Today we’d like to introduce you to Jasmine Whitaker.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I’ve always known I wanted to be a stylist ever since my first visit to the hair salon. The salon experience wasn’t mine personally, it was my mother’s. It was like she was a whole new woman. She walked different, talked different, and her smile never left her face. I went with her to see how it all happened and I noticed she paid her when it was done! I did not know you could get paid for doing someone’s hair because I braided hair for everyone I knew for free. That changed the game. Forget being a veterinarian, I want to be a hairstylist.
I went to middle school a couple of years later and cut my hair in 7th grade. The other girls wore long hair, baby hair, wraps, and ponytails but I wasn’t that girl. I cut it really short in 9th grade and practiced styling short hair during high school. I went through the cosmetology program in high school and graduated with more than just a diploma and a free Cosmetology License. I had a brand new baby, a 4.02 GPA, and $95,000 in outside scholarships for college.
I went to college at TSU and worked for a commission salon in Pearland barely making $100 per paycheck. I was getting paid $16 a head no matter if they received a color, relaxer, cut, or shampoo. I had an all-in personality though. I scouted clients from they’re ergo store in the hair product aisle, department stores, shoes stores, and the parking lot to come inside and book an appointment. I caught a lady walking into a tailor with her two daughters and talked her into getting each of them a $175 service plus retail and recurring appointments. It was time I made my own money. My skills were far beyond hair.
I went to a beauty shop and rented a booth owned by an industry-known couple. They allowed me to rent my booth escalating from 0 for the first three months, sold me Nairobi products at a discount, and aided and guided me in handling my very own business from scratch. They truly are some of the greatest blessings and I am forever grateful.
Building clientele was a journey but one client in particular helped me tremendously. She was a walk-in client who was scheduled to book with my co-worker, someone who built a client demographic not like this subtle woman. Since she didn’t want to service her, she gave her to me. This woman referred her daughter, who in turn referred her best friend, daughter, co-workers, daughter’s best friend, best friend’s line sisters, even her former stylist’s clients! My business grew exponentially because of my ability to not judge a book by its cover. One of those refer d turned me to Instagram and my business has been uphill ever since.
As for wardrobe styling, this was something I’ve always done just never charged for it. I can create your hairstyle based on your outfit because they work with one another to complete the look, it just depends on what you want to communicate. It’s like a sandwich every piece comes together to adhere to a specific taste. You’re not a big accessory person and you just like the clothes to do the talking, you’re a no condiment kind of person. You might not want basic sandwich bread, you might be more of a name brand girl and have a taste for fresh ciabatta bread from Panera, instead. You might not even like shopping and would much rather have someone else do it for you, Subway kind of taste. Everybody’s different and I pay attention to that.
I went to LA with a former friend who’d happened to be a wardrobe stylist and her two model friends, an aspiring singer and actress. The two of them hadn’t fallen in love with their outfits for a very exclusive party we were headed to that evening. So, I dressed them. I had their outfits mesh perfectly with their personality and in one girl, her purple hair. They were a big hit at the party and I received no recognition for it. One even accepted an invite to a photoshoot with an industry native using my pieces believing it was her style. Still no acknowledgement. Never again will I do anything else without my name being on it. Now, I see why people watermark IG posts.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Some of the struggles in particular was raising a child in the midst of getting paid under $100 a paycheck every two weeks, being a budding stylist with little opportunity, and feeling hidden in plain sight. By the grace of God, I made it out.
I had to catch the bus back and forth between work and school sometimes missing clients because of a late bus route.
I went to college sometimes 8 to 9 pm two days out of the week and went from 5 am to 10pm some days taking whoever walked in the door because I needed the cash.
My biggest struggle was my car accident about 3 years ago. I went to sleep at the wheel after an exhausting weekend and my foot grew heavy on the pedal. I was going 100 mph and crashed into the freeway barrier on the feter road. My daughter, two, was in the car seat sleeping and awoke to me flying out of the car during the car flips. She was also ejected from the vehicle and though I landed 35 feet away fracturing my hip and knocked unconscious, by God’s grace she hit the ground within 5 feet of the vehicle and took off running toward me. She had a few scratches but I was incapacitated for 2 months and after all of that cli my building, I lost over 75% of my clientele. I was on a walker but I recovered. I had to get myself back to work, but this time I couldn’t neglect myself nor my daughter’s time and make sure we could be together more often. Life isn’t promised.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
I’m most proud of my time management. My clients know. I have deposits because my time is valuable and my spots fill fast. I charge late fees for over 15 minutes late and I apply the fee as a credit if I am over 15 minutes late. Respect goes both ways. Yet, sometimes they’ll have to reschedule if I can’t fit them in. If we book for a service, we perform that service. If you need anything additional, we may not have time for that and you’ll have to reschedule. It may seem like a lot but it’s pretty easy, get to your appointment on time and receive what you book for.
I also pride myself on my ability to do everything well, unless it’s braids or faux locks or any other day consuming service.
Another great thing about me is that I don’t have off days, just off periods. I don’t see the purpose. I can’t get enough errands done in one day, I’m going to be non-productive for a day which seems meaningless, and being lazy all day is not positive for me because I’m just going to be that much more lazy when I go back to work and MAD that I have to get up. I work from 5am -noon on Thursdays and Saturdays. Most people don’t want to get up that early, but I figure it’s a good way to get a full 7 hour work day in and have the rest of the day to myself. Fridays I work from 730- 6pm, Wednesdays 10-530, Tuesdays 3pm-8 pm so I can handle business before work, Mondays from 10-3pm, and Sundays from 1pm-6 pm in case I need to grab brunch after church lol.
What were you like growing up?
I was the girl who they couldn’t tell what my identity was. I had a clever mind, quick feet, and was exceptional in everything in elementary. Gymnastics, ballet, tap, jazz; karate, the Kwanzaa club, choir, Ensemble Theatre, literature competitions, were hobbies of mine. Needless to say, my mother kept me busy. In middle school, I played sports with the boys, but I sucked at them. I did nothing in middle school worth seeing, but ballet. Yet, I wasn’t the girly girl, but wasn’t a sneaker head either. I was known for my smart mouth and rough nature. I was a rebel, it was in all Honor classes. Then in high school, I was the little light skinned girl that got into so much trouble and got into at least one fight a year, sometimes two. I was a cheerleader, choir member, and track athlete, but finished with such a promising future and was named Vice President of my class. I guess you can say, everybody knew who I was, they just didn’t know what I was capable of until it was time for me to leave.
Contact Info:
- Website: Joliewhitaker.com
- Email: joliestyledme@gmail.com
- Instagram: @joliestyledme
Image Credit:
Chel Chanel, Shuntrona Green, Chasidy Celestine, Anitra Collins, Alecia Daily, Tiana Karnley
Getting in touch: VoyageHouston is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
