We were lucky to catch up with Isaac Crawford recently and have shared our conversation below.

Isaac , appreciate you joining us today. Risking taking is a huge part of most people’s story but too often society overlooks those risks and only focuses on where you are today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – it could be a big risk or a small one – but walk us through the backstory.

I grew up in a small town at Lake of the Ozarks. Population 133. My father was an electrician and my mother worked in a factory. The push to do something more than what was available to us in our small town was very minimal. I knew that the small town life wasn’t for me but how could I create a path for myself to navigate to a more exciting future. I’m 2007 I graduated from central college of cosmetology at lake of the Ozarks and began a career as a hairstylist in the lake area. Having the ability to create so many wonderful relationships while offering an artistic service to them has definitely been truly rewarding. At the age of 28 it was time for me to take my first big risk and relocate to the beautiful city of Chicago. I never thought I could be so happy here. This city and its people have confirmed for me over and over that I am meant to be here. After about 8 years of styling and managing at a local Lakeview salon, it was time for me to take an even bigger risk. In March of 2022 Isaac Crawford Salon opened its doors to the Lakeview/Lincoln Park neighborhoods. We have an incredibly talented and dedicated staff and we couldn’t be more proud of what we have and excited to see what the future holds.

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?

I once told one of my educators that I want to know everything about hair. Their response was that I will never know enough. I have come to realize after 15 years that it’s true. Myself and my staff continuously take classes to try and keep up with the newest and most relevant Trends and techniques. However, we are always excited to see what is next. The industry is always improving and changing, we love the challenge of keeping up with it. We specialize in color, cut, smoothing, extensions, short and long hair.

How do you keep your team’s morale high?

I remember my first management job. I became the assistant manager of a restaurant after being a server for a few years. I remember thinking that I was going to change and fix all of the things that I personally felt could be better. I learned quickly that everyone operates differently, learns differently. One thing that I can say is the most effective way of keeping employees happy is to learn about them as individuals and meet them where they are. It is better to help many individual to become a team and to establish trust in one another. Lead by example and always showcase empathy and understanding.

Can you open up about how you funded your business?

I had always joked that I wanted to open a salon when I turned 35. It was a joke until the ball had begun rolling a little too fast for me to stop it. I had been saving my tips for years and years. I think it was so I could buy a house or condo, but then the pandemic happened and I had a lot of time to think about where I was professionally and where I wanted to be. I remember going to the bank and asking for a loan for a small business, they told me they had put a hold on SBA loans. So I just said thank you and left. Let’s just say, I didn’t buy a house or condo with the money I had been saving.

Contact Info:

• Website: Www.isaaccrawfordsalon.com
• Instagram: @isaaccrawfordsalon