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

Alehna, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Do you have a hero? What have you learned from them?

My heroes are my parents. Without my father I would not be where I am today with my business. He thinks very logically. Logical thinking is very crucial in being a business owner. I’ve had many struggles throughout the years being an entrepreneur. Each time I failed he was there to keep me grounded and push me to never give up. He has always believed in me and supported any next big idea I have. My mother has taught me empathy, to be judgment free and to be kind. These characteristics are imperative being a hair stylist, since my main job is to make my clients feel comfortable and beautiful. I have become a better person because of what my mother has taught me and it reflects on the relationships I have built with my clients. The diversity between my parent’s personalities has given me a very exceptional balance to the woman I have become today. I am forever grateful and blessed to have them as parents.

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?

My name is Alehna Jane and I’ve been in the industry for eight years. I always knew I wanted to be a business woman from an early age. My main interests growing up were fashion, anything beauty related, sports and music. I decided my Senior year to take a tour at the Aveda Institute. I quickly fell in love with the “hands on” environment and I enrolled that day.

My career began at an Aveda salon where I quickly realized the environment was not the right fit for me. I found myself not fitting in and wanting more opportunity and experience for myself. I then went on to become an independent stylist and have never looked back.

I had a salon suite for three years and recently transitioned to opening a space with a partner.

At Nova Salon we specialize in color and extensions. In addition, we use our platform to create art, connect with women, build their confidence to feel and radiate their best self and educate them on what hair service is most accustomed for their lifestyle. We pride ourselves in giving thorough consultations, giving our clients full transparency as well as realistic expectations with their hair goals. The vibe at Nova is a laid back luxurious feel. We love for our clients to feel like they are just coming to hang out with the girls, while feeling relaxed and leaving feeling better than they came in. Whether it comes from the hair, the chats, the chilled glass of wine or all of the above.

I also strongly believe that part of continued success comes from continued education. I am constantly evolving my craft, traveling to stay on trend with modern techniques and continuing to grow as an artist.

I have become an entrepreneur to be who “I” want to be without anyone telling me what that should resemble. I am more than blessed to have the opportunity to connect with others in a safe place that has been created with Nova Salon.

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

A lesson I had to unlearn was at the my first job at a commission salon. The idea of what defined a successful stylist; quantity over quality. I was taught that being booked, busy and working long hours was the only way to be successful. However, I don’t believe all salons are ran like this. Therefore, I discovered that it is essential to work in a salon that has the same values as I have. I am pleased to see the industry transitioning into a more work-life balance. I now have full control of my schedule and plenty of time to travel, take mental health days, catch up on my personal life and spend time with my dog, friends and family. I believe this is imperative, because if I don’t take care of myself, I am unable to provide my clients with the best experience.

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

This past year I had a pivotal moment going from being totally independent to having a business partner. I was anxious about the transition at the beginning, because it had been primarily just me for years making the decisions for my business. I had a five year goal to reach and I came to a point where I wanted another like-minded individual to bounce off of to keep me motivated and my creative side flowing. I have been very fortunate with my business partner; we get along great and understand the expectations we have for one another. We have similar morals and our energy aligns very well. These aspects are extremely important in a partnership. Our relationship is one pillar that can really make or break our vision and goals.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://bio.site/alehnajane
• Instagram: alehnjane