We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jackie Stroud. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jackie below.
Hi Jackie, thanks for joining us today. Risk taking is something we’re really interested in and we’d love to hear the story of a risk you’ve taken.
The biggest risk I’ve ever taken was leaving my career and starting my business. I had been working in sales and business development in the corporate beauty industry. It was very safe, secure, and I was actually good at my job! The next possible promotion at work put me in a position to really look at the trajectory of my career and my life, so I felt that I had to make a decision. I had such a strong vision for the beauty business idea I wanted to create, and I couldn’t stop thinking about it. So leaving the financial security and future certainly, felt almost inevitable. I couldn’t not do it. So it was then I decided to take the risk, quit my job, and enroll in cosmetology school. I wanted to learn everything I could about the beauty world so I could create the best product possible.
The cost, the risk, and going back to school for the first time in a decade (and being the oldest in my class) was daunting to say the least. Everyone thought I was crazy. I moved into a cheap apartment, sold some things, lived below my means, and just made it work. It’s easy to talk yourself out of making the jump with the ‘what ifs’, but once you’re in it, you really just figure it out. I really believe that the universe rewards you for following your intuition, things just start to
workout. A couple years later I am launching ALL HUMANS Brand. A gender inclusive, clean, personal care product line. While it is still a ton of work, it is so rewarding and so worth the risk.
Jackie, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I am the business owner of a new personal care product line called ALL HUMANS Brand.
I started my career in the corporate beauty industry, traveling for sales and business development. I later left, working as a hairstylist, in the pursuit of learning everything I possibly could, to create the best product possible. I observed firsthand how the corporate beauty industry shapes our products and lives. I watched beauty conglomerates dominate the market by dividing people into categories based on hair type, skin type and gender, to make more money.
I felt that we are being over marketed to, and I knew there were way too many steps to my skincare, haircare, and daily personal care routine.
I wanted beauty line that treated their customers like intelligent people. That they understand that clean products don’t include a ton of chemicals and that separating products by gender is a thing of the past.
I wanted clean, quality products that work, I just wanted LESS of them. Thus, the minimalist, clean, gender inclusive, ALL HUMANS line was born!
Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?
I launched our first several products, while working behind the chair as a hairstylist. So there was already a level of trust and rapport with my clients. They understood why I was creating the products, all about the ingredients, that it was truly clean and natural, and felt comfortable trying something new! My clients loved the products, started recommending to their friends and it started growing from there!
Where do you think you get most of your clients from?
We think of ourselves as a brand for the people. So the best place of growth for us is in smaller, locally owned stores, salons, barbershops and boutiques! We did our first wholesale show this year and it was such a great way for us to expand with other like-minded small business owners who want to carry our line across the country.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.allhumansbrand.com/
- Instagram: @allhumansbrand
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackie-stroud-93b4b91a/
Image Credits
Allan Rayson @w4rcreative