We recently connected with Jasmine McKenzie and have shared our conversation below.

Jasmine, appreciate you joining us today. Let’s start big picture – what are some of biggest trends you are seeing in your industry?

As a licensed cosmetologist, the biggest trend I am seeing currently in my industry is that stylists are not providing clients with a full salon experience. I am not sure as to when this trend started, however, within the last two years, I have seen several stylists, adjust their service experience by excluding shampooing their clients’ hair prior to rendering a service.

While I cannot comment to the laws of other states as it regulates to sanitation within the beauty industry, I am certain that here within TN, stylists are required to perform a shampoo on clients prior to rendering a service. The shampoo service aids in ensuring a client’s hair and scalp are cleansed properly prior to a style.

As I mentioned, this has become a new trend. Stylists are excluding the shampoo service or charging an additional fee to clients who desire a shampoo service. In my opinion, it is unfair to charge an additional fee as well as exclude such an important service.

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 am Jasmine, 33 years old, Licensed Stylist, Master Wig Artist and Salon Owner. I have always had a passion for hair! As a young girl, I would always play in my hair, trying different styles that were popular at the time such as when Alicia Keys faithfully wore braids and the famous Allen Iverson cornrows. I was always doing something to my hair, even experimenting at one time with coloring my hair using conditioner and Kool-Aid. I know, a horrible decision but it did give me a little pop of color when the sun was shining bright.

My family of course seen my passion for hair early on, so when I started High School, I was enrolled in the dual-course curriculum which allowed me to take tech courses such as cosmetology in addition to my college credit courses. That was really the beginning for me. Taking those courses provided the foundation I needed to have the knowledge of hair care and all it entails.

After graduating High School, I attend the University of Tennessee-Knoxville to receive both my Bachelor’s and Master’s of Science degree in Social Work. A few weeks before the fall semester of 2008 started, I went around campus, posting flyers to advertise my services and pricing. I am certain I flooded every area in my green flyers so students could noticeably see them. Knoxville was 6 hours away from Memphis and not many students had a vehicle to travel home often, so while I was in undergraduate, I provided hair services to a great majority of the students. I build a very sustainable clientele while I was in Knoxville from 2008 until 2015. Although I had a great clientele, I still maintained a corporate job after graduate school. I hadn’t yet fully accepted my calling to Entrepreneurship.

It was not until 2018 I believe while I was living in Houston, Texas, when I decided that I was overworking for someone else and building their dream. At the time, I was working as a CDC prevention Coordinator at a HealthCare agency. After a year, I felt stagnant and unfulfilled. I did not feel as though the agency was a part of my overall purpose. However, as I reflect back, it was a part of my seasonal purpose.

July 2018, I submitted my resignation letter at the agency and accepted my purpose and calling as an entrepreneur. I signed my first lease for a salon suite at Royalty Oaks and there is where JazzBeautyBar was truly birthed. Let me also add that upon resigning from my full-time, consistent salary job, I had no clients! Well, I think I may have had about 5 to 10. But honestly not enough to maintain a weekly suite rent of $250. But I had faith that God would provide the provision, after all, He did give me the vision. And that is exactly what He did and is continuously doing to this present day.

I have been in Murfreesboro, TN almost 6 years come September. I have had to put a lot of consistency and intentionality into building my clientele as well as maintaining my clientele. When I first got to Murfreesboro, I worked in a traditional salon renting a booth weekly. I was with a large group of ladies who became my salon sisters -if the ladies of The Parlor Salon and Spa are reading this, I love and thank you all for being a part of my journey- and contributed to my stretch and growth as a stylist and business owner. Skills and knowledge that I lacked, they shared with me as well as helped me become confident in the select services I provided. I worked alongside those ladies for 2 and half years before deciding to spread my wings once again and open my own salon suite.

November 2020, a few months after the pandemic crisis begin, I signed a lease for JBB Salon Suite, located in South Murfreesboro -the Barfield area to be exact. I provide a range of services; however, I am most notably known for providing extensions and wig services. Please know, that I do take pride in ensuring my client’s natural hair maintains healthy regardless of their chosen styles, so healthy haircare services are also a part of my service menu.

However, I am not just a licensed stylist. I am a Master Wig Arist, Wig Instructor, founder of a non-profit organization, and have an all-natural hair care product line.

I wear many titles and serve in each role differently. However, I have realized that all of my many titles and roles are a part of a vision much greater and bigger than myself. I am truly grateful to be chosen by God to steward all these tasks.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

I absolutely love social media, which has been very effective for me in business. Since 2020, I have been very intentional about marketing my business and services on Instagram and Facebook. My marketing strategies include posting eye-catching flyers that talk about my business or provide clients which knowledge regarding a certain style or preventive care for hair or scalp issues. Of course, I also post pictures and videos of my actual clients who have received services along with their testimonies of their salon experience. I also use trending hashtags so that my post receives a lot of traction. Both social media platforms have increased their tools which for small businesses to utilized to help further expose their business and services to their specific target audience.

In addition, because my clients are extremely satisfied with their services, they are always recommending new clients to me which has also contributed to the growth of my clientele.

Any thoughts, advice, or strategies you can share for fostering brand loyalty?

I use an online booking system for salon appointments. Therefore, when clients schedule an appointment, the system collects certain personal information such as an email address. My preferred way to keep in touch with my clients is through email marketing. I send weekly emails to my clients informing them of availability, vacations, updates in policies or new services, and honestly anything important information I deem is necessary for them to be aware of.

In addition to the email marketing, my virtual assistant will conduct phone calls one a month to clients asking for feedback, reviews, and reminding them to schedule services, for those we have not serviced in 90 days or more. This further builds the relationship and loyalty between my brand and them.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.jbbwig.com
• Instagram: jbbwigsbeauty_