We recently connected with Jimi Harden and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Jimi, thanks for joining us today. To kick things off, we’d love to hear about things you or your brand do that diverge from the industry standard

The business of hairdressing in the past 12/13 years has become more about the hairdresser and less about the client; I believe due to social media, instagram, facebook and so on. I’m determined to get back to the source of my industry, the client. It’s not only about how we make our clients look on the outside, more importantly it’s about how we make them feel on the inside. Developing relationships with clients is the key to our success in the salon. How we respond to the client will help determine our reputation as professional hairstylists and the future of my industry.

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

My name is Jimi Harder, clients and friends have always affectionately called me, Jimibob . I entered the business of hairdressing at the age of ten when my older sister married a hairdresser, and they opened their own salon. I would work in the salon every summer, sweeping, making coffee, folding towels, and so on. By the time I was fourteen they had me shampooing the less fussy clients who didn’t care if they got the backs of their shirts a little damp. Fast forward to after graduating high school I started joined Manhattan Beauty School, not actually located in Manhattan, but in north Tampa, and it was then I began assisting other hairdressers throughout the salon and learning more through the hands on experience than in actual beauty school. Just before wrapping up my beauty school career I began working in a salon called Toni and Guy located in The Brandon Town Mall in Brandon Florida. After finishing their training program I hit the cutting floor running. I loved learning the latest and greatest fashionable hairdos. After just a few years as a young stylist the salon put me in charge of education at the age of twenty one. It was an incredible opportunity and it lit a spark within me to want to teach the art of hairdressing to everyone! The more I learned the more I wanted to pass on knowledge to others. Seeing the students I had become more and more talented really excited my passion. After a few years of leading education at Toni and Guy Brandon Florida, I moved to a salon by the name of Studio 510 in south Tampa. It was was the top salon in the area and the time. I was twenty three and quickly leading the education program for the salon and personal classes. Unfortunately after a fallout with the owner I moved to a salon called La Nauveau , and it was then I began to work for myself. It was extremely exciting and terrifying. It was the first time I was responsible for my own future success. It was there I was able to flex my creative muscles. The owner of the salon, Leann encouraged me to host my first art show, and also encouraged me to hire my first assistant. A few years after two my dear friends Anna and Liz opened their first salon and offered me to become the head of education and Network Educator to Bumble and Bumble styling products. Receiving advanced education through Bumble and Bumble New York it accelerated my styling skills and abilities and with my skills being top notch my clientele grew. From the time I was twenty to the time I was 37 my clients remained with me by my side. It was time to open my own salon; and with the help of my friend Abby I opened The Station Hair Salon. The first year we were killing it! We were located smack dab in the middle of the busiest part of town, Howard Ave , SOHO Tampa. We would cut hair by day and party by night. There was nothing that could stop us. Year two at at The Station it all came to a screeching halt. The party was over. We had a hard time getting employees, parking was impossible, and funds were draining. Yet my clients were right by my side. Year three at Station I was blindsided and the mother of my son was threatening to take him out of the state. My girlfriend and I were devastated. I had to back off from being a business partner and focus on keeping my son from being taken away from me. I was in court for about a year and after being rewarded 50% custody of my son, my girlfriend and I got married. My business partner and I decided it was best for our future to switch locations and for me to step down as partial owner. The Station Salon was relocated to North Willow Ave just near The University of Tampa. I remained, but as a renter and LLC . My wonderful clientele remained loyal and supportive through it all. I have now been married for almost six years, my son is fourteen and still lives in Florida, my wife and I have 50% custody, I’ve been a hairdresser for twenty five years and couldn’t be happier. I love my career for so many reasons, my clients have been through everything with me and I’ve been through everything with them. Homecoming, prom, their dating life, weddings, babies, that have circled back through the cycle. Most of my clients have been with me over twenty years. I still take new clients, and still continue to educate other stylists. I run my own business out of a studio called Electric Hair Studio, located within The Station Hair Salon, and I look forward to what the next twenty five years bring me.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

So far after twenty five years of hairdressing, building clientele has all been through word of mouth. Producing high quality hair cuts, color and styles, is all about communication, listening to the clients needs and ability to reproduce their hairstyles at home. Making the client feel good internally and externally is the key to word of mouth business , client retention and reputation.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

Listening. Not making the hairstyle about me or what I wanted to do. Listening to what the client was capable of reproducing at home, while guiding them on the proper hairstyling products, and educating the client on how to manage their look at home, on weekends and in the office. Communication is key to any good relationship

Contact Info:

• Instagram: electricjimibob500
• Facebook: Jimi Bob