Jake Sturm is a six year industry veteran, a salon owner of two years, a cosmetologist, a barber, a brand ambassador and an educator.

Jake has over 200 days of professional travel within the first year.

As a licensed cosmetologist, as a new salon owner and new talent to the industry, we get to hear his powerful story of life, triumph over struggle, and how he built a budding salon and career.

Welcome back to the Hairdresser Strong show.

My name is Robert Hughes and I am your host and today I'm with Jake Sturm.

How you doing today, Jake?

I'm doing great.

How are you?

I'm good, thank you.

Thank you so much for coming on the show.

I met every, everybody who's listening and watching.

I met Jake at Presley Poe and Friends and we, we caught you outside with some of your people that you work with, right, that you're the, some of your staff members and we did a little man on the street interview, asked you about it about it and you kept, you were talking about all this like, stuff and I was like, it's really sound very interesting and you had such a good energy and vibe and attitude.

And I was like, I wonder if you would be interested in, you know, coming and doing an interview.

And then, and then like we were talking before we started the recording and you were telling me some of the stuff about your story and I'm like, I'm so happy that we get to share your story today.

So thank you so much for coming on the show.

Absolutely.

Thank you for having me and giving me the space to share.

Awesome.

Absolutely.

Okay, so first, let's just get this out of the way.

Tell us about this.

200 days of professional travel within the first calendar year of being a licensed beauty professional.

So I graduated school in August of 23 or got licensed in September of 23.

And then it was about six weeks after that.

I had been to Hair Love Retreat and then I also went to the artist Summit which is put on by the powder group.

And I realized like, what did I want to do?

One of my goals after finishing school was to move six months after finishing school.

So that would have put me at February.

I got real with myself and I said, what are my intentions of the of this move?

I wanted to travel, I wanted to network and meet new people.

I wanted to continue education.

And then when I really got to the the root of everything, I'd been doing that I'd been on four, five trips already, three of them while I was in school.

And I was like, if that was Any other person besides myself, I would have been like, holy cow, good job.

That's amazing.

But since it was me, I was like, wait, no, I need to move.

I'm not doing it.

I went from 40 days booked in that next year in six weeks, by Thanksgiving, I had 165 days on the calendar because I realized that I was the one telling myself that I couldn't do it.

Once I told myself that I could do it, I had been doing it there where I was, I didn't have to move.

That was when I really four times my travel numbers.

And then after the end of the year or after my travel time, I had logged over 200.

Nice.

So are these.

Tell, tell us what this exactly means.

So are you, are you providing services?

Are you, are you attending professional events?

What.

Tell us, like what, what is the, what is the matchup mashup of professional days?

So it is attending shows, hair shows, beauty shows, working them, getting to do demonstrations, getting to work with the product, setting up the booths, going to events, and then the other ones are going to be going to my own personal development, attending events, other people's events, and then other ones are going to be traveling locally or to other.

Yeah, type of thing.

Not too many private clients and more of that.

Yeah.

Nice.

So when you're doing these type of things, I'm assuming you're meeting people.

Is, is that accurate?

Did you make.

Tell us a little bit about how that impacted, like what, what was the value of the professional travel?

Did you make money?

And then if you did, or even if you didn't, what other value did you get out of all of that travel?

So definitely puts you in the right place at the right time.

It puts you where people see you, which is very valuable.

It allows you to make those relationships, make those connections, and they're not made for you.

I had to do half of the work and other people had to do the other half.

Just like a relationship.

But I definitely was showing up and able to be there present, making sure that I was rested and showing up in the way I wanted to.

You don't want to get sucked into the show circuit drama or going out partying and stuff like that.

So yeah, so what it, what are.

Tell us, tell us like about one or two relationships that you made and how that's impacted you.

So one of the first, my first professional event, I was still a student and it was.

I won a program put on by the PBA Professional Beauty association called Beacon.

If you are a student, a future professional, listening to this right now please pause and go apply to that program.

It really did kickstart my career.

It shows you what life is like beyond the chair.

It is.

If you're a student this year, you can still apply to it.

I applied when I was seven weeks into school, wasn't even done with core.

I had to ask permission to go because of my circumstances.

We'll get into later.

So I did the seven part application in less than two days because I got approval Monday evening.

It was due Wednesday and I.

That was in November of 2022.

I attended Beacon in April 2023.

One of the people I met was Michael Davellis and he is the founder of, he's the founder of the Powder Group and they produce education for artists, makeup artists, and beauty professionals too.

They've really branched out into hair and everything.

And he was someone that hired me to do all of the premiere show circuits in the, the next year.

Nice.

Yeah, so it really helped out.

Awesome.

Cool.

And do you, just because we're on this topic, do you, first of all, what school did you go to?

Did you go to like a name brand school, a smaller, like local school high school program?

So I went to Paul Mitchell, the school Rexburg.

Okay, so, so you go to Paul Mitchell school, you get into the, you know, get into the be, you get accepted into the Beacon program or awarded the Beacon, honored as an.

How do, how would I, what's the best way to say it?

Awarded the Beacon.

So, yeah, awarded the Beacon.

Award.

I won the Beacon.

Yeah, I won the Beacon.

Okay.

You are Beacon, right?

Isn't that, what, is that the way to say it?

You.

Yeah.

Beacon alumni.

Yeah, Beacon alumni.

There we go.

Okay, so, so you apply, you, you get it, you go, you're going on tour, you're meeting all these people.

And this was, and so like we, we said that you've been in the industry for six years, but you also said you graduated in 2019 or 20.

No, 2022.

Yeah, 2022.

Yeah.

But you started a few years before that.

So tell us about, tell us.

Let's, let's go with that.

Let's start with that.

Like, tell us about how, how you got into, like, why, what was the story behind going to school?

Because you're, if you're going in six years ago, I mean, I don't, we don't know how old you are, and you don't have to share that number if you don't want to.

But, but you look like you were not in high school six years ago, but you could have been.

I Guess if you're like 24 years old, right.

Or like, right after high school.

So, like, did you always know you wanted to get into hair?

I did not, actually.

So I am actually 32 years old.

Just a couple days ago, turned 32.

Happy birthday.

Thank you.

The reason I think that's important is because I've actually been working on my first cosmetology license up until that day.

And so I got licensed like, two weeks after my birthday.

And so in Idaho, they give you the first full year.

So I got up until my birthday and then birthday to birthday, so I really got 23 months on my license.

And so I just barely got 24 months as a licensed cosmetologist.

And if you look at all of my things growing up, I wanted to be a doctor.

I was pre med on that route until 20 years old.

Um, but to get through there, I was a swim instructor and a lifeguard pool manager.

All of that for eight years.

Ran my own private swim lesson group as well and had about 43 kids in that group.

When I moved, about 2/3 of them had some sort of special needs or behavior challenge.

And I really got to hone in my abilities there.

I moved from Salt Lake, Utah, to Idaho, near Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and owned a restaurant for six years.

Did that restaurant.

Yep.

So owned and operated a restaurant from 20 to 26 and didn't have experience in the restaurant, so had a lot of learning curves and challenges for that.

Hold on, I gotta ask.

How did you open up a restaurant?

You.

Where, like, did someone just give you a restaurant?

You know, like.

So it was one of my.

A partner that I was with, and we.

He was ending his.

Like, he had ended his relationship.

And so he moved to Salt Lake to give them the house, let them.

Let his stepdaughter finish high school her senior year.

And then I moved in with him.

We ended up going back up there and just getting the opportunity to purchase a little takeout shack.

So we had that for five months, and then we were at home on the little break, and he goes, oh, my gosh.

Like the local restaurants for sale.

I'm like, okay, what up?

Like, who cares?

He's like, well, we have to at least call.

I'm like, no, we don't.

And so he called.

They did a big price drop from 250,000 to 60,000, and we purchased the restaurant and then operated it for five and a half years.

Wow, nice.

Yeah.

You have to do any financing for that or you put up.

You had the cash.

So luckily, my partner at the time he had the cash, he had the revenue, he had the previous business, or he still has that business.

But he.

Yeah, we had.

One of his RVs had burnt down when we were actually on a trip, and so that helped him.

That gave us a little bit of it.

Thankfully, no one was hurt, and, you know, we were able to salvage a little bit of this stuff and still make the trip.

But it definitely.

That helped get a little bit.

And then he was able to replace it with a little, like.

Yeah, that type of stuff.

So, yeah, I'm sure.

I'm sure having had the experience in the business, and I feel like that probably is helpful.

At least some of our.

Some of.

Some of the people we've interviewed have been able to leverage their current business to, you know, get financing to open up another one.

It's getting that first business sometimes is a really tough one.

Okay, sorry.

Okay.

That detour.

All right.

So anyway, you.

You had a restaurant for six years.

So I missed working with kids.

I really enjoyed it, and I still got to work with kids, you know, in the restaurant industry.

But one of my friends was working at a residential treatment facility that was pretty local to where I live.

And basically it's like a boarding school that they don't get to choose to go to.

It's a facility but for special needs behavior challenge kids, they get placed there because of school district placement or DFS placement.

And so I applied there, was accepted or hired.

And then in three weeks, they posted that they were hiring for a supervisor.

I did what my parents taught me.

You show that you're interested.

So I applied.

There was about 10 applicants, and everyone had worked there for over five years prior.

And for whatever reason, I was lucky enough to get the position.

So I got the supervisor position, one of the two.

And that was like, four weeks after starting at that point.

And then I got to.

As one of the things, as a supervisor, you would buzz the kids hair if they needed a haircut.

And I asked the principal, I was like, well, why are we buzzing?

I'm like, to me, we're restraining the kids.

They're being taken out of their homes.

They're being told they need to fix the trauma that was bestowed upon them.

Not their choice.

But we're telling them they need to act like adults.

But how are we treating them?

Doesn't sound like an adult to me.

Sounds like, you know, when we're shaving them, we're treating them like sheep.

So I asked the principal, can I actually try and, like, cut their hair?

And he's like, yeah, if you fuck up, you'll just buzz it like you were going to.

And I was like, okay, yeah, you're right.

And so the first kid, I was like, hey, dude, what do you want for your haircut?

And he's like, I want pompadour.

And I was like, what?

You're from the middle of Wyoming.

You're not going to be round brushing your hair, doing the style.

And he's like, no, I just like the way that it like lays against my face like this.

And I feel like I'm emo.

And I was like, say last.

That's literally why I wanted to do this.

So I went to the University of YouTube and learned how to over direct backwards.

And you know, that was set your guide then over direct backwards.

And that was the first haircut that I did and many more after that.

So.

And I guess because, yeah, because of COVID it really worked out.

Other.

Other states, it was a state funded program for all of these facilities.

So other states actually shut down their whole program.

So I got to have lots of experiences because we learned, or the facility learned how to take other states kids.

And so I got a couple of students that maybe I wouldn't have normally had a lot of that hair texture there.

So even when I started school, I had more experience, thankfully, with different textured hair or just my hands and hair than sadly, some people had finishing school.

So let's.

I just want to touch on this.

So.

So.

So the cool thing is like, as we get deeper into your story, that we get to hear all the things you're doing now and all the different things in the works.

And I think that's really exciting.

So for all the viewers and listeners right now, this is.

There's like two things.

Like, there's like stuff we're talking about now and then there's the stuff that we're going to talk about, like the things you're doing now.

So this is like your origin story.

And like, and so.

And part of this is like the cool, like the thing that I am a. I am like a technocrat when it comes to hairdresser haircutting.

I am, I am like, I like to nerd out.

I like to get.

I'm classically trained, I'm an academy instructor.

And, and.

But I'm also like, very aware that that is one way to get to the end result.

And we live in a world like now where like Pivot Point did this research paper about education and they were saying how today's student wants the end Result.

They don't want the process.

They're bored with the process because they're so used to like the screens coming up and giving you all the answers and everything.

You know, especially now with AI, the world of AI.

But mainly it's like the world of pictures.

It's like we see the end result and we just.

How did you get there?

And so anyway, my point is that I am very curious to dig into this, which I think probably be a separate conversation about like the evolution of hairdressing and becoming of like, like the modern day like, approach to be to learning how to do your craft and like the push for so many people to want to be independent and they want to blaze their own trail.

And so a lot of times they, A lot of times like that gets translated into I need to figure it all out by myself just watching videos.

I don't need to go through like training programs and stuff like that.

And I think that a whole, a whole other world that I don't have a lot of exposure to.

And so I'm curious to know like, learning from learning in YouTube and like, and then going to school after you've been already doing hair and then going in and opening up a salon.

First of all, you got, you graduated school and then you opened up a salon.

So did you open up a salon right after you graduated?

So actually I purchased the salon that I've been attending since, as a client since 2018.

I had been working there September of 2019 or sorry, working there September of 2023 and then purchase this, purchased it the following January.

So.

Okay, so I want to hear that, that story too.

But okay, so pretty, pretty quickly you go, you go.

The rate of your moving is like significantly like hockey stick, like up and to the right, you know, and.

Right.

And that is not normal.

And so I think that's also an interesting part of your story.

Okay, so now that I've laid that groundwork, let's get back into what we're, what we're talking about here.

So you, you, you're working with special needs kids.

You get a chance to play around with different, doing different, doing different hair.

And you're like, ah, that's, that's what I want to do.

And okay, so, so you, you take it up from there.

Sorry.

So I was actually attending school.

I was doing a dual licensing program to become a teacher.

Um, so I was doing a double, I was becoming or elementary educator.

K through 12.

Sorry, K through 6 and then special education, K through 12, mild to moderate.

I actually quit the facility in March of 2022 because they were wanting.

As one of the trainers, they didn't want me to do it my way or the way we were supposed to.

They wanted to do it the way that worked for the budget.

And when it's people's licenses online, the budget doesn't matter.

When it's people's lives, like, we need to take care of our people.

So I unfortunately parted ways with the facility and started working at the local elementary school as a permanent substitute.

I was planning on doing my student teaching there that fall.

I was pretty bored with life, actually.

I felt like I was not showing up as myself, and I was just kind of screwing people over.

I mean, I was doing things I wasn't really proud of, and I was just making decisions to get that exhilarating choice or the exhilaration, adrenaline rush.

And I actually got my last DUI.

So I had three within five years.

I got my last one May 11th of 2022.

Best thing that ever happened to me.

Because it pulled.

It allowed me to realize what I was doing.

And each one, I said, I have three.

Each one I've earned.

Each one got worse because it was a second and third, however, and I'm grateful for all three of them.

The last one really helped me because I had to do 30 days jail time after that.

So I had 56 days between when I got it to when I was sentenced to.

And that was, like, the hardest 56 days of my life.

I am very fortunate that I've never been.

Never had to deal with not getting out of bed because of chemical imbalances.

It was my choices.

The couple times I didn't.

And so I was able to.

I decided that was my rock bottom.

I didn't want to find a trap door.

I was like, how much worse can it get?

And so I was like, this is it.

Like, it can't get much worse.

And so I decided to use that time to get better and to just really focus on what I was doing.

I was sober for 511 days, and it was wild because I got my DUI on May 11 after I was done with drug court and everything else.

I was ready to break my sobriety.

I really felt like I had it.

And I was like, how many days has it been since May 11th?

And I googled it, and I was like, holy cow.

5:11.

Wow.

You know, like, I mean, crazy and so crazy.

Yeah.

And my mom, actually.

So I did 30 days jail that summer, and then I had to do 28 days house arrest.

And that was the summer of 23.

I decided when I was in, in jail that I wanted.

Well, I was like, I don't want to be a teacher in the public school system.

And I'm very grateful.

The first day of school, my or my program, my school had me read the standard and code ethics.

So it says that you will agree to live the standards of a teacher in your personal and professional life as well, but your personal, because it's still a community role that you still have to do that.

So I kept thinking like, I don't want anything to hold me back or to make me feel like I can't be myself because I've had that before previous jobs and stuff.

And I was like, you know, could I still be a teacher?

Probably, but I don't think I would have been happy.

I could.

I saw the writing on the wall, saw behind the scenes, kind of the same thing.

When I didn't want to be a doctor, I got to do lots of job shadowing.

I saw the behind the scenes, lifted the golden curtain or whatever and saw everything else.

And I was like, nope, not worth it.

That's not the mold I want to go.

That's not the route.

And it was hard to make all of those pivots, but I pivoted.

And a common theme, I like to say is I bet it all on me versus betting it all on them.

I felt like I had to fit the mold of a restaurant person, you know, or a doctor or a teacher.

And it's like, I'm going to go to the beauty industry because at this point there is no mold.

Like, what's the mold of a hairdresser?

Quirky, Quirky, weird, fun, energetic.

Okay, cool.

But at this point, right, like there's no mold.

And like you said, I tell people, you know, that I've had a very accelerated non linear path.

And I feel like when people have seen me around at the events, I get some looks, they're like, kind of like, who the heck is this guy, right?

Like, who does he think he is?

And a lot of my I've had people tell me like, you're not hustling.

You haven't hustled in this industry long enough.

You haven't done the 10 year hustle to make it.

And it's like, but I've hustled in other ways.

My universe, my experience is universal and I'm choosing to use it as such rather than just limiting that experience to the restaurant or limiting that experience to when I was going to be a teacher.

It's like, what are you talking about?

You know, within two and a half years of dropping out of school to be a teacher, I am actually under contract with a brand as their educator, which is, I'm so grateful.

Like I'm forever grateful.

And honestly what I was worried about, losing my license as a regular teacher in the public school system or other ways.

That is almost what they love about me.

And I get to celebrate.

And they're obviously, you know, they understand life happens.

People don't want me to make more mistakes or more choices like those, but they sell it.

They know everyone has had a past and we're all just trying to do better once we know better.

And they celebrate you for that.

And that's what I really love.

This is, this is such a great story.

So, so you're like, you're like pre med and then you're like, I don't want to do that.

And then you end up, go, end up running a restaurant and then, and then going into a second restaurant and then, and then you go into teaching and then you have this major major.

Like the teaching was.

So where, where in the timeline did the teaching and the last, the third DUI and the time you had to serve, like what.

Which would came before.

So I actually, I got my DUI May 11th of 2022 and then my second one was May 13th, the previous year.

So second and third were only were less than a year apart, which is wild.

And they, I was in jail from July 6th to August 5th.

So basically summer break.

And I missed one day of, I missed one day of work when I actually got it.

But then I showed up on Friday and apologized and my boss wasn't happy at the time.

And you know, I was kind of, I didn't explain the situation.

If I would have explained the situation, it would have been easier.

However, I was actually able to probably still work at the school if I wanted to.

But I was starting cosmetology school in October of that year and they didn't want someone just part time.

So I was like, well we might as well cut odds now if you don't want someone half for two months.

And she's like, I'd rather just get someone for the full contract.

So.

But I dropped out like in August of that year when I started cosmetology school.

Okay, so I think, okay, so I think we got the timeline now and then, and then you go and then you have this life changing experience where you also, you were telling me beforehand, you were also doing some hair while you Were serving.

Serving your time and that you.

So you had this experience.

You're.

You're.

It's.

It's kind of like it was what the kids.

It was when you're in during your time, and then you get out and you go right into school, it sounds like.

So, yeah, I got out in August, had to do 28 days house arrest.

I wanted to start school in August, but my PO Is actually a little mad at me, probation officer, because I had failed a drug test.

I was not drinking before jail, but I was still smoking weed.

And so I failed my first drug test because I was looking at 60 days in jail.

But the judge wanted to get me started on drug court, so he only gave me 30.

So when I got out of jail and I got drug tested, it was still positive.

And he was like, you haven't been smoking for, like, 90 days.

And I said, well, actually, I was only being, like, breathalyzed before, not drug tested, so I was still using weed.

Right, Right.

And then.

So he actually didn't let me start school.

He told me that I had to be at home or at the meetings, like, whatever meetings, but that was, like, my rules.

So although now that I ask other, like, POs and the judge, he was saying I should have been able to start school in August.

However, I'm forever grateful because my mom passed away in October of that year.

And so I would have been.

You know, it was two days before I started school.

I had.

I got to go down there and be with her for eight days while she was in a coma and spend the time with her that will.

So let me back up.

I got one sanction in September, So if I would have started school in August, and it was because of that positive test that I got sanctioned.

So if I would have started school in September, August, I would have had to call my school and say, hey, I'm in jail.

I'm.

I'm not gonna be able to make.

Would have been excused, which would have been okay, but it would have been embarrassing.

Still.

I would have done it for any.

I would have done anything.

And so I was bummed I didn't get to start in August.

However, I may do.

And then once, you know, you might not understand why life is happening to you or for you at the time, but, like, 2020 hindsight.

And so it's like, I really was able to have that time with my mom.

And because I was sober, I don't think I would have been excessively drinking or anything, but I would have definitely been smoking.

So I would have been going down to the parking lot and not been there with her the entire time.

The eight days when I had to make that decision as her medical power of attorney.

That.

When I got to make that decision, I know, and I will forever know that I couldn't have made a better decision.

I made the decision that she wanted me to make or needed me to make.

Not that I wanted as her son, but that I needed to make for her.

And I will forever be grateful for that.

And that's just one of the little, many, many things of how this has changed my life for the better, you know?

Truly.

Yeah.

Wow.

This.

Wow.

That's.

That's amazing.

That's so amazing.

Like, you know, the, the way things unfold and the experiences and the life that we have and the people that are in them and the things we take for granted and the, and then like you said, in hindsight, being able to look back and see, see those things, that maybe we were taken for granted at the time, but how grateful we are that we were there and that's.

Or, or had that experience, that's.

That's so amazing.

Okay, so, so we, we, we have you.

All right, so I feel like we've gotten like the, this origin story, at least the high level stuff and like the big stuff.

It sounds like.

What, so what are you.

Tell us about your, your salon.

How, how, how many people do you have?

How many chairs do you have?

How many stylists do you have?

Are you hiring?

Are you not hiring?

What do you all specialize in?

Give us a little the rundown of, of that.

Okay, so we have nine stations right now, and I had three full time stylists.

Now I have two.

My third one just moved to Texas with her husband and so excited for him, but definitely hiring as well.

We had four weddings on the books last year.

This year we're over 30.

So I've had to build.

Yes.

It's crazy.

Yeah.

No, it's insane.

I'm so grateful for that too.

And so I've had to build like a bridal team.

And that also is incorporating people I've went to school with.

I get to hire some.

Someone I went to core with.

Both of them work at different salons, but they get to be a part of my bridal team.

And I'm so grateful for that too.

I'm the only licensed barber right now.

The other two are Cosmos.

And then both of them are working on their barber license.

One of them has done her program, just has to take the test.

Other one's working on the program and we specialize.

We love texture.

I am like the curl guy in the Valley.

Even before I started perming my hair, I could never.

I never thought I'd get curl because I have to bleach.

Well, I bleach my hair because I'm pretty ditzy at times and like space cadet.

So I can't be like, oh, sorry, you know, I'm so silly.

My hair is curly.

Like it's blonde.

I have to enhance it.

Right.

And so one of the brands I work with, and I'm an educator with curl culture, they've allowed me to do both.

So I get curly blonde hair now, which is amazing.

But definitely it's been amazing.

We get to do that.

We specialize also.

One of the girls is an amazing, amazing colorist and the other one is amazing at men's fades and extensions.

And it's been so cool getting to be their clients, then the, the, you know, a stylist and then getting to be their salon owner, but also a co stylist as well.

And so it's just, it's been absolutely amazing.

Nice.

So how do you run the business?

Is like, what's the business model?

Do you.

Do you.

Are they independent?

Are they employees?

So it is commission based.

And my salon is called Salon Black, by the way.

Uh, I kept the name from the previous owners and I'm the third owner and I absolutely love it.

I loved it, like I said, as a client.

And now I love.

I've gotten to put my own spin on it, but still keep the little things that I love and really just enhance it and kind of update it, bring it up to scale with offerings that the Valley.

I live in a small area and so, um, I brought a lot of continued education in that.

We've never even had anything close to education in the Valley.

The closest classes are 45 miles away.

And I've brought in multiple many of classes.

And so it's been really amazing to get to do that.

Nice.

Cool.

Awesome.

And do you all have support staff?

Do you all do your own shampoos?

Check people in?

Do you use online booking?

So we are.

I'm in the process of getting online booking going.

It's the hard part for us is releasing that control of custom booking.

Like where.

Because you get people who, you know, 15 minute haircuts versus an hour or whatever, that type of thing.

So just figuring out which pathway to go forward with that.

But we do not actually have any support staff either.

We will some.

One of our stylists will sometimes double book colors and such, but we typically all take our own.

I am working on an assistant program and bringing that on for our next person because I just want to make sure that I know my client, I know my stylist, so I can trust them with our clients.

And you're in Idaho, right?

Yep.

So it's strings, Idaho.

It's like the southeast corner.

It's right between Rexburg, Idaho, and like, Jackson, whole Wyoming.

So, like, you have like, Yellowstone, Grand Teton National Park.

We're just on the other side of the Tetons.

Nice.

So, so in.

In Idaho, what are the rules around assistance?

Like, I know, like, in some states, like, a person can't even shampoo unless they're licensed.

Can you?

But.

Oh, unless.

But in, like, Virginia, you can be an apprentice, a licensed apprentice, and you don't even have to go to school.

You can do your hours at a salon, and then you can take the test.

Once you hit your.

Hit your hours, it's more hours.

But that's what I did.

I didn't go to school.

So what.

What is.

What is the vi.

What is the rule there?

Do you know?

So it's 1600 hours for cosmetology.

And then they don't have.

To my knowledge, there's not the assistance version.

Like, you can't do this or the other route.

Yeah.

Apprentice.

Thank you.

Dropping.

Because I know in Utah it's double the hours, so it would be like 3200 hours is what you have to do for the apprentice program.

And so I haven't heard of anything like that in Idaho.

I do know that if you are wanting the hours or like one of the previous owners, they were a barber instructor, they would have maybe some old stylists using a razor, tried to get around it by saying, oh, we're instructors.

They're in the barbering program.

However, the back room doesn't count as a classroom, so you have to make sure that you have all of those in place.

Because they.

Yeah, that was like a strike against them.

So they don't have.

To my knowledge, they don't have that program.

So creating, like having an assistant program or slash associate program where you can train people up and get them ready for the floor to work at your salon, they would most likely be either students in school or recently graduated.

Is that right?

Correct.

Yes.

Yeah.

So I guess the program I'm hoping to build or building is just to ensure that a recent graduate is going to know all of the services that we do.

Basically just an official onboarding training to the salon rather than just taking someone from school and being like, okay, here we go.

Ask all the questions you want.

I want to make sure that I'm doing my due diligence to our guests and making sure that they have that level of standard or the level of care, the minimum standard that I hold for our guests.

Nice.

Nice.

Cool.

Well, what.

Okay, so I feel like we have the foundation.

We kind of got, like, the.

The salon vibes.

So what else?

I know we're.

We're kind of like just past our time here.

You got a few more minutes so we can wrap this up and hear the.

Hear what's going on now?

Absolutely.

Okay.

Yeah, definitely.

All right, cool.

You know what's funny is I haven't had someone tell me no, and I feel like one day someone's be like, no, I gotta go.

Like, actually, I'm actually.

And this is live or not.

Or record it, you know, whatever.

Anyway, so not to put you on the spot, I hope that it is.

You do have the time, but you did tell me you had a little extra time already.

So for the record, since this is recording.

So what are you doing now?

Tell us, like, what's going on now?

You.

You.

We mentioned brand ambassador.

We mentioned educator.

Tell us a little bit about the brand ambassador and the teach and who you're with and, you know, what's on the horizon for you.

Yeah.

So I have been working with the powder group since actually 2024, and I'm teaching a class for them in December online via Zoom.

So they'll be one of the first that I kind of started working with, traveled a lot with at shows, premiere shows, other types of events.

And then I'm getting to do a class for him.

And that's like a makeup focus group or was built around that.

So it's really cool getting to teach a hair centered class there.

And then another.

The brand I'm an educator for is Curl Cult.

I met Janine when I was at Hair Love Retreat last year, and that was in 2024.

I went up to her afterwards, and I was just, like, gobsmacked.

I love texture, I love perms.

Before, like I said, didn't think it was possible to get my hair permed.

And I went up to her, I was like, oh, my gosh, I can't wait to use this if what you've said is, like, true.

Holy cow.

Just like, mind blown.

And she sent me a message, or she's like, hey, send me a message on Instagram.

I love your enthusiasm.

I Just love everything about, like, what you've said.

I can tell you're passionate.

Once you get a couple perms under your belt and start using the system, I want to, you know, kind of bring you on board at some capacity.

And then I just kept showing up telling her, like, oh, my gosh.

This, like, truly just being genuine and truly being authentic.

And it's to the point to where I've had one of my bosses say, like, it took me a minute to realize if you were being genuine or not.

Because I've had so many people, like, kind of get one over on him, right, or get in and then show that they're not really who they were presenting themselves to be.

And I will say he was maybe a couple one or two Liquid Courages in.

And so I was a little nervous when the conversation first started, because, you know it.

When you start hearing that, it's like, wait, what?

Like.

But then hearing, like, realizing the genuinity behind it.

And I was like, oh, my gosh, like, that's so cool.

It's good to know and good to be aware of for that aspect too.

So then that was a big thing.

So that I. I want to just double down on what you just said, because for the audience listening who wants to work with the brand, you just gave so much.

There's, like, huge, like, gemstones right there.

Like.

Like, you.

Like what?

This is what I heard.

I'm gonna interpret what I heard and turn it into a vice.

If you want to work with a brand, make sure you.

You go where the brand representatives are.

So, like, you should probably be going to events, professional events.

You should be going up to the people at the booths or going into the breakout rooms or the.

Or the classes or the presentations, whatever.

And then it sounds like you stuck around afterwards and went up and went up and talked to talk to the person.

You were excited.

You were enthusiastic, but you weren't put.

You weren't doing this because you heard it on this show, and you're like, oh, if I act this way, then I'll get this.

Because the other side of it is when you get in the.

You get.

You're getting the, like, the inside scoop saying, like, oh, by the way, I like you because you're actually who you present yourself to be.

And you wouldn't believe how many people present themselves to be people they're actually not.

And so, like, just.

Just kind of like, put that out there like you heard it here.

This is a living example, breathing example.

And yeah, that.

That is, like, great advice for Anybody.

Because it's not just new.

New talent who wants to get work with brands.

There are people that have been doing hair, you know, as long as I've been doing or longer that want to start getting in working with brands, and they want.

They have the same question.

So anyway, sorry, I just wanted to know your plan.

Double down on that.

Make sure that landed with everybody.

Yeah.

And I mean, always offer.

Right.

The worst thing that people can say is no, I mean, or thank you.

I'll keep that in mind, you know, and once again, I extend the offer to people that it's genuine to that I really mean it and I will follow through with that.

I mean, that's kind of, you know, about community.

I couldn't do this alone.

I love, you know, Presley Poe and hairdistry.

They have a.

A sweater that is community over competition.

And I'm hoping that I've kind of been in the works with talking to Presley a little bit and of enhancing that design and doing a collab, because it just speaks to me.

And actually I made the same poster a little different.

I put community versus competition, but did like an underline and strike through.

I was like, holy.

Like, what?

And so it was really, really cool.

And so truly like, I don't know.

I'm.

I'm never gonna know everything, right?

I'm.

I'm a forever student.

If you're in a class.

One of the first classes we had in the salon, I was so excited.

One of our stylists had never attended the class except online.

I was like, what do you think of the class?

She's like, yeah, it was okay.

I'm like, well, don't you want to be a stylist or an educator?

And she's like, yeah.

So didn't you learn what you could do as a presenter or educator or what you didn't want to do?

Like, everything is going to be.

Going to be learning opportunity if you use it as such.

And going to the show is kind of the same thing.

I always feel like I'm.

You were saying, we were talking a little before.

You were so tired.

Because what you don't realize is hosting the event you're on all the time.

Even when I'm at a show, if I'm in my room by myself, I get to kind of turn off the show.

Jake.

And get my R and R a little bit.

But when you're attached to your phone, you still, you know, you're hosting and everything.

It's.

You can't do that.

And so it is something that When I've shared a room versus had my own room for those types of shows, I've even realized it two in the morning when you're trying to nurse your hangover or trying to sober up, if you have to go fill your water bottle, you might pass someone in the hallway who you don't know, or they don't know you, but you could see them the next day.

So if you don't have your shoot, like, I go that deep.

Because you really have to, you know, I mean, 100%.

Yeah.

I mean, when I was in school and I met Win for the first time when Claybot, he goes, oh, don't you think, like, people don't realize that I actually go to your Instagram?

I look at who you're following, I look at who is following you.

But I also know that who you're following depicts your feed, your Explore page.

And that was really powerful to hear someone.

And I am not the biggest fan of social media.

I'm working on my relationship with social media.

But truly to hear that aspect that people go that deep into looking at how you're showing up by who you're following, like, it is.

It's wild.

Because our energy, our intention, that is what we have, and that's what we have to give and exchange as.

I love all this.

So I. I live in a little, like, village.

It's like the East Village in the West Village.

And it's surrounded by water and, like, valleys and bridges.

It's kind of isolated.

I mean, It's.

We're in D.C. but it's this little double dual village called Georgetown.

And there's like a corridor that.

That goes out of Georgetown.

It's.

There's one corridor that goes out, but in.

The only way to get out of Georgetown for the most part is crossing a river or some sort of bridge or.

Or something.

And so.

So my point is, I live and work in Georgetown.

And so, like, I was leaving the bar one night, one day recently, and I was like, one of these days I'm going to run into.

I knew a couple clients who live a block away, and I'm like, one of these days I'm going to walk into streets, which is like our local bodega type of convenience store, and.

And to get, like, a salad for my dinner or whatever.

And.

And I'm like, one of these days I'm gonna walk in, I'm gonna run into somebody.

So it's like, I'm like.

I'm like, you know, you know, like, make sure I look good Everywhere.

Like, I can't, I can't be slumming it.

I can't.

Walking around my own neighborhood like, I represent my co workers, I represent my brand, I represent my clients, I represent my, the salon that I am at.

And so like, so, yeah, no, I love that I, I, it's like.

But I never even thought about it at a show.

Walking through the, through the hallway in like your pajamas, thinking you're just gonna go grab.

You're not alone.

Like, no.

And, and you know, half the time it's, well, it could be an awkward exchange and not, you know, not awkward, but like they're kind of feeling the same thing.

And it's like you never know who you're gonna work with in the future.

You never know that type of stuff.

And so it is just one of those things that, you know, people are like, oh, you're traveling so much.

Like, it must be so fun.

Like, it's, it's a blast.

It's a dream come true.

I feel like every one of my careers, my favorite part of that career has been molded into this.

Like, truly, I'm so grateful I get to do this.

I didn't think that life could be this amazing and you can enjoy work.

My dad's a state employee.

He did it for the benefits and the schedule, Right.

I don't have kids like he did, so I don't have to do it for the benefits or the schedule.

And I've gotten to kind of go on whims and, you know, I guess I was on paper.

My parents like Eagle Scout, straight A student, honor roll kid, right?

The one that was supposed to make it big, be the doctor.

And well, I'm being authentic and true to me and I'm grateful for that.

And you know, it's like, I don't know, Beacon really did show me that you get to, it shows the life beyond the chair.

You get to curate whatever you want.

And one of the people I met there as well names Aaron Coon.

And she was silver spoon fed, she said, you know, grew up very, her parents very wealthy.

She punked out College after three semesters.

Her parents cut her off at 21.

She was homeless after being like rich, right?

She was there seven years later at 28 and she was selling a program that she has created.

She's telling us about program that she's created and it was about how she got her money, how she made her first money, got her budget back after not knowing anything about money.

And she was a self made multimillionaire at that point, seven years later.

And it was like she was not a licensed cosmetologist or anything.

She has created this and was helping us learn it as well.

And then now it's on pivot point.

But then also she was like, once I do it, but here, I'm going to real estate and doing it here.

And it was amazing, you know, truly.

Another one is Kira Doyle.

She does human design.

She was working in corporate beauty industry.

And within two years of quitting that job, they hired her to go and do a meeting on human design for the top CEOs.

And they were like two years prior, we're like, who, what, what are you.

You're doing what?

You're quitting this for what?

And then less than two years later, they're like, actually, we want to hire you for that.

And it's like, whoa.

And you know the intro to my book, when I wrote it on my mom's birthday this year, it started because I was like, what makes this story special?

You know, realistically, really, what.

What does?

And it's me.

It took me 31 years to realize that when I've been told that by so many different people.

And it's like it was me having the gratitude to share it and the courage to share it.

And it's been amazing.

This has been great.

So I think this has been a pleasure to hear and get a chance to share your story and I definitely want to have you back on in the future, if you're up for it.

To talk about one, I want to talk about like education and the modern age.

I think it could be maybe a round table, maybe we could get like a cup, maybe one or two other people in involved to just kind of like chat it up.

Because I wanna, I wanna dive into that.

But before, before we go and before we.

And to wrap it up, I want to know like, what pieces of advice would you have for a new talent, like a rising stylist who is looking to do.

They're looking for a dynamic career and they got the entrepreneurial gene or the bug, if you will.

And so that that person.

And then maybe maybe like, maybe something to a new salon owner.

Someone's just starting out, you know, you're, you're, you're still.

You're two years in.

So maybe you have some thoughts for that.

Like what.

Maybe what's worked for you and.

Or maybe a pitfall to watch out for that you didn't foresee if there's something like that.

And then, and then anybody who wants to go and work For a brand.

So the student with the entrepreneurial bug, the, the, the aspiring or soon to be or in the works salon owner and then, and then someone who wants to work with a brand.

Okay.

For the students, I, I like to tell students where I'm at shows and stuff.

Reach out to the people that you're looking up to.

They are people too.

When you famous people, celebrities, people we look up to, they are real people.

They are people just like us.

They want to be.

Most of them wanted to be treated as such.

And it's when you, when I've seen other people go up and just like I get a little nervous too.

But I realistically realize, I take a deep breath, I guess before I go up to him.

I'm just like, hey, I'm a student, I've seen your work here.

Or I love this.

I try and make a genuine authentic connection.

I've had a lot of people say, don't go in and say will you be my mentor?

Because it's a little, it puts a little awkward situation for them because it's like, what if they say no?

Kind of like we were just saying.

But it's like, explain to them why I'm a why person.

I want to know the why.

Explain to them what stuck out to you or what you're hoping to learn or get out of the experience.

Because a lot of the times it's going to be a transaction, right?

What are you wanting from them?

What are you wanting to give them in hopes of a return?

And so I guess don't get discouraged.

But also make sure that who you're looking up to aligns with you and is like who you can see yourself being with or being a part of their future line timeline.

I don't believe in ever following someone's path, but we all kind of crisscross in each other's path and so I think that's important.

Always be a student.

Don't ever think that, you know, everything are good ones.

And then for the salon owner, you know, I think it's important to admit when you're wrong, I mean, or admit when you didn't do something.

This morning I woke up to a text message and I actually, because we had 30 weddings this season, this year going from four to 30, I probably didn't have to do the same thing I had to do with four that I have to do now.

And so I actually missed a preview.

I forgot to delete a preview off of my busiest stylist books and that was like a three, two hour preview.

That she could have had two other clients.

She texted me.

She goes, hey, I haven't gotten, like, we haven't heard from her.

And I was like, oh, my gosh, I'm so sorry.

I called her.

I was like, you know what?

It was when I revamped the system, this was hopefully the last big mistake.

But I told the bride as well, you're the last one I'm revamping.

You know, I kind of had to put them in order of as they came so I could make sure I was doing my due diligence and given the energy and effort to each one.

But I just told myself, like, I'll take care of you.

I'm like, so sorry.

It won't be wasted time as my mistake.

But also the.

She reached out to the bride, and the bride's like, we didn't have a preview confirmed.

And I was like, well, I didn't just put the preview on, like, her books for nothing.

Like, when I was talking to my stylist, I'm like, I called you because I don't want you to think that I just randomly thought this.

Like, I probably talked to her on the phone.

We scheduled the preview, but I never confirmed it.

So I called her, apologized.

I was like, I am truly so sorry.

So even today, I'm admitting that I did something, you know, I messed up.

But it just shows that they are a priority to me.

Maybe I forgot something, but it's like, I do owe them that because I messed up and I'm not perfect.

I know they're not perfect.

I hope they know that.

I tell, you know, they're perfectly them, and I love that.

And I just hope that it shows that I get the patience and give the patients that I hope I get in return.

And I think it's huge to support, celebrate.

Everyone just wants to be heard, seen, and loved, right?

And that's the biggest thing.

The littlest things need acknowledgment.

The biggest things need acknowledgment, and I always try and do that, you know?

Truly, Truly.

For someone that wants to work with a brand, don't just pick any brand.

Like, literally, the reason I'm working with Coral Cole is because I did 17 perms in school.

People knew I was that perm guy in school.

I was the one.

And in the salon, texture guy.

I love all things texture.

I always told people my hair was the straightest thing, straightest part of me.

And then after my first perm, Carla was taking out the rods.

I'm like, oh, no.

What am I supposed to do?

And she's like, what?

I'm like, I used to tell people this.

And she's like, I think you still can.

I was like, oh, okay, good.

Secretly, though, what people don't know is that is honestly a testament to my clients.

If they don't laugh, I probably don't schedule them with me.

Like, it's a good true tell.

I will schedule them with a different stylist.

Not because anything's wrong, but it's because if they came and laugh at that, then they're not gonna laugh at the other things.

Not saying they're not my cup of tea.

I'm probably not their cup of tea, which is okay.

So I also think knowing not every stylist or not every client is gonna be my client.

And that could go back to the other person, to the student as well.

Because honestly, when I started at the salon before owning it, the previous stylist before me had five months.

She was nervous when I started.

She was like, but like, we need a list every day of back and forth, back and forth, every walk in.

And I was like, okay, that's cool.

That whatevs, you know, two, not even two weeks later, they were.

They hired somebody after me.

And I was like, okay, like, whatevs.

You've been in the industry 12 years, I believe was a colorist.

Like, yikes.

So I'm not getting all the walk ins right.

However, I realized not every client's gonna be mine.

Not every client's gonna be hers.

It might take them one or two more appointments to find me, but they'll still find me.

So I wasn't really ever nervous.

So community over competition.

Big, big, big equals conversion.

Just kidding.

No, not just kidding.

That's true.

But.

So I think that one's a big one.

But really, like, say yes to opportunities, because you can learn from the opportunities, but don't agree to every agreement or every, like, contract.

Right?

Because I don't want to say, say no.

But, like, when it comes to brands that you all work with, does it align with you?

It made sense for me.

I use the product curl.

Cool.

I use it.

The other brand I work with is Active.

It's a hair regrowth system.

The reason how I kind of got on with them was I, 31 years old, was doing the normal hair loss.

However, my hair loss after perming my hair went all the way back to here, which you can see I have all of this hair regrowth now.

And that is because of Active.

I had that after four weeks I reached out, like, I went online, wanted to learn about it, got certified.

I filled out the application because I couldn't find much information.

They were revamping their certification process because they've done a lot of research since, filled out the application to be an educator.

I figured if there was anything I could learn or kind of the same thing, when I applied as a supervisor, right.

I wanted to learn the right information.

And they got back to me and said, hey, we love your enthusiasm.

Like, keep in contact with us.

I was like, absolutely.

I just love this product.

I want you guys to know I'm grateful for it already.

Like, what does a sorcery?

And I just can't wait to know more about it, you know?

And then I got an email back saying that they were launching a brand ambassador team and that they were going to forward my emails to the person that was in charge of that team.

And she was so excited with my enthusiasm.

She could tell it was genuine and everything with it that after a phone call, they extended the brand ambassador deal with me.

It was going.

And then I'd seen them at shows since then and gone up to them, you know, introduced myself to the team that I didn't know.

I was like, hey, like, I'm working with you guys, like, so excited.

And then just helping them out at the shows, you know, if they need help checking in, saying hi, good morning, that type of stuff.

Like, I. I want to say common sense, but it's like, what I just try and always check the boxes for me, and, you know, it's just being authentic and genuine, you know, they're not.

Every brand wants a Jake.

You know, every brand wants this and that.

And so it's.

You have to find that.

Don't try.

And biggest thing there, I think, is don't try and fit the brand.

Like, we are our own brand, and our.

Like, we all our clients and people that we help, like, look to us and all everyone else.

And so it's like, I'm not gonna mold myself to fit a brand now.

I might, like, not say the F word as much.

That's not molding.

That's, you know.

But, yeah, I think that's the biggest thing.

Cool.

Awesome.

This is good.

Well, thank you so much.

I feel like there's definitely some people who learned some things and got some piece of advice and everybody else got a chance to really get and connect with you and your story.

And thank you so much for opening up and being willing to share everything.

It really was a pleasure talking to you and having you on the show today.

Thank you.

And just really quick, I said it to you earlier, I love.

I think one of the biggest thing is giggling out loud, right?

Hashtag go.

Well, it's going to be my biggest thing.

I have stickers and everything.

You can laugh at someone, you can laugh with someone, you can't giggle at someone, but you definitely can giggle with someone.

Almost puts that innocence back in the intentions and it just makes sure the genuine and authenticity is there.

And if you guys ever have any questions or want any.

Want to reach out or anything, I have been told I give good advice.

When I was helping my mom through dad, mom and dad separation, talk to her for two and a half hours and I'd be like, holy shit, where'd that come from?

Like, I don't even know where that came from.

Like, I'd be writing notes down with what I tell her.

So if you guys ever need anything, please do not hesitate to reach out on Instagram.

Jake's hair page.

All one word.

My hair page.

And then we have Jake's makeup page or the salon page.

Awesome.

And I'll make sure all that information is in the description below.

Definitely.

Feel free to reach out and yeah, until next time, Jake, thank you so much.

I'll see you later.

Thank you, man.