Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessica Jordan.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Jessica. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
To start off, I began braiding around the age of four or five. I can remember seeing this doll on television and admiring her long, black tresses at that moment I knew I had to have her. A doll, that looked like me, with long hair?! You couldn’t beat it. I also knew my mom would purchase it because the doll was pitched as being educational. My mom finally got her for me, after months of begging, I could finally do her hair. The next day, I woke up extremely early and taught myself to braid. It felt like magic as the hair just glided through my hands. It literally felt so perfect. After a while, my mom realized that I could care less about how much the doll could talk or read but more so about her hair. Every year after that until I was about 13, I received a new doll head for Christmas. I even did my 4th-grade science fair project on how hydrogen peroxide is used to help color/dye hair. All throughout middle school and the beginning of high school, I did my family and friends’ hair. I got discouraged and lost my passion for the middle of high school through the beginning of college because I thought that so many girls were more talented than me.
So naturally, I worked regular jobs. Until my BFF and boyfriend at the time convinced me to stop doing hair for free and make it a side hustle the end of my sophomore year. Even then, I refused to braid because I knew it would take up too much of my time. So, I stuck to doing installs and quick styles. I would do it here and there until Spring Break arose and then things got hectic. What’s crazy is, that week, I made more money that week than I had made in a month at my current job. The following week, I put in my two weeks (really one-week notice) and that’s when JESSAPPEAL truly birthed and I believed in my gift and passion. Even then, braiding was the last thing on my mind until one of my now, long-time clients saw me on campus and said she had been admiring my braids & asked me to do hers. I said yes, and it’s been a rap ever since. Eventually, graduated from Georgia Southern University with my Biology degree in December of 2017 and knew that I was NOT going to school right away. Like most parents, mine were not letting up on me and insisted I figure out my next step in life. I convinced them that I wanted to grow and expand my brand. They agreed. I was ecstatic, not knowing my first step but what I did know was how to pray. I asked for clarity, the expansion of my brand, and not necessarily for popularity or IG followers but just for my work to be seen. Eventually, I asked my owner of Stylez Done Luxe, whom I had met in college if he would take a chance on me as a new stylist and he agreed. Ever since that day, I’ve been there since still extremely appreciative, growing, and learning.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
HAS IT BEEN A SMOOTH ROAD!? That has to be a joke! There is no success without struggle and no growth without discomfort. It is even harder to make people see your vision when you don’t know it yourself at times. I could go on and on about the external obstacles that I have been faced with but the worst one had to be in internal. I battle constantly with using my passion vs. using my degree. I was always known as the smart kid and I constantly wonder did I go to school for four and a half years and obtain my bachelor’s degree in Biology to just work in a shop. I instantly change my thinking and realize that God hasn’t ordered my steps here for no reason. And that is no shade to those stylists who are working in a shop hustling every day, that is just not my story. But I know this is just a stepping stone for what’s to come. I was always told if you can see your vision so vividly that you can literally feel like you’re there, it will always be attainable.
Please tell us more about your work, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
Simply put, I am a stylist but not so simply imitated in my style. I am known for my aesthetically pleasing, “tucked” braided styles and my seamless natural installs. I pride myself on ensuring every braid is the same, is neat, and not rushed. I also pride myself on blending natural hair to match extensions for a flawless finish. I am most proud of my ability to really make my clients feel at home in my chair. I like to make sure you are having the best experience possible. For the most part, the salon is where you come to relax which results in leaving feeling beautiful. I not only want my clients to feel that but I want them to feel at home. I give them a space to release and relax from shampoos to the very last detail on the service, I do my best every time. I do not allow myself to be rushed, flustered, or imbalanced. I also pride myself on the knowledge of naturally curly tresses. I feel as though it is a norm now, to see stylists who care more about the weave, that is what’s underneath. I’ve seen 100x over how stylists have damaged the client’s hair just by not listening, feeling, and observing the hair prior to even putting a comb to it. Natural hair care is no longer a lost art and because it isn’t necessarily “taught” people take a “one rule applies to all approach” which is not how curly hair works. The knowledge that my clients have allowed me to gain by servicing them, is unmatched.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
Success to me depends on the person but to me, it is more like personal satisfaction and fulfillment. I used to think success was measured by how much money you have made but then I had to self-reflect. There are plenty of people who have a ton of money and are still unhappy. Did I want to be one of those people? HECK NO! I learned early on that another part of what measures success is your gratitude and how grateful you are for what you have. Sometimes, I tend to look at the glass half empty rather than half full and God usually has a way of bringing me back to the reality of THANKFULNESS. Lastly, a marker that I look for has to be how willing are people to give and how easily/willingly they are to fill a void in someone else’s life. Most very successful people share their wealth, they are constantly giving. They never hesitate to share what they have or give what they don’t.
Contact Info:
- Address: Cut Creators Salon
142 Mangum St SW
Atlanta, GA 30313 - Website: https://jessappeal.as.me/
- Phone: 6787445311
- Email: jessicamjordan25@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessappealled/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JESSAPPEALLED/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/jessappeal
Image Credit:
Jaden Jordan, Jessica Jordan
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