Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jillian Haun. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Jillian, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

I came up with the idea for The Beauty Project because I was frustrated with the beauty industry’s lack of celebration for what’s real, raw, and true. I had just become a hairstylist and was so excited to do hair and uplift people by honoring their unique beauty. But as I started to get deeper into the industry, I quickly realized how heartbreaking it is that we so often tear each other down instead of building each other up—and the beauty industry plays a big part in that.

I wanted to stand against that. I had to. I wanted to stand for something I truly believe in: real, honest, unfiltered beauty. That’s where the idea of The Beauty Project came from—a salon that challenges what we’ve been sold and told beauty is supposed to be, and instead stands up for being our truest, most beautiful selves.

Along the way, I started volunteering my time doing haircuts for people experiencing homelessness on my days off. But as meaningful as it was, it wasn’t sustainable—and I burned out. I didn’t want to stop doing that work, so I had to find a better way. That’s how The Beauty Project Foundation was born: a nonprofit that offers beauty services on a sliding scale to people in financial distress, while still paying providers their full, fair wage.

About a year after starting the foundation, I partnered with a dear friend to buy a salon—and we created The Beauty Project Salon.

Today, I run both the salon and the foundation out of one shared space. We celebrate all people simply for being human—and help them feel seen, valued, and beautiful just as they are.

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

I was born and raised in a small town tucked into the Sierra Nevada mountains. It was a tight-knit community, and I had a solid group of close friends. On a family vacation when I was about 10, my cousin’s girlfriend taught me how to braid—and when I got home, I started practicing on all my friends. I quickly became that friend—the one always doing everyone’s hair. I got really good at braiding, and I think I loved it just as much as they did.

Around age 13, I took a career class and remember clearly declaring that I was going to be a hairstylist. It’s always felt like a lifelong love story for me.

I’ve probably always known I’d end up owning a salon—because of my passion, my work ethic, and my deep desire to create a truly safe space. I care a lot about sustainability, especially knowing how much waste the beauty industry can create. And I thrive in environments that feel collaborative and collective—not competitive.

That’s exactly what we’re building with The Beauty Project.

We’re an eco-minded, community-driven, inclusive space where you’re invited to show up exactly as you are. We lead with love, kindness, and respect for one another—and we celebrate what it means to be beautifully human.

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

I’ve probably spent most of my life unlearning the deep-seated disgust and shame around what we’re sold and told beauty is supposed to be. Like so many other women—and human beings—I’ve fallen into the trap of believing I’m not good enough, not pretty enough, not [insert whatever] enough.

And in the process of unlearning all of that—which is a daily practice, and honestly, it changes week to week, year to year—I’ve made a lot of progress. But I still have a long way to go.

We live in a world that shoves unrealistic standards down our throats constantly, and it feels relentless. So I’m still on that journey. Still choosing, every day, to believe in real beauty—mine and everyone else’s.

We’d love to hear the story of how you turned a side-hustle into a something much bigger.

I don’t really think of our nonprofit roots as a side hustle—it was more of a side project that was incredibly close to my heart. Giving someone access to a haircut when they didn’t have the means to pay meant the world to me.

I know the power of a haircut. It’s what I do every day—I see how it makes people light up, how it gives them a little more confidence, a little more comfort in their own skin. I know how it makes me feel when I get a great haircut. So why wouldn’t I want to offer that to someone else?

What started as something small has truly grown into this beautiful nonprofit that I’m so proud of. It means everything to me. I’m endlessly grateful for everyone who’s believed in this work, who’s donated, who’s shared our story. And I truly believe we can continue creating meaningful, lasting impact in this world—together.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.thebeautyprojectsalon.com
• Instagram: @thebeautyprojectexplores

Image Credits

Ashley Garrison