Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashley Jackson.
Hi Ashley, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
I discovered my passion for doing hair when I was 10 years old. I started out braiding and by the time I was 17, I got a summer job as a shampoo assistant where I was exposed to learning a variety of hairstyles and techniques. That’s when I realized I didn’t want to limit myself to just braiding and I decided to take my skills to the next level.
After graduating high school, I was so excited to get into cosmetology school but my mom saw a different path for me. Although she fully supported my passion, she was more concerned with me having a plan b, so my mom encouraged me to go to college first. I attended South Carolina State University and chose business as my major because I knew I wanted to eventually own a salon. It just made sense to learn about business so I would be prepared to successfully run my own. As soon as I graduated from college, I immediately went to hair school a month later.
Following hair school, I started trying to figure out where I belong so I began at a commission salon. That didn’t work out for me so I went back to the drawing board and did hair from home for a while. That’s when I decided I wanted even more for my career so I took it upon myself to enroll into graduate school and I earned my MBA from South University. At that point, I was ready to 10X my business! I worked in a booth rent salon, worked my way up to a private suite, and now I have my own salon, Distinctions Hair Lounge where I’ve been for 4 years but it doesn’t stop there. I have dreams of buying land and building my dream salon on it.
Throughout my journey, I’ve had some pretty amazing opportunities that have stretched me and made me believe I could do things I never imagined. I’ve competed in countless hair shows and even won a hairstylist icon award in St Thomas, Virgin Islands! I partnered with Ashtae Products Inc. as an educator and I have been able to travel the world while also building my brand as a successful professional hairstylist. With all of my 23 years of experience and accolades I’ve obtained over the years, I’m now putting all of that knowledge into mentoring and coaching young professionals in the hair industry to become the best version of themselves and encouraging them to never stop following their dreams.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
-It has definitely not been easy. The different transitions that I went through from doing hair at home to owning my own salon took a lot of faith. -I had to trust my mom’s advice and put my plans of going straight to hair school after high school on hold to get my business degree first.
-I worked in the corporate world while going to school, and still maintained my clientele while continuing to figure out my next move.
-growing up struggling with my self-esteem because I suffered from hair loss at an early age. I spent a lot of years being self-conscious and not confident in myself because of what I was secretly going through. My focus became healthy hair because I struggled with my own.
-I lost my mom in 2019 which caused me to lose focus completely. I was empty inside and was only showing up because I had to. My drive went away and I felt like my fire went out.
-I got pregnant 3 months after my mom died and became a mother which rocked my world even more because I was forced to find my why again and my purpose had just became even bigger.
-It’s been 2 and a half years since my mom died and it’s still hard for me. But I’m using my strength to keep fighting because my legacy is on the line.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
A. Michelle Hairstyles was established in 2016. It is my personal brand that highlights the many talents that I have as a versatile hairstylist, but healthy hair is my main focus. I’m known for helping women fall in love with their hair and embrace their true beauty from within. My ability to transform broken, damaged hair into healthy, beautiful hair is what makes what I do so special. I’m different from other stylists because I’ve created my own lane and started a membership program for clients that are committed to being consistent in the salon and wish to see results from their hair. It’s called “Trust Your Stylist” Healthy Hair Membership and it’s currently what I’m most proud of. It took a lot of courage to cut over half of my clientele and dedicate myself to a limited number of clients. I’m able to scale my business, and now I have the time in my schedule to focus on my new venture which is education. A huge part of my focus is now dedicated to helping entry-level hairstylists find their way and educate them by sharing my experience and skills to help them become the next beauty professionals.
In addition to my exclusive membership and education, I also provide help to individuals who are not physical clients of mine by providing them with custom hair kits so that they know how to properly care for their hair at home using all Ashtae products. I’ve also created my very own natural Healing Scalp Elixir that gets to the root of the problem and helps to repair your hair by starting at the scalp. I just recently launched it on 2/22/22 and it’s been a huge success ever since. I have my own hairline, Elite Extensions by A. Michelle. I also offer wedding services for full bridal parties
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
Focus on the end goal and develop a plan that’s going to get you there. It’s impossible to know the steps to take if you don’t know the destination. The path may change along the way but your vision should not. It should only get bigger if it does change. Even when it gets hard, keep going and don’t get inside your head thinking you’re not good enough. God gave you your own vision and gift for a reason, and if you believe in your heart that what’s for you is for you, then nothing can stand in your way.
Contact Info:
- Email: Contact.ashleymichelle@gmail.com
- Website: www.amichellehairstyles.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amichellehairstyles/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amichellehairstyles
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCAUqCT3L0NakP-oRezKGdjg
Image Credits
Terrell Maxwell Photography
