We were lucky to catch up with Janet Gilbert recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Janet, thanks for joining us today. Parents can play a significant role in affecting how our lives and careers turn out – and so we think it’s important to look back and have conversations about what our parents did that affected us positive (or negatively) so that we can learn from the billions of experiences in each generation. What’s something you feel your parents did right that impacted you positively.
My parents taught me the importance of working hard, treating others with respect, and to never give up. The values that they instilled in me have carried me a long way in business, my career, and even motherhood. They are givers at heart. My entire platform for Carrie J is surrounded around giving back and helping others. They always told my brothers and I that it’s okay to get tired but never give up. Because of them, I have learned to fight through any situation.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers
I founded Carrie J Hair Care in 2015 and launched in 2018. The name came from my late grandmother and my whole platform is surrounded by what she stood for. To empower, inspire, and encourage others. I’ve always loved hair. When I was a hair blogger before starting my business, I became obsessed with ingredients in products. I started making my own DIY products for my readers. Then I began to use them on my daughters hair. They actually worked like no other product I had used. She has 4c hair so it was hard to find products that actually moisturized her hair and kept it soft for more than 1 day. So then I just began giving samples to family and friends and they suggested I start my own hair care line. A hobby became a dream, and it went from there.
I am most proud of creating something that I literally made on my own. I did all if the research myself. I wanted to create hair and beard products that actually work, and I believe I have succeeded in doing so. Maintaining hair should be easy and not feel like a job. We are different because we not only sell amazing hair products, but we educate on ingredients and how to use the products. I want everyone who comes in contact with me to know that Carrie J Hair Care is 100% authentic and we truly believe that healthy hair matters!
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
I had to pivot in business about 2 years ago by going back to a full-time job. Do not be afraid to use your job to fund your business. You can absolutely do both.
Can you open up about how you funded your business?
I used funds from family to start my business and I also saved money to get started with my initial launch.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.carriejhaircare.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carriejhaircare/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CarrieJHairCare/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janetm-gilbert/
Image Credits
Horace Freeman