It has definitely been a journey, but hair has been very good to me. However, it took me over 20 years to realize that I was in my own way to discovering what was in store for me at the end of the day. I’m a stylist, I have done a lot in my career as far as working with celebrities, working behind the chair for many years, doing weaves very early on in my career, not really knowing the value of my talent until recently, until the last 5 years I would say. Just knowing my worth, increasing my prices, getting out of my way, basically moving to the next part of my career, but it took me 20 years to realize that to make real money and doing less work was to get back to real hair services.
What ignited the spark in your to start a new business venture or to make significant changes in your existing business?
The idea to getting back to real hair came to me because over the years I’ve always had a passion and love for real hair. Just seeing where the hair industry is at in 2018, I realize so many stylish and people are convenience by wearing hair extensions, weaves, and so on. I’m seeing the damage that it has done to people’s hair over the years. I’m so passionate about it now because I have turned into a landmark for treating damaged hair. People are coming to me to get their hair revitalized, to get their hair back. We are realizing that people haven't worn their natural hair anywhere from five to twenty years. Having seen the damage these things have caused people over the years, I’m at the point in my career where I don't really care to do hair extensions anymore. I’m just trying to get people to embrace and rock their real hair at the end of the day.
What were the biggest initial hurdles to building you business?
Being a stylist is hard, coming right out of school, because there are not a whole lot of professional brand salons in the Afro-American community. There are too many shops and not enough salons. There are very few team building based Afro-American salons that are hot today. Everybody is doing hair from home, or everyone is doing suites, which is once again separating stylist, so everyone is still doing everything by themselves. I recognize the power among working with other people. You learn stuff everyday when you work with other people, you learn what to do and what not to do. So, for me, one of the biggest hurdles was finding a great atmosphere to work in. I’ve been through so much when it comes to working in different shops, with different owners. However, I can honestly say that working in so many different places created the person who I am today thanks to all the life experiences and all the different types of people I’ve been around.
Have you ever faced contention from family or friends concerning your entrepreneurial pursuits?
No, I’ve been lucky to be surrounded by good people. Sometimes my clients have not grown with me, not accepting the person who I have become over time as I’ve grow. There has definitely a transition in my clientele over the years.
What would you say was the single most influential factor in your business success?
Structure. There is such a need for structure when it comes to growing yourself and your business. I’ve worked in places that had no structure, only concerned about rent, and that is not how you grow.
What do you know today that you tell yourself when you first started out, or other upcoming entrepreneurs? Stick to the basics. Don’t get caught up or follow trends. Charge your worth at the end of the day!
Bio:
An award-winning master stylist recognized by the New York Times, Jasmine “Razor Chic” Collins is a woman on a mission and truly a master of disguise. An advocate for “real hair,” Jasmine inspires women to ditch their dependency on weaves, wigs, and braids for a healthy mane of their own. Locally recognized as a miracle worker of scalp and hair, her popularity boomed after releasing a video in which she seamlessly veils the thinning hair of a young client with weave-related traction alopecia, using only the client’s natural hair. The viral video has turned Jasmine into an international sensation, recognized as the cure for distressed scalps and hope for admirers around the world.
With more than 25 years of hair styling knowledge, Jasmine is not only the owner of the stunning Razor Chic but she’s also the recipient of numerous awards from competitions, including Bronner Brothers’ Hair Battle Competition. Her artistry has adorned the pages of magazines including Unique Style, Sophisticates Black Hairstyles, Hype Hair and Hotlanta to name a few. Furthermore, her work has been displayed on multiple celebrities including reality-TV star NeNe Leakes, rapper Trina, comedians Monique and Sommore, celebrity choreographer Lorie Ann Gibson, and actress Terri J. Vaughn to name a few.
