Meet Jessie Yezek

We recently connected with Jessie Yezek and have shared our conversation below.

Jessie, thrilled to have you on the platform as I think our readers can really benefit from your insights and experiences. In particular, we’d love to hear about how you think about burnout, avoiding or overcoming burnout, etc.

Burnout is something service industry workers know all too well. With being on your feet all day, maintaining conversation; as passionate I am about what I do, I do get burnt out too. Ways I’ve learned to avoid burn out over the years has been a lesson in learning. I used to get super overwhelmed and would have to reschedule days, it was a never ending battle that was going no where. What has become important to me to maintain energy and avoid burn out: 1.) getting outdoors. Yes even in the winter, getting outdoors makes the days go by quicker and it keeps your mind fresh always looking at different forms of nature. 2.) meal prep: I have dietary issues and if I’m not eating very healthy and consistently I start to feel the effects. The meals don’t have to be fancy they just have to be balanced and work for your schedule. 3.) alone time/creative freedom time: this is time I spend watching a show/doing a craft/reading. It’s time I allow myself to turn off the mind and tap into the heart and soul.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

I am a professional independent hairstylist and I’ve been working in my industry coming up on 8 years now. Being a hair stylist is so much more than just doing hair. It’s an emotionally charged job. From maintaining relationships, executing desired results, while also having boundaries the job is a balancing act. What I find so special about my job is the emotional depths I explore with people on a daily basis, the laughs I get to share, and the community that gets built along the way. I am not a stylist who specializes in services. I like to see projects from finish to end. I’m always open to learning new things and willing to try anything at least once.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

This is such a good question. For me, what’s been most important is communication. Knowing how to say things swiftly and effectively without being blunt or brash is not an easy thing to do. I see people often struggle with verbiage or how to present themselves and it also affects your self confidence. Without the proper communication skills it can be easy to have a lot of self doubt in yourself. Being a hairstylist is a very technical job, but there’s also so much conversation that goes into it. Communication is an important skill to attain, I think self confidence follows suit to that. Without it how can you represent your brand in an honest way? The third skill, I think, would have to be being optimistic; or being willing to always learn new things. In beauty school we were always taught “if you think you have nothing to learn, you’re in the wrong industry.” I believe in this deeply today still.

Awesome, really appreciate you opening up with us today and before we close maybe you can share a book recommendation with us. Has there been a book that’s been impactful in your growth and development?

Well if you’re a y2k person you probably know JoJo (Too Little, Too Late) wrote a book “over the influence”. she talks a lot about addiction and being in the public eye at such a young age. Through out the story she talks about Buddhist ghosts called the “hungry ghosts.” These ghosts are said to have been consumed by greed, spite, and jealousy in life, and are now tormented by an insatiable desire for food. They are often depicted with tiny mouths and large stomachs, and are considered to be in one of the least desirable realms of rebirth. Learning about the ghosts struck a chord with me, being a young female in today’s generation it’s very easy to get wrapped up in a life you don’t actually value just trying to fill the void. The ghosts have acted as a tool of guidance and tapping into my true self. Sometimes it’s simply just me asking “do I want this for myself or does society want this for me?” It starves these empty pockets or “ghosts” inside of us from always wanting more. When I believe the deeper reality is we are yearning to come back to homeostasis within ourselves.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @spiritedhair

Image Credits

Photos by Madeline Harpell
Photos by William Hawk Reiter