Life and Work with Jessica Castillo

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessica Castillo.

Jessica, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
When I was a kid, I always struggled with my hair. It was super curly and frizzy and was a major stressor, especially when it came time for school pictures. It really affected my self-esteem up until I decided to embrace the curl. The second I got comfortable with my hair and learned how to work with it, I had a light bulb moment: Hair really does have the power to help people express themselves and raise their self-esteem. From that point on, I knew I wanted to do hair.
My journey from that point to behind the chair took longer than expected and had some detours.

When I finished high school, my parents wanted me to go to college, so I did for a bit but didn’t finish. I worked for a real estate company that handled foreclosures for a while and when I had my second child, I had an overwhelming feeling of “it’s now or never.” So, I chose my passion. I started Aveda Institute in Dallas when my daughter was two and my son was six weeks old. I guess putting myself through hair school during the most chaotic time in my life was a little crazy, but honestly, I wouldn’t have done it any other way. I feel like it really gave me more to lose so I had to fully commit myself to learn the trade. I got a really good education through Aveda and went on to work at Maren Karsen Aveda Salon right out of school. It was a wonderful opportunity and through a lot of continued education, I discovered that I have a passion for cutting and education itself. I advanced to Cutting Coach in the salon which gave me the responsibility of training new apprentices. I realized that educating helped me become a better hairdresser and helping other hairdressers to achieve confidence with their scissors was super fulfilling for me.

After working in a commission based salon for six years, it was time for me to take the next step in my career and become an independent stylist. I’ve been giving independent cutting classes as well and I hope to move my career in that direction! I also love working behind the chair and the gratitude that I have for the relationships I’ve built with my clientele is overwhelming.

Has it been a smooth road?
Pursuing my passion has not been a smooth road. When I started working in a salon, I made just enough money to pay for my kids’ daycare. In some of the early days of my career, I cried when I got home after work because I totally messed someone’s hair up or I was so absolutely exhausted from trying to not make mistakes. I worked hard through it and I used any disappointment or anger to fuel the fire of motivation to move forward. Mistakes are really just opportunities to learn and grow. I think it’s true that things worth having don’t usually come easy. Just remember that the harder you have to work, the more obstacles you overcome, the greater the accomplishment feels and the reward is huge. Be true to yourself and remember that a passionately lived life is the most rewarding life. Persistence is key. Do what makes your heart happy.

Please tell us more about your work, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
I am an Independent Hairdresser and Cutting Educator. I love doing both color and cut, but I have a huge passion for cutting. So many wonderful people in this industry have helped me cultivate my craft and educating gives me the opportunity to pay that forward. Creating meaningful connections with my clients is very important to me. I really enjoy helping people express themselves through their hair. I’ve been able to experience so many special moments with the people that have sat in my chair throughout my career and that facet of hairdressing that really has nothing to do with hair, makes my heart really full.

There’s a wealth of academic research that suggests that a lack of mentors and networking opportunities for women has materially affected the number of women in leadership roles. Smart organizations and industry leaders are working to change this, but in the meantime, do you have any advice for finding a mentor and building a network?
Instagram has been a huge game changer in the hairdressing industry. There are so many amazing and talented people to learn from and now, they are easily accessible. Education itself has never been so accessible. My advice to finding a mentor is that you should look for someone that has both the values and skills you want to attain. Ask if they need an assistant and be willing to put in the hard work! What we do is mostly about skill, but a lot of what brings sustainable success is how you treat the people that sit in your chair. We have the opportunity to really provide not just a service, but an experience. Like Maya Angelou said, “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but they’ll never forget the way you made them feel.”

Contact Info:

• Email: jcastillohair@gmail.com
• Instagram: @jcastillohair

Image Credit:
Anna Rojas (flower crown action shot), Ash Highberger (coffee and amor shot)

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