Meet Jessica Trushel | Salon Owner & Hairstylist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jessica Trushel and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jessica, is there a quote or affirmation that’s meaningful to you?
“You’ll never do a whole lot, unless you’re brave enough to try.” -Dolly Parton In business, and such as life, there are no rewards unless there is risk. I was raised to stand on my own two feet and to face my fears head on. This quote simplifies the feelings I had when I was transitioning from a standard employee to creating a business in a matter of months. Was I terrified? Heck YES! I had zero business background but I had faith in my ability to learn along the way and the skill set and clientele that made it possible to be brave. I had to “try” and fly on my own and that was 5 years ago. What a journey it has been. The best decision I could have made in my career.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Honestly, this industry is unlike any other business. We wear many hates and play multiple full-time roles, it is hard to say what sets me apart. I would like to think that although this is my ‘livelihood’, I consider this my passion. I have built over 12 years of relationships with clients. Some say “I’ve been with you longer than my significant other” or that I have watched clients and/or their children grow up throughout the years. I feel like the relationships built behind the chair is beautiful. People trust hairdressers in a way that most wouldn’t even share with their friends/family/therapist. It is such a unique bond, but also gratifying to make people feel their best after the appointment. I absolutely soak up the smiles I see in the mirror when I turn them around in the chair for them to see their hair all finished and styled. I keep those moments in a special place in my heart. I guess what sets me apart, at least from what I am told, is that I want to share all of my knowledge to my clients so they can maintain or re-create the styles. Transparency is super important to me and If I feel something is unachievable or I am not capable, I am honest about it.

It took me 10 years of building my clientele and passion to get to where I am. I did NOT think I would own a salon coming from a w-2 employee that made about 16k a year on commission!! This industry is NOT for anyone looking to make a comfortable living inside of normal work hours.

It was not easy to get to where I am but believing in myself and countless hours of learning new techniques and consitstant advertising got my name out there. I even paid for coaching and classes to teach me how to be a leader and how to be more comfortable with social media. Online presence is the best way to build besides word of mouth!

The only advice I can give for overcoming any challenges, in business and in life, is to make sure you have a solid group of people to support your choices and goals. No one is meant to walk every path alone. There will come a time where you hit a cross-road and will need to phone a friend.

I want the ‘world’ to know that anything is possible if you set your mind to it, put in the hard-work, and keep pushing through the obstacles. Nothing is better than the feeling you get when you’ve EARNED something. Whether that be recognition, reward, or success. Being proud of your achievements is a feeling that cannot be bought or shared. It is worth the sweat, tears, and extra effort to set a goal and cross it off. Continue to set goals. Walk your own path. Success can only be defined by YOU!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Haha, is this a trick question? I laugh because like most small business owners, you don’t have the luxury of exploring the city as often as you would like. At least not if you are trying to build your brand and continue to grow. Anytime I go out now, I feel like I hardly know my city anymore. I also have two young kids at home so “going out” is a luxury! And that’s if I even have the energy to do anything after work. As a hairstylist, I don’t have typical weekends. Those are the money-makers so we are typically working. I guess my ideal weekend would be to go out to dinner at some trendy spot downtown with girlfriends or hang out at someone’s house and open up some wine. I am a big fan of live music, however. I would typically prefer to travel on a vacation with my family for quality time, or some friends to a new place I have never been.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
There are countless people to thank in my journey as a small business owner!

I had friends and family that came to help literally build my salon. From painting to hanging mirrors and giving me a shoulder to cry on when I was overwhelmed. I want to thank my Father, who believed in my goals and future success so much that he leant me a personal loan to get the furniture and supplies needed for my business. My boyfriend for literally building my salon: making my vision into a reality! My mother, who always gave me solid advice all hours of the night when I needed her, or just listened when I needed to vent and keeping me organized. a huge thanks to my renters for loving the Salon as much as I do and adding to the beautiful atmosphere and knowledge in the industry. If it weren’t for my children, I’m not sure I would have the drive to succeed and push to be the best version of myself. I am also grateful to have had the opportunity to mentor some amazing women in the industry that taught me more than just new techniques and how-to’s, but how to thrive and find passion every single day. I owe most of my success to the clients who have followed me from place to place and building a lasting relationship outside of just being their hairstylist. I am lucky to have a job that I Iook forward to doing every day. “Do what you love, love what you do”.

Lastly, I would like to thank the previous Employer that told me I would never make it as a single mother on my own; that gave me the push and drive to keep building my success, no matter what. I will always face my fears, believe in myself and NEVER give up!

Website: www.vagaro.com/rrootshair

Instagram: its_jesst_hair

Facebook: Jessica TruShell