Meet Jess Um | Hairstylist & Studio Owner

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

Hi Jess, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
When I first started out in the hair industry as an assistant, I never stopped working. Honestly, I LOVED it. The days would go by faster, I had more money in my pocket, and I learned a lot about the industry. I continued to work this way until I started to rent a chair at my next salon. Naturally, my days slowed as I went out on my own, so I was scared! I hustled to fill my books and maintain this same level of non-stop work days. I worked 5 days a week with long hours behind the chair–usually being the last one to leave the salon. I think we get accustomed to this notion that if we stop, everything stops: the money, the learning experiences, and the opportunities. However, as I advanced in my career and came to the point where I couldn’t work that way anymore, even if I wanted to, I realized that there is a different type of joy, satisfaction, and success that comes with living a balanced life. Success and wealth can be measured in different ways and I have learned to appreciate the avenues to these goals that fall outside the scope of what is traditional. To me, work life balance is when you can enjoy both your work life and your personal life without them competing with one another. Now, that’s not to say that they never do, but I can usually schedule work around life and life around work. While I enjoyed my non-stop days, and believe that those days were important to my business, I am grateful that I have been able to slow down and live a more balanced life.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I am a hairstylist and studio owner in Santa Clarita, CA. I have been doing hair for 8 years and I love it! Being behind the chair has brought me a joy and contentment that I never could have imagined sitting in the halls of beauty school. I have celebrated, laughed, and smiled with my guests. I have seen them graduate, get the promotion, get engaged, have babies, adopt puppies, and get married. I have also cried and mourned with them. I have seen them experience loss and pain. Being able to live life with my guests has been the most rewarding and incredible opportunity for me ,and I will forever be grateful for the experiences I have had behind the chair. For me, it’s more than just hair and honestly the business altogether. It’s about making my guests feel good both inside and out while they experience life. I believe in the confidence that I build, the relaxation that I provide, and the joy that I bring, not the hair that I cut.

I don’t believe in coming to the salon every 3 weeks unless that’s what you want to do! I believe in long-lasting and wearable hair that makes you feel beautiful every single day. I educate my guests so that they can replicate their hair at home and provide tips and tricks so that they can have high quality hair in between visits. I am a low-maintenance girl myself. I have built my business around being able to provide this same level of low-maintenance care to them so that they can feel effortlessly good while focusing on the things that matter most to them.

I am where I am today by being honest, working hard, and never giving up on myself. It was not always easy, but it definitely was always worth it. The biggest challenge I faced was learning that I cannot please everyone. I worked myself to death trying to please everyone around me only to find myself dreading my business, being overwhelmed in my personal life, and left with nothing to show for all of my hard work. I started to focus on myself and what made me excited to go to work every day. Not only did I feel better, I could tell that my guests felt better too. My work was better, my mood was better, my confidence was higher, and my business started to thrive. Everything changes when you learn to put your best foot forward. I am reinvigorated every day by my amazing guests and have learned to enjoy my business regardless of its success.

I hope that I have been able to provide to my guests even half of the joy that my guests have provided me. I believe that I hold a special responsibility within my community to make them feel and look good inside and out. I am honored that so many people have trusted me to do that and hope to deliver that same feeling to many more people throughout my career.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
LA is the best because there’s a little bit of everything, everywhere and you don’t have to travel too far!

My favorite breakfast spots are Blu Jam Cafe in Sherman Oaks or Egg Plantation in SCV (where I’m from!) I always get the Eggs Benedict. Sooo good!

My go-to lunch spots are 8 Oz Poke in Sherman Oaks or Spencer McKenzie’s in Ventura. Their burritos are out of this world.

For dinner, I love Kinza Sushi or Piccola Osteria (both in SCV). Piccola also has a great bar!

To hang out, I love going to Ventura beach with my family and our crazy rottie! There are also so many fun things to do in Hollywood. You have to check out Hollywood Bowl for any show! There are so many different genres, your guaranteed to find something you’ll like. There’s nothing like sitting under the stars, watching a show, cozied up in your blankets and hot cocoa! If your favorite band is in town, you have to check out one of the many many venues in LA to watch a concert. And if all else fails, there is so much shopping to do basically anywhere! It’s fun to stroll the streets and check out all of the local shops. LA, SCV, and Ventura all have incredible small businesses that are run by the coolest people!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I want to give a shoutout to my husband, Andrew, for always loving me and supporting me, even when we both could not see the light at the end of the tunnel. Without him, I wouldn’t have had the strength to continue forward in my business. I would also like to thank my parents and my brothers for letting me bounce ideas off of them and practice anything new that I learned before taking it behind the chair. Their endless support and honesty has made me the businesswoman I am today! Finally, I would like to give a shoutout to all of my incredible guests for believing in me, hyping me up, and giving me something to look forward to every day. I love you all!

Website: https://jessumhair.com

Instagram: @jessumhair

Facebook: Jess Um Hair

Image Credits
Jennifer Arthur