Today we’d like to introduce you to Jai B.
Hi Jai, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was born into this business. My father, Jack Jones his brother, and his sister became hair stylists in Detroit during the 70s and 80s and became very well known. Amongst them four of their children do hair, and I am one of them and the youngest. My father moved here to Minnesota in 1988 and opened one of the first black hair salons in Uptown.
I grew up in the salon because I spent so much time there, I never wanted to be a hairstylist. Life happened, and I ended up becoming a teenage mom at the age of 17, I remember it like it was yesterday. My big sister, who has made a name for herself, called and asked me what I was gonna do with my life now that I was a new mom and no longer in high school. I didn’t have a clue and it was then that she suggested that I went to cosmetology school. She gave me the idea to ask my dad to send me to the prominent Dudley’s Cosmetology University in North Carolina.
He was more than happy for me to follow in his footsteps and so I was off to the triad for the next 12 months for hair school. It was such an amazing time and a defining experience in my life. Once I graduated, I came home and worked in the family salon for about two years before my father retired and closed the family business. This devastated my sister and from that point until 2017, I was in and out of the industry, I worked for a slew of salons and mentors, including Tommie Taylor, Sheila Shelton, Charisma Shannon, and Melissa Taylor in 2017 when I joined the beauty lounge team.
This would be a pivotal moment in my life, because all I wanted to do was color and natural hair, and she was a master at both and became my mentor, I learned all things about color the product, color, theory, color, wheel, and color correction. I was able to hone my skills and master my craft and by 2019, I and the city were calling me the color queen. At the end of that year, I will go on to open my Salon Suite the Jay B Experience in Uptown, and continue to build and create beautiful, art with hair as my canvas. I was signed as an artist and Educator for L’Oreal PPD brand Pulp Riot and began my journey working for a big beauty brand in 2021. I was also appointed to their diversity council and is working fervently to create a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive community.
In 2022, I joined forces with Nathasha Spolar, former owner of The BeYoutiful WildFlower Salon. We are so proud of what we have accomplished together in our almost two years of business together. This year I was also signed to another PPD giant, Mizani as an artist and educator and I’m currently going through training with them. With 21 years in the business, I could not be more thrilled than where my career is now.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Absolutely not. The road to success is not linear. Like most small business owners, we are just winging it and learning as we go. So many mistakes and lessons are learned along the way.
I would say the most prominent struggle was wearing every single hat for every single aspect of your business and funding. It has been a challenge to acquire funding and to the very day, I have fully funded myself with no outside help.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a full-time behind-the-chair salon owner and hair stylist. I am an artist and educator for two major brands. I specialize in color and natural hair care and styling. I’m best known for my creative vivid and fantasy colors but don’t get it twisted, I’m a natural color queen as well. I am most proud of my reputation for being a complete professional and having integrity when it comes to my business. I think the thing that sets me apart is that my salon is a healing space.
Not only do we work on your hair care but we make room for your spirit and mental health as well. This is important because a lot of times what people are going through can show up in their hair. I think it’s important to create space for people to feel safe in a judge-free environment.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
I always say look for someone who is already doing what you’re doing! Start with that person, they would be the best person.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.thejaibexperience.com
- Instagram: @thejaibexperience
- Facebook: Jai Badd
Image Credits
Jeremy Ylagan
