Today we’d like to introduce you to Angelica “Jelly” Robinson.
Angelica, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Dreams into Reality: How Peace and Love Studios was born.
For most people, dreams take place while sleeping or gazing off into space, but this is how I turned my dreams into reality.
I started out doing classmates’ and cousins’ hair for fun back in Dayton OH, but the older I became, the more I wanted to make a career out of hair styling. One of my biggest realizations was that hair was never a hobby for me. I was born to two hairstylists (both mother and father) it flowed through my veins!
Kids particularly have always been drawn to me, I try to make their Haircare experience fun and normally, I have an instant connection with them. It didn’t take long for me to brainstorm ideas on how to make these connections with kids a long-term connection. That’s when I came up with Peace and Love Studios., Jr. (for Jelly Robinson). The idea behind the salon is a mobile membership-based salon, to provide fun and a needed confidence anchor for our children. I realized early in my career that my services not only revitalized hair but also confidence. From experience, I know how hard it can be to be different and gain acceptance for who you are. I believe my gift should be used to build confidence and self-esteem in our youth to help them deal with the many social woes of today, such as violence and bullying.
Now, I’m a Child Hair Care Specialist in the Houston and surrounding areas, looking to reach out to parents and share the services I provide. I’ve made Houston home about five years ago and that was the best decision I could have ever made in my 20’s. Since I’ve been here, I’ve been working with hundreds of children with extreme sensory and other challenges and I see how much of a struggle it is for them to receive a hair cut service. A lot of parents have a hard time if ever finding a stylist that can give their child a STYLE in a safe environment without it being a 100%stressful situation. My patience is infinite when it comes to these beautiful children and I know “With Peace and Love Studios, our youth will be able to better navigate life knowing greatness exists inside of them.”
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?
The most challenging part for me has been transitioning from the company I’ve worked for and getting the funding to make the mobile salon exactly what I know it will be. I’ve been a part of the Sport Clips family for almost five years and I have learned so much along the way. At first, it was hard finding a salon to work in as well as providing Haircare services on the side for children who find the traditional salon to be overwhelming. Most owners find that to be a conflict of interest but I’m blessed to have found a team leader who understands how lucrative my services are. I was managing two locations for a couple of years to learn more about the business aspects of the salon but with that came lots of responsibility that geared me away from focusing on the families who needed me most. It narrowed down to me making a decision that was best for me and the business. I needed to position myself in a way Peace and Love Studios was my main focus. So now, I’m more focused than ever before. I’m still a part-time trainer/stylist for a Sport clip in the Woodlands area but splitting my time has to be my biggest obstacle.
Please tell us more about your work, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
I labeled myself a Professional Confidence Booster many years ago but most people know me as “ The haircut lady”, “Baby Whisperer”, “Child Hair Care Specialist.” What makes me most proud is knowing I get to be apart of a haircut journey with families who thought haircuts would/could never get better. I get rewarded every time I visit a family and their child is able to tolerate one more thing in the haircut process that they weren’t comfortable doing before. You could say I specialize in haircuts for children who find the salon environment to be overwhelming but honestly, I’m the lucky one. I look at it as I’ve been chosen to be apart of a very sensitive challenge. Something that is embarrassing for many, I’m able to create some transparency and build trust that with all hands in and positive thinking we can make bad haircuts a thing of the past. My business focuses on children but my niche brings some me to families who have someone close to them with Autism, Aspergers, Down Syndrome, ADHD, and many other sensory sensitive challenges. I think that sets me apart the most because I’m thrilled to do this and you don’t hear that every day.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I get lucky every time someone reaches out to me to invite me into their space to help with something no one else was willing to do. I’ll never hit the lotto because I’ve used all my luck with the kids!
Contact Info:
- Website: Peaceandlovestudios.com
- Phone: 8328040653
- Email: angelica@peaceandlovestudios.com
- Instagram: Lovewhatyoudo2012
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.
