We were lucky to catch up with Jessica Lessard recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Jessica , thanks for joining us today. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

About ten years ago, I took a hair extension class that completely shifted my career. I rebuilt my clientele around extensions and quickly realized the industry was missing something major! Clients were spending thousands on their hair, but there weren’t products designed to protect that hair investment. Nothing on the market truly cared for extensions without compromising natural hair.

So I decided to create it myself. I spent two years working with labs to develop formulas that delivered moisture without heaviness, protected extensions, and still enhanced natural hair. That’s how HERA Goddess was born.

But I didn’t just want great products, I wanted a brand that supported hairstylists. HERA is sold exclusively to stylists and salons so revenue stays in their hands, not big-box stores. We built a support system around it too: education, coaching, community, and real people who care.

Today, HERA is three years in, trusted in salons across the country, and it all started with one question: “Why isn’t this already a thing?”

Jessica , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Journey starts about 10 years ago, I went to a hair extension class and that changed my entire career. I transformed my entire clientele into hair extension clients, I studied this industry like crazy because I wanted to perform and give my clients the best solutions to their hair problems through extensions. I got so invested in the hair extension world, and working with them every day, I started to realize what was lacking in this industry. These clients come in and spend thousands on dollars on their hair, and then would piece together a makeshift bundle of products to try to protect it. At the time there wasn’t a brand that focused on hair extensions, and had ingredients that would protect all the money they just spent on their hair. There wasn’t a brand that I fully trusted, that would deliver the results necessary to keep the extensions healthy and long-lasting. For an example, hair extensions need moisture, but a lot of moisture based products would be too heavy on their natural hair, and weigh it down. It would make their natural hair feel “greasier” because it was too thick. I then thought to myself, “Why can’t I do this? Why can’t I do the work and put together a product line that delivers that moisture without being heavy?” This is when HERA Goddess started. I spent 2 years working with labs to create a line that not only keeps extensions healthy but delivers results to the clients natural hair as well. I wanted to build not just a product line, but a brand that thought about the hairstylist first. I thought about everything from ingredients, to what the hairstylists gets out of these products and this brand. What’s the thing that’s going to benefit the hairstylist the most!?
This is where a shift happened. Now with online retail, these multi-million/billion dollar companies are taking revenue away from the hairstylist community, because clients can purchase products online, rather than in the salon. I wanted to be different. I wanted to eliminate that competition completely, and set up a structure where we only retail to salon owners and hairstylists, because they shouldn’t have to compete with Amazon, Target, Ulta, etc. I wanted to create something that was really simple for not only the stylist but the client as well. The hair industry and being a stylist can feel really lonely and daunting at times, and I wanted to build a community and learn these stylists names, and faces all across the country. So many brands are just in it for the sales. They look for stylists to buy their products and then nothing. No tools on how to retail it, no education on the products, no community, or collaboration. That’s the opposite of what I wanted. When stylists get plugged in with HERA, they join a community of like-minded stylists who want to be motivated, confident, educated, and be the difference that this industry needs. They get the opportunity to be a part of FREE monthly coaching calls, 1:1 product education opportunities, talk to a real person on the other side of the phone to help with any questions they may have. We have a team that is available to answer questions, help with sales and marketing strategies. Stylists shouldn’t go into retail blind, they need to feel confident in order to turn retail into revenue. We want to bring revenue back into the hairstylist community through these products.
The entire HERA line is clean, paraben-free, sulfate-free, gluten-free, cruelty-free, protein-free and woman owned. The line is made up of 6 products.
3 in-shower products: Goddess Shampoo, Goddess Conditioner, and our Superhuman Hair Mask
3 post-shower products: Starlit Smoothing Spray, Goddess Gloss Serum and our Heavenly Hair Fragrance
The client gets a product that protects their hair from the second they step into the shower, to their finished look.

HERA is 3 years old, and we’re now in over 100 salons nation-wide. We’ve been able to help stylists increase revenue behind the chair by 45%! We’ve had stylists bring in over $900 in retail in just 1 day! Because of online shopping, hairstylists have turned away from retail all together. We want to help stylists realize the revenue growth and potential that they can bring into their suites or salons. Sales fund innovation and growth, and we want to be a small part of their journey.

Our goals for the future are tremendous! I will be opening a salon in 2026! We want to grow HERA into over 1,000 salons nation-wide. We want to throw education courses and events for stylists to attend, to get more confidence in sales behind the chair. We’re going to become the difference that this industry needs. We’re going to become the brand that hairstylists can trust whole-heartedly is there for THEM and their success!

Any advice for managing a team?

My advice for any stylists trying to grow their business:
– There are going to be people who don’t align with your business. Not everyone you hire is going to align with your goals, your mission, or your vision for success, and that’s okay. Don’t get defeated when this happens. This just means that you’re making room for the people who will align with you. It takes time to find your team, because not everyone is meant to climb the mountain with you. But these people will come into your life, and help you reach where you want to go!

– When it comes to retail, your success is built on your mindset. If you have a negative mindset about retail and sales then you’re not going to perform well. You have to get mentally strong in order to succeed the way you want to. When you shift your mindset about retail to: this is a part of my business, not just a bonus. Retail is essential and just as important as the appointment, because we’re sending the client home with products that will protect their hair investment. When you stop viewing it as a bonus and make it an essential business aspect, you’ll see a shift in your confidence, and your sales!

– The hard truth is you will be tired. If you’re really trying to build a legacy and a business that makes a statement, you’re going to have days where you’re exhausted. You’re going to question yourself more than you thought you ever could. Don’t give up. Keep going. Keep pushing because that’s going to be the difference between someone who’s got the “IT” factor and someone who just wants a job.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

Social media is everything, and because it’s so large, people get so intimidated. I’m here to tell you some key things to change the way you think about social media:

The biggest thing when it comes to social media is you have feel confident in what you’re doing. But not “fake confident,” really know what you’re talking about before you get on camera. Social media is a tool for you to visually showcase the value you bring someone! For example, you’re a hairstylist – don’t just show off before & after pictures. Your audience wants to see the person who is doing the work. Showcase visually what it’s like to be in your chair, and give the audience a real inside look into what they’ll experience. Give tips that they can relate to. Talk about the struggles, find something that the normal person can look at or watch and think “oh my gosh that’s me, I have that issue, I feel the same way!” Life isn’t all glamorous, and neither should your content. Talk about real topics, not just fluff.
The thing that is going to make you stand out is your honesty, and your feelings. Showcase your personality. People book and buy things from people, not the product. Let people in on YOU the person!
Showcase your value: if you’re a stylist who specializes in blondes. Show your techniques, talk about the products you love for blondes, when to say yes or no to client, showcase your consultation process and the kind of questions you ask. If you’re in any sort of business where someone is spending thousands of dollars, show why you and your time is worth that!

Put yourself in the position of the clients you’re trying to attract, and think of what would stand out to them, not to you. What you might love, your audience might not resonate with at all. Think of what kind of people you want to target, and center your social media presence around their wants and needs.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://hera-goddess.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heragoddesshaircare/
• Other: https://hera-goddess.com/pages/create-pro-account-page

Image Credits

AnnaKM Photography