosmetologist she loves to shop. TJ Maxx is her shopping venue addiction of choice right now. She also enjoys spending time with her long term boyfriend and spending time with her family. Her boyfriend very thoughtfully gave her a gift early in the start of her career for Christmas. He had a bobble head of her made, customized to look like her so she could put it at her station. Family also includes Brody her six year old Maltipoo. Breanna does admit that her Dad may have stolen favorite person rights for Brody though. She also loves the outdoors and spending time hunting and fishing.
When asked what she would like to do if time and money were no object, Breanna got a wistful look on her face and said, “I would move to Montana. Maybe be on a ranch or something. Just be a part of something out there.” She wants to experience that peacefulness and quietness that the spaciousness and beauty of Montana’s Big Sky Country offers. Go to Greece; no thank you. Montana it is.
Colleton County is fortunate to have such a delightful person and an enthusiastic young professional such as Breanna Varnadoe to say that she lives and works in Colleton County.
