We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jasmine Gonzalez. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jasmine below.

Jasmine , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Any advice for creating a more inclusive workplace?

Coming into the barber field a little later in life, I came with some personal experiences as a customer that I knew I wanted to implement in my space. I always loved the idea of being in a shop that was run and operated by all women. With being a barber and male dominated industry there are not a lot of opportunities for us, so it can be refreshing to see other women in the field, uplifting and supporting each other. I also wanted to create a safe space for the LGBTQ+ community. As a masc presenting Lesbian it was always uncomfortable to go into a barber shop and request a haircut and not feel judged. I know it is even harder for others in our community, my goal is to always make sure every person who walks into my shop feels comfortable and leaves my chair more confident then when they walked in.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I was raised as an only child by a single mother who was in the military. Seeing my mother work hard my entire life so that I would not go with out anything showed me how incredible, resilient and powerful women can be. From a young age I found myself having the desire to be creative and picked up art as a hobby. My mother made sure to water my creative seed by supporting all of my ideas. Becoming an adult and having to provide for myself I did what most people do, I went to work to survive and pushed my creative to the side. Going through corporate America I was struggling to find happiness in my jobs. One day in my late 30’s I came across a video of a barber doing some pretty cool designs in hair. I had an ahh haa moment. I started to become obsessed with watching barber videos and seeing peoples confidence change in the matter of minutes was inspiring. I wanted to create art on people, in a way that a lot of people can not do. In 2019, I took a chance and started Barber College. I juggled working full time and going Barber school part time then COVID hit. I took a break from school , but that didn’t stop me. After finishing school and getting my barber license I struggled finding a shop to get into. That was when I realized that being women in this industry was much harder to get into. A friend of mine knew I was having a hard time getting into a shop so she recommended me contact Nikki Nice the Barber for mentorship. I not only found a mentor in Nikki Nice but she gave me an opportunity to work in her shop. Over the past 3 and a half years I have built a diverse cliental, I now have my own suite giving people a safe space to come to, competing in barber competitions with creating haircut designs that are mind blowing. Now, I am a very successful barber who has won the Arizona Barber Expo 2024 and not looking back.

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

My best source for new clients are my current clients. I provide an environment that is a safe space for everyone, I am respectful, I make sure that every client leaves happy and more confident then when they came in. I allow people to be themselves and provide a great service while doing it. My clients see all that I am and what I have to offer they post on their social media, social media groups and tell their friends/family about me, with out me asking. Word of mouth has gotten me over 2 times more clients then anything I have tried.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

It was hard for me to apply no show and late fees when I came into the industry. I felt bad for charging a fee if something came up and clients would miss their appointment. I had to learn that my time was also valuable and I am trying to build a business. I am now using a booking app that provides my no show/late policy while booking with me, they also get a reminder text/email a head of their appointment so that if they do need to reschedule they can at that time and wont receive a fee and allows my books to open back up for another client to take their spot. Finding different tools that others in my industry uses helps me grow but also helps me stay transparent with current and future clientele.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://stayblessedstudios.com/%231-jazy-cutz
• Instagram: jazy_cutz