We were lucky to catch up with Jonelle Marie Carter recently and have shared our conversation below.

Jonelle Marie, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

In 2012, a year after a rare cancer diagnosis and some major life changes, I had found myself at a fork in the road. My career in patient care was solid and I was continuing to stack more and more certifications under my belt but my passion for caring for humans in this line of work was dwindling. The quick pace and adrenaline filled days that once fueled my body were replaced with anxiety and numbness. When I graduated from high school, I had immediately enrolled in cosmetology school with a plan to support myself through nursing school by having the ability to work in a salon or even cut hair on the side. Flashforward to 2012. I was attending a birthday party for one of my daughter’s friends and ran into a girl that had done my hair in the past. She shared with me that the salon she was working at in our quaint historic downtown was about to go up for sale. She jokingly said, “You should buy it” and we laughed.

Something about that conversation wouldn’t let me be. For days I thought about that statement and when I casually brought it up to my husband over dinner one night he surprisingly agreed that yes, that could be something for us to look into.

I decided to send a Facebook message to the current owner, and she immediately responded. Yes, the salon was for sale and yes, she would love to give me the information. Over the next few months my husband and my Father ( who was working as a financial planner) poured over the information, talked to banks, running numbers, re-running numbers and finally, we made the decision. I was going to make the jump.

Things are never as clean cut as they start out to be when you are buying a business. Things come up and often get tense before smoothing out. I knew that I was about to leave a secure career complete with benefits, insurance and most importantly, a steady paycheck, to suddenly walk into the role of entrepreneur. I would be lying if I didn’t say that jumping felt more like falling at this point.

A few weeks after a quick exchange of a check for keys, I found myself standing in a eight hundred square foot space with absolutely no clue as to how to run a business.

The former owner had left town and many of the clientele on her books had left for other salons, not clear that there was a new owner at the helm. Communication was poor and I found myself the brand-new owner of, well, not much. I had taken some money out and redecorated but the items that were included in the sale weren’t worth much and their value had depreciated so much that they weren’t even worth trying to sell them. A few clients would trickle in, mostly friends and family and helped to keep us above water, but barely. We operated at this level for six months. Every morning, I woke up wondering if I had made the right decision. My passion for caring for people in a different way was the fuel that fired my drive to make this salon work and I kept that focus on that, not the dwindling money in the bank account.

To make matter worse, nine months after purchasing the salon, we experienced a fire that destroyed everything in its path. Sifting through the ruble and ashes was just about enough to put me over the edge. One day while I was cleaning up the debris, I kicked a broken board out of the way with my toe. Underneath the board was a wall hanging sign that said ” Never Give Up”. The sign was covered in soot but it stopped me in my tracks.

From that moment forward, I did just that, never gave up. Twelve years later I am proud to say that my team and I have created a space where women are celebrated for their authenticity in a safe and loving environment. Our team grew, adding more women who were ready to serve others and create beauty inside and out while working in a positive environment where co-workers became family in a drama free and supportive workplace. One of my proudest accomplishments is that we have maintained nearly a one hundred percent retention rate with little to no turnover. In 2016 we expanded with the purchase of a Massage and Wellness company that has also proven to be successful throughout the years. The team that we started with at Roots Hair studio is still there today and has grown into an extended family. Most recently I had the privilege of handing over the business to one of our salon family members who has taken the reigns as the new owner and is continuing on with our mission. As I now step into the personal and professional development business, I am excited to speak to others about not only building businesses that succeed, but how taking a risk can have an incredible ripple effect on so many others.

Jonelle Marie, 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?

I am a singer songwriter, author, business owner, speaker and personal and professional development coach. I wear many hats but love each and every one of them. I wish there was a simple straight answer to how I got into my industry, but the road was curvy and unpredictable, and I had to really get quiet and listen to find my way.

After selling the salon and stepping into my role in personal and professional development, my passion for teaching people HOW to take the risk and how to trust that it will be amazing has taken the front seat. My passion is guiding people to shift their mindset from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset. Through this process my clients discover their gifts, talents and purpose, finding self-love, worth and opportunity.

I think the thing that sets me apart from others is that I am relatable. My message is that if I could find the life that I love, so can you. Overcoming obstacles while keeping a growth mindset is powerful and I am living proof that anything is possible once you create the right state of mind.

Although I am so proud of the businesses that I took a risk on and successfully built and sold, I am mostly proud that I have been able to become a leader for women. I have always had a “come on in, there is room for everyone at the table” way of thinking and I am thrilled that I am able to provide that type of space for women around the globe.

Through my books, More Than A Country Song and Stage Lights, speaking, coaching and the GLOW Membership (which is a community for women who are looking to find a positive space to grow and be supported in) I have been able to connect with women and the men who love and support women, all over the world. This work is the most important work that I have done to date. Creating a renewed spirit in an otherwise broken one is magical to watch. The best part is, that person has always been there, sometimes it just takes someone believing in them to bring it the surface and I can’t believe that it’s my job to do that!

Have you ever had to pivot?

I think that life is about pivoting at all times. There is a story about space shuttles having to continually redirect to reach their destination and I like to compare that to business, career and life. The big, obvious pivot was during 2020 when businesses shut down during the pandemic. Our music career, along with both of our service-based brick and mortar businesses temporarily closed on the same day. My husband and I rushed around getting signs posted and making social media posts all morning and when we finally sat down, the gravity of the situation hit hard. We were suddenly left with no means of income in any way, shape or form. I like to recount that day as one of the best in my life. That was the day that I remember having to dig deep and find ways that we could use our gifts to help others. We started holding bi- weekly virtual concerts in our garage and going live on social media platforms. Soon, our fans, friends and family started to look forward to the entertainment in an otherwise scary and lonely time for so many. Virtual tips were flooding in, and we were able to stay afloat by holding these shows. By the time spring arrived we were opening our garage door and play shows to the neighbors who would bring a lawn chair, socially distanced from each other and enjoy a time of community, entertainment and hope. I still vividly remember community members pulling up to our mailbox and stuffing cash tips into the big metal box. We were able to provide some normalcy during a time of uncertainty.

During this time I was also able to write and publish my first book. With the right mindset I was able to have gratitude for the gift of time, something that doesn’t occur often with my busy, multi career life.

My husband and I were able to pivot time and time again while keeping our destination and goals in mind. Make a living while using our gifts to serve.

Other than training/knowledge, what do you think is most helpful for succeeding in your field?

This is a great question, and I love answering this one.

In my opinion, outside of training and knowledge, creating a why and sticking it in the middle of everything that you do is the most helpful and important way to succeed . By creating and understanding WHY you are building a business, launching a new career or taking the steps to climb the ladder in your current career, you have a solid foundation to build your success on. Having a why allows you to stay aligned with your goals and quickly determine whether or not an opportunity will help you grow. It also helps when things get chaotic, and you have moments of stress and fear. If you are able to go to your why and remember why you started in the first place, usually things will become clearer, and you can set yourself back on track.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.jonellemariecarter.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/jonellemariecarter
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/jonellemariecarter
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonelle-marie-carter-9abb311aa/

Image Credits

Amanda Wilson