We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jessica Garrett a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Jessica, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?
My name is Jessica Garrett, owner of Jazzed Up Salon in Oklahoma City. I have an incredible, loving, supporting husband who is my inspiration and cheer leader in life. I’m extremely close with my parents, sister, niece and nephews. My whole life I’ve been lead by my faith. I strive to be the best I can to help provide a better future for them. I enjoy being in nature and going hiking and seeing wildlife, which is where my passion for protecting the environment comes from. I’m a philanthropist with a huge heart. I believe that truly caring about people can change their life and I have that opportunity everyday!
I am a hairstylist that was blessed to find my passion at age 18. I’ve been a licensed stylist since 2007, I was 19 years old. Now at age 36, I still love my career and have added a license as a cosmetology instructor, curly hair specialist, and salon owner.
My passion for helping others, building self confidence, and providing a safe and positive experience is at the heart of every service I provide. After being in the industry for 17 years, it was difficult for me to find a salon that represented the passion and ethics that I wanted to portray. Hairstylists have a huge impact on each person they meet. We can positively impact our community in so many ways starting with quality, professional, and positive appointments. My purpose as a salon owner came to life in January 2024. I realized for myself, my clients and my co-worker/friend, that I needed a different atmosphere and it didn’t exist yet. If it doesn’t exist, I have to create it!
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I have a huge passion for music, specifically Jazz. It’s uplifting, positive, and makes you feel good! This is where my salon name originated, Jazzed Up Salon LLC.
I also realized if I want to continue this career and protect my health I have to remove the toxic chemicals of ammonia and formaldehyde, cleaning chemicals, and strong perfumes, I’m breathing in all day long. These things have been linked to high blood pressure, eczema, respiratory conditions, sinus inflammation, hormone imbalance and more. Then I realized that I was extremely overstimulated by the fumes, noise level, the amount of people surrounding me in close spaces, and extremely bright lights. I would leave work mentally and physically drained.
Then it was clear that I didn’t have to suffer through that every day.
If I owned my own salon, I could control all of those things! I could play Jazz music of my choice that would be calm yet upbeat, familiar, classic/new/ local, it would be inviting and uplifting. I wouldn’t have to worry about inappropriate lyrics or negativity.
I was introduced by my mentor Leah LaSala, to an organic/ vegan haircare line. The brand is Natulique and their color and lightener is ammonia free! With previous color I would choke and cough every time I mixed hair color due to the ammonia gasses. With this color there are no fumes or smell at all! The products are sustainably sourced, packaged in recyclable bottles, and they are 95%-100% organic. Natulique is from Denmark and approved by the Nordic Swan Ecolabel. Using these products has made each day physically better. I no longer sneeze all day, I don’t have headaches, and I’m not coughing.
I was inspired by the 1920’s jazz scene and used that to come up with the design/decor in my salon. This creates a fun, unique atmosphere while receiving your services.
I recognized there were “men only” grooming salons, kids salons, but not adult only salons where woman can also have the selfcare time to themselves that they truly need! So I chose to make my salon 19 years of age and older, Wednesday thru Saturday. We love including the whole family in our salon, so Sundays are for all ages!
Many woman have little to no time for themselves and feel that because they are a mom they have to bring their kids to get their hair done, and our guests have appreciated the environment we created for them! When you are getting a head massage with your shampoo, a steamed towel around your neck with essential oils of your choice, a drink of your choice (coffee, soda, sparkling water, wine) and great conversation, the last thing you want is to be keeping an eye on your kid or hearing them scream or their tablets blaring cartoons.
There are many efforts I wanted to make to support my community and to lower our carbon foot print. We serve our drinks in glass or ceramic instead of paper or plastic cups. This also creates a more personable experience.
Our products are sustainable all the way down the drain. We use eco friendly cleaning supplies. As we grow we will also be a part of Green Circle Salons that will recycle hair, foils and aluminum, color, cardboard, and plastic. (Our current space is not large enough)
We also have a shampoo and conditioner refill station. We encourage our guests to bring their bottles back in and refill them at a discounted price to reduce the production of bottles and the gas to deliver them.
Every month I run a special to careers that do not always get appreciated but they make our world go round! Each month one chosen career will get 15% off their services and products! Example: Baristas, food service, retail associates, mechanics, I.T., HVAC, construction workers, etc.
I wanted to do what I could to promote local artists. So I have on display local art work for sale in my salon.
The future vision of Jazzed Up Salon is more grand than this! I’m just getting started! I have 2 more stages of growth and expansion in mind. I look forward to seeing what the future holds and who will join my team to make this vision come to life!
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
I am a very determined, goal oriented person. I set small goals which keeps me moving forward and feeling accomplished as I achieve each one.
I’m very passionate about everything I believe in which flows into my quality of work.
Last, I’m a very compassionate person who truly cares about each person I meet. I understand we all have highs and lows, walking down our own paths. I like to meet people where they are and do what I can to encourage them.
If you have an idea or vision that gets you excited to think about, start writing it down. What does it look like, sound like, feel like? Then create your small goals that are achievable. Look at it as a staircase towards your ultimate goal. Each step that is accomplished gets you that much closer. Be aware of opportunities that come your way and people you meet, because there is purpose in everything. Each experience whether you feel it was positive or negative, is a lesson learned and will help you grow towards your vision.
To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?
My parents did not give me something of monetary value that changed my life or started my business. What they “gave” me was instilled in me as a child and was continuously shown through out my life. Which is a strong work ethic.
My mom was a waitress most of my childhood. She helped my dad start a home remodeling business which he then grew a clientele and has kept him in business for over 30 years. No matter how hard it was, for either of them, they never gave up. They were determined to provide for the family. They never gave excuses to not go to work. If you need/ want something you have to earn it. Therefore, I’ve been working since I was 14 years old. I take pride in everything I’ve achieved and earned because I worked hard for it. Though we weren’t an extremely wealthy family, we never went with out. We were comfortable, loved and earned everything we had.
Contact Info:
- Website: Https://jazzedupsalon.glossgenius.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jazzed.up.salon/profilecard/?igsh=bW52OHdldXZ1Ynpm
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/15MiEnAvh7/?mibextid=qi2Omg
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
