We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jenn Keller a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Jenn, appreciate you joining us today. Before we get into specifics, let’s talk about success more generally. What do you think it takes to be successful?
I think success comes from a combination of humility, perseverance, & a good support system. You have to be willing to face your mistakes, re-evaluate and adapt, & recognize that you can’t do it alone & appreciate the people who support you.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
My name is Jenn Keller. I’m a hairstylist and salon owner. I’ve always had an interest in the beauty industry. Growing up I was always trying to keep up with the latest hair and makeup trends. I was the friend who did everyone else’s hair and makeup for special events. I’m gregarious & I love making people feel good. Being a hairstylist gives me the opportunity to meet so many people and to make them feel good about themselves. I don’t know anyone who can deny that your hair impacts your confidence.
I mainly focus on natural, dimensional color and all aspects of hair cutting. I’m dual-licensed in cosmetology & barbering.
I think what sets me apart is my thorough communication, so my clients trust me. And I’m very consistent. Whether it’s your first time seeing me, or you’ve been a client for 10 years, I give you the same treatment. I believe every hair appointment is really important and special and I want to give everyone the best experience each and every time. Even my family who’s hair I do for free, I set aside the same amount of time for them and I give them the full treatment. For a lot of people, getting their hair done is the only thing they really do to treat themselves.
After 12 years in my career, I recently opened my own salon (I co-own with a partner) called Moxie Salon in O’Fallon, MO. I’m really proud to be where I’m at right now. We are home to independent stylists, so everyone is self-employed and we share the salon space. I feel like I’ve found my calling. I love being part of a community & contributing to the betterment of everyone involved. Being a local business and one of the leaders in my salon gives me so much opportunity to serve others. At Moxie we want to make everyone in our community feel welcome, comfortable, accepted, and respected in our space.
What’s been the best source of new clients for you?
Social media, mainly Facebook & Instagram. I always ask new clients how they found me & the majority of the time it’s one of those two platforms. It’s such a great tool. I used to post all my work on there. But then I wanted to specialize & do more of the things I love the most. So I started only posting content of those kinds of looks & I’ve attracted a lot more of that type of business. Also, I like to post my clients hair on my story & tag them in it, They love to be featured and most of the time they share it, so that’s a great way to reach new potential clients.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
When I first started out in my career I thought being well-rounded, a sort of jack-of-all-trades, was the best way to be successful. I worked at a salon that got a lot of walk-ins & I never knew what kind of looks I might be doing. So I did a little bit of everything. Then social media grew and became a tool that everyone used to market in my industry. Suddenly, people wanted to go to “the best of the best” for whatever look they want. I realized that I needed to specialize. It was honestly hard for me to pick an area of focus. It took a while to get it narrowed down, but now I love what I’m doing and I feel more confident and successful everyday.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.jaykayhairdesign.com
- Instagram: @jaykayhairdesign
- Facebook: JayKay Hair Design
Image Credits
Ashley Carrington Photography