Meet Jessica Nields

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jessica Nields a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Jessica, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.

When entering senior year of high school I had no direction I wanted to go. I was thinking about going to cosmetology school but talked myself out of it and went to a small local college, Cabrini University. My priorities at that time were party and hang out with friends. After my first semester I had revisited the idea of cosmetology school with my parents. They were very against the idea and told me, “you started college, you will finish it” as I am the first generation in my immediate family to get a bachelor’s degree. I stayed in school and graduated with my bachelor’s in marketing and a minor in HR. After looking for a job in the field for 3 months post graduation, I couldn’t find anything that felt right. I am a very active person and didn’t want to be tied down to a desk in an office with little to no windows. I had been day dreaming of doing hair since I sat down in a salon and saw a stylist cutting her daughter’s hair and thought that it could be me one day. After applying to jobs left and right and either not hearing back or not feeling right in the office, I decided to take the leap into going to cosmetology school. I started part time in September 2018 so I could work my retail job to pay my bills until I hit enough hours in school to move to full time and finish quicker. About 6 months in to school I went in to my first salon job as an assistant. I watched each stylist color, paint, and cut hair and thought to myself, “I’m right where I’m supposed to be.” The thought of going to work, meeting new people, making men and women feel better about themselves didn’t seem like a job to me! I graduated cosmetology school in September 2019 and went behind the chair in October 2019. After a month behind the chair I knew I was doing what I loved and was most passionate about – helping others feel good and looking their best! I’ve been in the industry 5 years now and have not looked back since!

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I’m a hairstylist at Salon 555 in Berwyn, PA. I focus on blondes and color. Our salon is merging with another this Fall and we are expanding and super excited! I have my cosmetology educator’s license and look forward to starting an apprenticeship program through the salon, as i love to help teach and guide the next generation of stylists. I love to workout and be active! I coached girl’s club volleyball for 3 years before having to step down and be in the salon more. I am very passionate about what I do and love to ensure all who sit in my chair are comfortable, heard, and feel their best when leaving!

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

3 skills and qualities that were impactful on my journey are decision making, keeping an open mind, and not letting fear hold me back.
Don’t be afraid to start new! It’s not an easy life to live when you don’t enjoy what you do, so it’s best to find what you love and run with it! It takes time, just as anything else, but it is all worth it in the end.

Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?

I’m always open to collaborations! Whether it be service for service and helping market each other or just helping shout each other out on social media! I’m open to any and all suggestions! Specifically, I’d like to collaborate with people who get highlights, balayage, or root touch ups that can market my work and help promote me to outside potential clients.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @hairxjessnields
• Other: TikTok @nieldsjess