We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jessica Hunter a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Jessica, we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?
I draw my resilience from a combination of past life experiences and the values that were instilled in me by my mother who is now passed. Growing up, I watched my mother navigate tough situations on her own with the utmost grace and determination, teaching me the importance of perseverance.
A pivotal moment that tested my resilience was the day she passed away. I was only 23 at the time and already a single mom of 2 little girls. Losing my mom who was my rock and best friend was one of the toughest things I’ve endured. She was always my safety net but with her passing I now had to learn how to stand on my own two feet.
During the next few years life was rough, I lost my dad and a few other integral family members and I also came out of abusive and toxic relationships. However, I leaned on my faith first and foremost and gave it all to God. I stayed focused on my goals, and took baby steps that eventually led me to where I am today.
With every setback in life, I firmly believe they are either God winks or life lessons that draw you closer to your purpose. These moments have allowed me to grow in ways I never thought possible, I have been able to realize my own strength and I’ve learned to dance in the rain when times get tough.
Many use the analogy of the phoenix rising out of the ashes and it seems my life has been a string of me falling and rising. But like I tell my daughters all the time, you can’t cry over spilled milk, and when you hit rock bottom there’s only one option, and that’s to rise.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I own Jade Beauty Collective, a beauty and wellness studio located in Colleyville Texas. We also recently acquired our second location in Keller Texas. It is currently undergoing renovations and we are extremely excited about this second phase of the business.
We are a full service concierge beauty and wellness service. We offer 1:1 sessions for our clients. In my career I have learned that my clientele always preferred a more private and intimate experience. So I created a space that truly fosters this type of environment. Not only for our clients but for our service providers as well, who prefer to work in a more serene and private setting.
Jade Beauty is also a collective a solo-preneur women who have a deep passion for the beauty and wellness industry as well as a passion for community and philanthropy. We are more than just a beauty studio, we offer a space where other fellow women entrepreneur’s can come in and collaborate with us in order to cross market and share our talents with our community.
In addition to my own business, I co-own a logistics company with my husband, we’ve been in this field together for over a decade, I am also the VP for a local medical clinic. We started off as a Neurology practice, then added our Med-spa side and now are adding family medicine and psychiatry. The expansion of our Colleyville location has been quite exciting to witness. In addition I am on the board of 1:11, a non profit dedicated to spreading fentanyl awareness. After the loss of my nephew, his mom, one of my best friends, created this non profit and has turned it into an amazing cause that has gone international. This cause is so dear to my heart because no parent should have to go through the heartache of losing a child to this horrible epidemic.
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?
Three qualities that I believe every up and coming beauty or wellness professional should foster are; adaptability- the industry is constantly changing, social media and AI have become game changers, and the need for clean and sustainable products keeps growing. You need to be able to adapt to overnight changes in this industry. Vision and creativity- you need to have a clear vision of what you want your brand to look like. From the inception of my business I knew exactly what I wanted it to look like, how I wanted it to feel, and what services I wanted to provide. Leadership and Collaboration- building a successful business requires fostering a strong team and creating a sense of community. Leadership is leading by example and supporting those working alongside me trying to help make my vision come to fruition, and embracing collaborative efforts with other fellow women entrepreneurs. Whether its through mentoring or creating partnerships or alliances. These are all important factors in how I personally achieved and grew my business.
Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?
I am always looking for other businesses to collaborate with. I believe there is power in numbers. I believe that if more women rallied together and for each other instead of trying to knock each others crowns down, we would be an unstoppable force.
When I collaborate with women a few mandatory factors are authenticity, you have to be a genuine person. A Go-getter, someone who embodies a no holds bar mentality. Many can dream of operating a business and many can start a business but can you sustain it? Are you willing to go through the trenches in order to realize your dream? Lastly, women who believe in giving back. Owning and operating a business is one thing, but having a heart and a passion to serve others through your God giving talents is rare. I like to associate myself and my brand with rare gems. If anyone would ever want to collaborate with me they can easily reach me through my social channels. When you deal with Jade Beauty Collective you will not reach a bot, you will reach me directly and I pride myself on the ability to connect with people directly.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.jadebeautyandwellness.com
- Instagram: @jadebeautycollective
- Facebook: Jade Beauty Collective
Image Credits
Jodi & Reggie Washington from Reel Motion Pros- Corporate Content Solutions
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