Today we’d like to introduce you to Crystal Jessen.
Thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, how did you get started?
I have always wanted to go to school for either cosmetology or photography. When I was a junior in high school, I found out I was pregnant, so I put off my plans to attend cosmetology school and got a job to support my child. My parents wanted me to stay in school to get my high school diploma, so I continued to live with them until I graduated so that they could help me with my daughter. 3 days after I graduated, I started my first full-time job, and a week after that, I moved out of my parent’s house; I didn’t want to feel like my daughter and I were living off of my parents (even though I had a full-time job and my parents didn’t need to supply any financial support for us, we needed our own space for our little family to grow). Throughout the next few years, I continued working to provide my daughter with the best home I could. When I was 19, I found out I was pregnant with my second daughter; even though it was challenging to be a young mom of two, I had a great support system and knew we would be ok. When I was 22, I started dating my husband, Jered. He was one of my best friends for 2 1/2 years, and you could say that I finally admitted to myself that he was more than that (there was a long history between us).
We got engaged after 2 months of being together and married 5 months after that. The following 5 years were full of kids’ events, family time, and work. Once my girls were in school full-time, I enrolled in Beauty School and started my journey in the hair industry. Once I completed school, I worked at many different salons to find my perfect fit, anywhere from curly hair, full service, kids salons, waxing, to a barber shop, and finally to my home at Sport Clips. I fell in love with everything Sport Clips is about, from its mission statement to its values. The whole concept resonates with me. Once on board with SC, it didn’t take me a while to advance through the roles. I started as a stylist and was promoted to Assistant Manager (within 2 months), I became a Brand Ambassador (within 4 months), promoted again to Lead Assistant (5 months) and then became Store Manager of a brand new location in Hutchinson, Mn (8 months). After managing the new store and dealing with the ups and downs of salon life during the pandemic (the shutdown occurred 8 weeks after we opened my new store), my bosses approached me about becoming the Area Manager for our Team. (after 2 years with SC). I have succeeded because I try to live by the Sport Clips values daily. This has allowed me to form meaningful and trusting relationships with our staff and create a welcoming working environment, which makes a welcoming and enjoyable environment for our clients. We all work as a team because we genuinely enjoy being with each other and having a great time at work! Because of the success of the Hutchinson store, I was recently named the MN/ND Manager of the Month (January 2024) and am highly honored by the award, but I know it wouldn’t have been possible without my Team!
Please talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned. Looking back, has it been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Becoming a mom in high school and again at 20, attending beauty school during the day and working overnights to help my husband make ends meet until I graduated, being there for my kids and all their school or sporting events while working and going to school myself, starting a brand new career and learning from my mistakes to improve, taking any possible extra training I could so I could get my skill level to where I dreamed it could be, making all of my daughter’s gymnastics meet when she was competing (never missed one, even when I was managing a store full-time and overseeing 2 others), navigating not just myself and my family but an entire Team through a pandemic, staffing the stores post-pandemic.
Let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a men’s hair specialist. I am well known for leading and training a talented, successful team of hairstylists in Hutchinson, MN, and Brooklyn Park, MN. (Mostly Hutchinson because I grew up here, so it seems like everyone knows me 😅) One of my proudest moments regarding my technical skills was being named the MN Bald Fade Finalist in the Sport Clips Look Competition 2023. My love for my field and knowledge of my craft sets me apart from others. Plus, I like to have a good time at work and ensure everyone else is also having a good time!
Can you talk to us about the role of luck?
I was fortunate to find Sport Clips and my team leaders (my bosses) when I did. At a point in my career when I was ready to put my clipper and shears down and walk away, My Team Leaders and the Sport Clips Values made me fall in love with cutting hair again. They saved my career!
Image Credits
Justin Baysinger
