Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Ja’Male Morrow. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Ja’Male, thanks for joining us today. Alright, so we’d love to hear about how you got your first client or customer. What’s the story?
During covid I was working a 9-5 as a retail store manager. Around that time I noticed a lot of people were getting laid off and I didn’t want that to potential happen to me. I went to dating sites like BLK and tender to display my haircuts. At that point I had no cliental so I was experimenting different was to market myself and get my cuts out. My first official booking was house-call I traveled 20 miles to. The individual found me on the BLK app and did the haircut for $5.
Ja’Male, 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 think it goes back to high school, speaking with may dad about what I wanted to do in life. At that time I didn’t have the answer I just knew that I wanted to make a lot of money, and own something. I came up with this business idea and it been foot on the pedal ever since then. I guess that’s what pushed me to get my degree in business as well. I never knew exactly what I wanted to be, but I knew that dollars make cents if you get what I’m saying.
Being a barber is just a piece of the puzzle. I don’t necessarilly want to be behind the chair for the rest of my life, but the skill allows me to be free of the typically 9-5, allow me the opportunity to endure other entrepreneurial avenues and is also necessary for a business venture I want to pursue. I love seeing people flourish and be happy. Lookng good, having fun and making money. When I’m cutting hair I want my client to have the Freshest fade! When I’m DJing I want people dancing on the dance floors when the biggest smile. And when I’m getting money I want every to come along and get this money with me. I think that’s one of my best traits I genuinely want to see every win! If you put in that work, be diligent, be a student it pays off and I can honestly say that’s how I approach my business and why god has blessed me thus far.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
I remember when I was making the shift from working a 9-5 to working for my self it was one the most nerve racking things that I have ever had to do. I had a job since I was 16, I come from a military family so structure and foundation is very important to me. So for me to break from a traditional 9-5 and venture to being an entrepreneur was unsettling. One thing that I constantly told myself is that “you will not let yourself fail.” I remember my last week working. I used all my PTO to experiment how much I could make cutting hair and door dashing versus working my management job. Lets just say I made well more money controlling my own time versus selling my time to someone else. I had already accomplished so much this was just a small step in creating a masterpiece. Coal under pressure creates diamonds and I perform my best under pressure.
What’s been the best source of new clients for you?
For me social media is juggernaut there is so many different apps and ways to be creative and display your product/talent. It has definitely generated a lot of clients for me and helps keep in touch with them. But for me I believe dating sites have generated my most bookings. It my be weird when you first think about but if you think logically about it. When new people move to a city that they don’t know anyone and they are trying to meet new people they go to dating sites. Me I take advantage of knowing that and place my cuts on the app not only is it free promotion but its not many others thinking like me. I get all the new people to the city.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://fresh-by-schmelly.square.site
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hateonschmelly/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jamale.morrow
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ja-male-morrow-41b126141/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/intent/follow?screen_name=hateonschmelly
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/morrowjamale
- Other: TikTok; https://www.tiktok.com/@hateonschmelly?_t=8XMWDTIYfik&_r=1
Image Credits
my self