Today we’d like to introduce you to Jara Herron
Hi Jara, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
From a very early age, I knew I wanted to be the boss. I wanted to run the ship, lead some sort of business on my own terms. I was an athlete through high school, captains of the tennis, basketball, and track teams. This experience led me to understand the role as a key player within a team, and I flourished as a leader at a young age. How does one get into the position as a business owner? Setting goals that are achievable and relevant to the desired outcome is what worked for me. First on that list was getting a business degree from a university. Upon graduating with a BS in business administration with a major in marketing, o felt prepared to start a business. In my location options were oil and gas oil and gas or oil and gas. I can tell you that did not excite me in the least! Facing an office life in a downtown building I quickly got creative and thought out of the box. I wanted to connect with people I wanted to set my own pricing and my own schedule. Fear of a cubicle life is what sent me to cosmology school. As I was working my way through college I had an experience that burned into my psyche. I booked a haircut at our local high end salon. I chose a high tier stylist and was ready to be wowed! Scraping my tip money together I arrived for my appointment with eager anticipation. Upon walking in the door I see several staff members talking amongst themselves behind the front desk. Let’s just say I was shocked at how I the paying customer was treated as an annoyance not a guest. I always go back to this feeling as a reminder on how we can set the tone for anyone we encounter through our day.
After attending a private university cosmetology school was an experience I left thinking…mental note open a Cosmo school one day and do a better job nurturing students. My initial 5 year goal was to work alone and build a clientele that would take me to a full service salon and med spa in our community. I ran 2 facial studios during that time and connected with my clients and grew a business from scratch., A key element to my business plan was to offer a low cost high volume model of a procedure that was innovative and only offered in a few dermatology offices at a much higher price point. A key factor to growing my clientele was working with and offering complimentary service to individuals that had already built a large clientele. This sacrifice of my time was a huge part of my success. Offering a service that would require ongoing maintenance was a strategy I utilized and that is part of the appeal of the beauty industry. The key to a successful beauty practice is not a large clientele but a regular and loyal clientele. In 2004 I opened a combo salon and medical spa, the first of its kind in my community. It may seem standard and common today but it was not when I began. I love helping careers flourish and managing the day to day activities of my business. I have 2 salon and med spas and I opened a walk in salon model in 2023. My career goal of opening a cosmetology school is now coming to life! I am currently enrolling my first students for the Artisan Institute. My salon is a teaching salon where we have programs to build stylists careers. Hiring 100s of graduates over the years I am so excited to be able to nurture individuals at the school setting level. Over the years my husband and I have had 7 children and he is a supportive stay at home parent. I am the survivor of a SCAD heart attack and survived a plethora of life threatening events in CVICU 10 days after the birth of my 6th child. Only to have one more 2 years later!
That is its own story.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Is life a smooth road? Certainly not. Anyone who expects anything to be smooth is setting themselves up for constant disappointment. As the captain of a ship calm seas are temporary at best. A storm is always coming on the horizon. It is how you handle adverse circumstances that matter more than how you handle easy times. One should expect problems and difficulties at all times so that there is a level of mental preparedness that will get you through any challenge in life. I want to set a calm tone for my crew be it my family, staff or clients. This philosophy has created a lot of trust between my staff and my guests. II have had a death experience when I had a heart attack and that will put things in perspective very quickly! Worrying is a waste of mental energy that robs the joy from your day, Being prepared for adversity is the key to less struggle.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I specialize in salon and med spa services. In the salon industry fads come and go. I specialize in services that can meet customer expectations…Botox, lip plump, Sculptra, laser therapy are our top performers. Things that are on the market don’t necessarily meet their marketing hype, and I am very conservative with what I offer my guests. Never understate the power of a good hair cut and facial which are staples of my business.
How do you think about luck?
I don’t really believe in luck. I think all timing is intentional and purposeful to fulfill a greater picture.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://jaraherronsalon.com
- Instagram: @jaraherron
