Anita Hulitza and Andy Coleman, partners in life as well as business, are the joint owners of No Harm, a Ballard-based hair salon that has operated since 2020. The duo works together as stylists specializing in Queer-affirming cuts.
Their relationship and hairstyling journey began when Hulitza, having finished beauty school, met Coleman after moving to Seattle to work in a salon on Capitol Hill, where they started out as coworkers. Even though both were married to other people at the time, they quickly became best friends. Hulitza recalled the kindness that Coleman showed her in her career's early years, and the skills she learned from him. The two also found out how similar they were in terms of personalities, the things they enjoyed, and how they viewed the world.
The nature of their relationship changed in 2018 as they both went through divorces. Hulitza talked about that time as "an experience that, while challenging, ultimately changed our lives for the better," as they both realized there was something more than platonic friendship between them. In time, they fell in love.
No Harm is founded
Hulitza and Coleman were inspired to create No Harm in 2020 after leaving their previous relationships and coming out as Queer, which was a huge milestone for both. Unable to be their authentic selves in their marriages, now things completely changed. "That feeling was incredible," Hulitza said.
Another factor was the pandemic. The couple had been working in separate spaces when the it hit, and they realized things needed to change. Hulitza admits that opening No Harm during that time was not an easy feat; however, she said it was still the best decision, as "we finally were able to have a space that was truly ours, a space where we could be our true, authentic selves."
Hulitza said that people ask all the time whether it is difficult being both business owners and romantic partners. "Honestly, we do a damn good job being romantic business partners!" she said, with the key to their success being so similar, and having worked so much together in the past, which allows them to elevate each other creatively, strengthen their relationship, and grow as individuals.
Styling with pride
The pair recognizes hair as a powerful tool of self-expression that LGBTQIA+ people use in their daily lives, and the huge role it plays in affirming Queer and Trans people's identities.
"Our Queer identities play a huge role in what we do," Hulitza said. "I think the biggest thing for us is creating a safe space."
Setting themselves apart from other spaces, Hulitza asserted that "No Harm is always challenging industry norms, constantly pushing back on rigid beauty standards and traditional practices that don't serve diverse clients." She highlighted serving the needs of Trans and Nonbinary clients, as well as how in the last decade they both have constantly pushed themselves to work with people of all hair types and textures.
"Queerness often embraces individuality and fluidity, [which is] why gender-affirming haircuts are so important to us," Hulitza said.
No Harm is open Wednesday to Saturday at 1416 NW 46th St. #301, Seattle, with online appointment booking at https://www.noharmseattle.com.
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