We recently connected with Jada Howell and have shared our conversation below.
Jada, so great to be with you and I think a lot of folks are going to benefit from hearing your story and lessons and wisdom. Imposter Syndrome is something that we know how words to describe, but it’s something that has held people back forever and so we’re really interested to hear about your story and how you overcame imposter syndrome.
If I’m being honest, I’d say that I haven’t completely snuffed out feelings of imposter syndrome. I think, at least for me, that it’s something that I’ll live with. There are good days and bad days. I think as a business owner, when everything falls on you, there are moments when it feels like too much to carry. Then there are the days that you wouldn’t change a thing.
When I have those pessimistic moments, I just think about how I’d feel if I had to start clocking in regularly again. I remember how suffocating it felt to bust my tail for some rich person’s success. And though I’m not rich myself, I find peace in the fact that I’m free. The freedom is what trumps everything else.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I work with brunettes and those clients that are looking for that “lived in” look. Except, instead of “lived-in” blonde, you could say I do a “lived-in” brunette or at least a very dimensional darker blonde. My focus, though, is brunettes. There’s a different approach to highlighting brunette hair versus blonde. In my area there is an abundance of “blonde specialists”. As a brunette myself, I’m happy to give girls with darker hair some highlight love.
I operate a private salon in a suite located inside of the Salon Republic gallery. I aim to produce low-maintenance results, as my clients are either working or working with kids and a family. Time is very valuable to them. Working out of a private suite also offers them peace and quiet from the rest of the world. Many of my clients will just sit in silence or get some last minute work done. The clients that come to me look for that solace.
The goal I am currently working toward is going mobile. I am planning to convert a van into a salon and go to my clients. I’m even entertaining the premise of going to other cities as well. I’m very excited for the next steps.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Three things that have truly helped me keep moving forward are resilience, ambition, and creativity. You really have to adapt to different changes and regroup when something doesn’t work out. It can really make or break you. Ambition keeps you going. It’s the gas in your car. There are so many moments when you think that you should do something else, or perhaps what you’re doing is a bad idea and you should quit. That was the case for me. I still have those moments every so often, but then I think about my dream . I remember why I made the choice to be where I am.
Creativity is a tough one for me, but it is crucial. I’m a very in-the-box type of person and so I have to reach out to other resources to get help with thinking of new ideas. Knowing myself helps me to find the right tools and information to help me come up with innovative ideas.
For anyone struggling on their journey, I would just say get to know yourself really well. When you know yourself, you know where you need help. Also, take things day by day. That’s still a challenge for me. Future thinking or thinking about the past can really consume all of your optimism and courage. Stay the path and you will get there.
How would you spend the next decade if you somehow knew that it was your last?
I am still in the earlier stages of growth. Although I have continued to increase revenue every year, I’m still not where I would like to be. Sometimes I feel so small in the face of the big time salons that have huge budgets for marketing and advertising, or even new fancy equipment.
It’s very hard to not compare yourself to others and where you think they are success wise. But, what I do know, is the clients that have stuck with me remind me that I’m talented and that I’m valued. I think times are tough for a lot of people right now, and so my business feels some of that.
I feel that my time is on the horizon , and I just need to be patient and learn as much as I can right now.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.newcheveux.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/newcheveuxnow
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/newcheveuxnow
