Meet Chante Jewett | Hair stylist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Chante Jewett and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Chante, what role has risk played in your life or career?
I think life is a game of taking risks. Everything involves risk, from getting in my car to trying a new restaurant I’ve never been to.

I think there are significant moments in life when a challenge is presented. which you must walk through fear or always wonder, what if?

My first risk was going to beauty school; I didn’t believe the instructors when they told me only a handful of us would become stylists. I also didn’t think it was going to be that hard. However, I took the risk and completed my education to become a stylist.

The second risk was when I went to work at a high-end salon. It was something of a culture shock. I grew up poor, and my whole idea of money and how people lived was turned upside down. But, I took a risk by learning from a mentor who taught me the fundamentals and helped me become the entrepreneur I am today. I’m forever grateful for the hard work I put in and the lessons I learned from her.

The third risk was walking into my first salon to start my career as a stylist. I was terrified because I had no self-confidence, and in combination with some social awkwardness, it was difficult, but I kept saying yes and showing up no matter what.

The most significant risk was being vulnerable with clients, however by allowing myself to walk through that risk, I could create a safe place with my clients, who became vulnerable with me. Today my clients are my family and friends. They continue to remind me that I love what I do.

The fourth risk was deciding to leave the salon I was renting a chair and go on my own. I didn’t go to school to be a businesswoman; I grew up poor and had no idea what I was doing. But I learned with every citation I received in the mail.

My future risks are expanding my business and planning how to do it. Sometimes you have to fake it until you make it and show up no matter what, and that’s what I plan to do next.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’ve always loved being creative and just fell into hair. Growing up, I constantly wanted to change my hair but couldn’t afford to go to the hair salon, so I figured it out. My friends loved how it looked and asked if I could do theirs, and that’s how my love for it started.

Hair is such a personal way to express yourself. It can change so many things, give you confidence, make you feel fierce, bring out the color of your eyes, etc. The best part is it’s not permanent you can constantly change it.

This was not an easy path for me. I had to hustle to get to where I am today. I didn’t think I was good enough, and doing a stranger’s hair is terrifying when you’re a new hairstylist with little confidence. But I would have my meltdown in the color room and then suck it up and go out and walk through all my fears.

It got much more accessible with more experience and learning that I need to listen to my instincts. All in all, you must walk through fear and sometimes just fake it until you make it.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If I had a friend coming into town, the first place I would take them to is Las Fuentes, it’s my favorite Mexican restaurant in the valley, and I haven’t had better enchiladas anywhere else. After that, I would drive them through LA to get the ‘LA experience,’ and then I would probably pack up all my camping gear and take them out into the forest or desert. I think the best part about living in California is how beautiful it is; we have countless hikes and some of the best topography in the world. So that is what I would want to share with them.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Honestly, I would have to thank a 12-step program for where I am today. I am the woman I am today because it has helped me walk through my fears and develop into the woman I have always wanted to be. I am forever grateful.

Website: https://www.thealchemistsalon.org/

Instagram: @alchemistsalon

Yelp: the alchemist salon

Image Credits
Christine O’Rourke – photos