Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jessee Skittrall. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Jessee, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

As a seasoned salon owner and educator in private schools, I consistently faced the challenge of hiring newly licensed stylists who required extensive training—often spanning months or even years—to reach proficiency. When the opportunity to offer licensure through apprenticeship arose in our state, I saw a promising solution.

However, as I embarked on my first apprenticeship, it became evident that there was a significant gap in the existing structure. It was clear that the average busy salon owner lacked the necessary skills, time, and resources to effectively guide apprentices through this process.

To address this issue, I leveraged technology to optimize resources and streamline the training process. By identifying the exact knowledge and skills required for licensure, I developed a comprehensive toolkit, including structured training, onboarding, and accountability systems. This innovative approach empowers salon owners to maintain compliance, build a highly skilled workforce, and achieve maximum productivity and profitability.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Jessee Skittrall comes from a long lineage of beauty professionals, tracing back six generations of hairdressers. Growing up in the backroom of his mother’s cosmetology school, Jessee was immersed in the world of beauty education from an early age. This deep-rooted connection to the industry shaped his passion and commitment to advancing beauty education.

Jessee went on to earn multiple professional licenses, including Cosmetology, Barbering, Manicuring, Esthetics, and an Instructor License. His career took him through various roles in education and sales, before ultimately settling into salon ownership. It was during this time that he identified a critical gap in workforce training—graduates from traditional cosmetology and barber schools often lacked proficiency, leading to high dropout rates within the industry.

When Washington State introduced apprenticeship as a pathway to licensure, Jessee saw an opportunity to bridge this gap. Leveraging his teaching experience, he became a pioneer in operating apprenticeship-to-licensure programs that complied with both state and federal regulations. Over the years, he refined and perfected this system, ensuring apprentices received hands-on training while meeting all regulatory standards.

From this success, Jessee developed the Atarashii Apprentice Program, a turnkey solution for salons, shops, and spas looking to grow their teams and develop a skilled workforce through direct-entry apprenticeship. By systemizing the approach, Atarashii makes it easier than ever for beauty businesses to train and retain top talent, ensuring apprentices enter the industry job-ready and confident.

Jessee’s vision is clear: to modernize beauty education, empower professionals, and create a sustainable future for the industry through apprenticeship.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

I grew up in an environment where quick reactions were necessary for survival. As a child, I learned that strength meant responding instantly to conflict, that hesitation signaled weakness, and that control was best maintained through immediate decisions. It was a way of navigating a world that often felt unstable, a defense mechanism that carried into adulthood and eventually, into leadership.

When I opened my first salon, those childhood instincts served me well—at first. Quick decisions kept the business afloat, and rapid responses to challenges ensured things got done. Employees and apprentices admired my decisiveness, but over time, cracks began to form. The very traits that had once been strengths began to create tension. Team members hesitated to bring up issues, fearing my immediate reactions. Apprentices felt unheard, their ideas dismissed before they could be fully explored. The salon functioned, but the culture suffered.

One pivotal moment came when I lost control during a particularly stressful day. In a burst of frustration, I grabbed a stapler and hurled it across the room—right in front of a key staff member. The silence that followed was heavier than any words could have been. I saw the look on their face—shock, disappointment, maybe even fear. That wasn’t the kind of leader I wanted to be.

That moment hit me harder than expected. Fear. That wasn’t what I wanted to cultivate. A salon should be a place of growth, of learning—not fear. That night, I reflected on my own past. Reactivity had been a survival skill, but in leadership, it was proving to be a liability.

Then, my world changed. My husband was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer and ultimately passed away. Grief reshaped everything I thought I knew about control, about urgency, about what truly mattered. Upon returning to work after his passing, I saw my business—and myself—with new eyes. For the first time, I could clearly recognize the reactive behavior I had permitted and promoted in my team, my business partners, and ultimately, the culture I had created. What once felt necessary for survival now felt intolerable.

I could no longer accept reactivity as the norm. It became clear that my leadership had to evolve, and that meant making hard choices. Ultimately, I parted ways with my business partner, allowing me to focus more fully on the quickly growing apprenticeship program. I knew that if I wanted to foster a culture of stability and empowerment, I had to lead by example.

Determined to change, I sought guidance from mentors and leadership books. I started practicing mindfulness, learning to pause before responding. Instead of reacting, I listened. When apprentices or employees brought concerns, I forced myself to take a deep breath before answering. I introduced a new policy—anyone could bring up a problem, no immediate response required. I encouraged discussion, problem-solving, and collaboration.

The shift wasn’t instant, nor was it easy. I often caught myself about to jump in with a quick fix, an immediate order, a sharp critique. But over time, the atmosphere transformed. My team, once hesitant, began asking more questions. Apprentices started offering ideas without fear of shutdowns. Employees felt heard, and the workspace became not just a workplace, but a learning hub.

My greatest revelation was this: leadership wasn’t about having all the answers right away. It was about fostering an environment where answers could emerge. By unlearning the reactive habits ingrained from childhood and reinforced by hardship, I became a leader who empowered others rather than controlled them.

And in doing so, I finally felt a different kind of strength—one rooted not in reaction, but in intention.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

There have been two major moments in my life when I had to pivot—one in business and one in my personal life. Each time, the change wasn’t easy, but it ultimately led me to where I am today.

The first was in the early days of building an apprenticeship model. Initially, we structured the program around in-person trainings at host locations across the state. At the time, it seemed like a great way to provide hands-on support, but as we moved toward a national model, it became clear that this approach wasn’t scalable or sustainable. I saw the need to evolve, but my business partner at the time refused to recognize the importance of making that shift. That forced me to make a tough decision—to part ways and start my own program with a new, more effective model.

That pivot allowed me to refine several aspects of the program. One of the biggest changes was recognizing that the in-house salon educator, not an external apprenticeship educator, should be the ultimate technical authority. By shifting the technical hands-on training to the Training Salon itself, we not only created a more seamless learning experience but also accelerated the apprentice’s success cycle. They were able to integrate into the salon’s culture and master its techniques much faster, benefiting both the apprentice and the salon. It was a hard transition, but it was the right one.

The second major pivot was when my husband passed away. Grief changes you in ways you don’t expect. Before his passing, I balanced my time between being a salon owner, working behind the chair, and running the apprenticeship program. But after, I felt a profound shift—my passion for working behind the chair faded, and my drive to grow others, give back, and make a meaningful impact became stronger than ever. That change gave me a renewed sense of purpose and solidified my commitment to expanding Atarashii and creating opportunities for future beauty professionals.

Both of these moments—one in business, one deeply personal—taught me that sometimes, the hardest decisions lead to the greatest growth. Looking back, I wouldn’t change a thing, because each pivot brought me closer to the work I truly love.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.atarashii.org/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/atarashii_apprentice/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AtarashiiApprenticeProgram/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/30601816/admin/dashboard/
• Other: tik tok :https://www.tiktok.com/@atarashiiapprentice

Image Credits

Bella Red Salon Federal Way, WA