Meet JA Studios: Find Out The Ratio Of Importance In Hair And Grooming At The Workplace

In a world where we are all social media personalities – Snapchat, LinkedIn etc...,the way you present yourself to the world matters in business. The way you feel about yourself matters. Yes: Hair matters. If your aim is to look professional, feel great and achieve your goals in a time of cultivated entrepreneurship and modified business, then the time and care that you place on your hair cut and style definitely matter.

JA Studios reflects the sum total of experience and approach, tools and techniques – and especially, passion for attracting professionals (as well as clients) who care as the brand does. JA is a creative collective of stylists seeking a platform – an environment, a culture – from which they can explore ideas and build their own brands. It is a professional community comprised entrepreneurs who wish for more than simply a chair and a paycheck.

The business strategy has studio locations that are like a creative salon where minds collaborate and compete. Proximity fosters innovation, which is at the core of the brand. The beauty industry is a competitive environment, especially in New York for artists looking to flourish and grow their own business. The brands founder, Jennifer Albert worked for world-class mentors which fueled her vision to create a new entrepreneurial focused salon, where emerging artists and style pros alike can work side-by-side in a space that allows them to build their brand. Jennifer has installed systems to coach and mentor artists and creatives while also implementing innovative techniques to help in expanding their personal brand.  The salons are essentially interactive which brings forth the creative flow.

As a wellness advocate, Jennifer felt it was important to create clean, safe, and sustainable products for her clientele and the community. JA Essence Beauty is a line of handcrafted, natural beauty products inspired by the healing properties of the Emerald Coast beaches consisting of organic body oil, rose sugar scrub, rose Himalayan bath salts, a signature candle and soothing bath milks that come in full-size and travel-size.

I recently had the privilege of speaking with Founder Jennifer Albert about why hair has always had a style for corporate ascension role in conveying a sense of who a person is- for both women and men, why service is willingness to do whatever it takes to deliver innovation to her clients and why hair makes a statement about oneself and delivers self-confidence in the board room!

Joseph DeAcetis: Talk to Forbes about the history, vibe and development of your brand? 

Jennifer Albert: Hair has a unique role in our culture. It’s an investment of time and money. There are your personal looks, your professional looks, your romantic looks, special occasions. Hair is something people feel they can control – if they can find that perfect partner, who gets them, who understands their needs, can see them for who they are. My aspiration – for myself and my business – is to be that perfect partner for every client.  

In terms of “the brand,” for me it comes down to innovation, service and the experience. This is a dynamic business, with new products, new techniques, new ideas coming up all the time. Nobody survives by just doing what they were doing last year. The best people in my line of work aren’t just artists but we are collaborators in creating artistic movements.

Service means willingness to do whatever it takes to deliver that innovation to my clients. Treating each one as a VIP. Traveling to locations worldwide to give clients the perfect look for their special day or event. Being trusted by them for the most important, emotional, memorable events in their lives. 

And finally, the experience. This is what is so unique about JA Studios. Every day, we bring together clients who care deeply not just about their hair but about the entire presentation – it’s central to who they are, who they see themselves as. So we take these fascinating, accomplished people and we bring them together with people like me – professionals who are passionate about what they do, what they provide. There is an energy that emanates from people like this – each of them exudes creativity, and the salon has a vibe that’s almost like a spa, like you’re refreshed and energized just by being there. We provide so many different services but the whole is much, much greater than the sum of its parts. 

Joseph DeAcetis: In your words, what is your competitive advantage in development and specialized salon and services 

Jennifer Albert: You know, when you’re working with someone’s hair, you can’t make a mistake and say, Well, I’ll do better next time. You need to fix it then and there, and I take that same attitude, that relentless quest for perfection, and apply it to literally every aspect of my business. That’s why we’re constantly developing new and better techniques, not just following momentary trends. It’s why we work with clients on related issues, consulting them on hair care, doing long-range planning to get them to their goals – and beyond.

Joseph DeAcetis: How do you intend to create brand awareness through advertising platforms? 

Jennifer Albert: I believe in 2020, advertising is no longer just about getting attention, transmitting a message. Advertising has to be a service, a contribution to the wider community. We’re going to create brand awareness through useful education that will feel less like “an ad” and more like something of real value. And we’ll create brand awareness around that vibe I was describing earlier – meaning, we’ll paint a picture of a better world, something to aspire to, a world where clients and professionals as well have the opportunity to engage, create, participate in beautiful outcomes. 

Joseph DeAcetis: In your words, how important is a good hair cut with respect to grooming for success and corporate ascension? 

Jennifer Albert: Obviously, hair has always had a high-profile role in conveying a sense of who a person is – for women and men as well. It’s not the whole story, of course – it’s not like, “Hey, nice haircut, here’s a promotion and a raise.” But hair makes a statement, and especially with social media’s importance in professional as well as personal contexts, I’d say hair is super important. If you’re headed up the corporate ladder, your hair can help convey that you’re creative, out-of-the-box, sensible, self-aware, in touch with the culture, all of that. 

Joseph DeAcetis: Talk to Forbes in detail about why it is important for executive men to be aware of your salon? 

Jennifer Albert: Well, everything we just talked about, the salon is the place where all that starts. Think of a non-hair “salon”, you know, some place where people come together to exchange ideas, drink wine, allow their brains to move into a different gear. So for men, sure, we can come to your office and save you time. But it’s not the same as being in our place, feeling – and contributing to – the buzz. You hear things, you get ideas, you feel refreshed and energized. Yes, at a basic level, you’ve had a service provided that, as I say, we can provide anywhere. But by visiting us, you experience so much more. And guys – you deserve that.

Joseph DeAcetis: If you could talk to us about the importance of women's hair for the workplace and the importance of good hair during office hours?

Jennifer Albert: A woman’s hair makes a statement about herself, her self-confidence and her personal view of who she is. A woman’s appearance is noticed, let’s say more thoroughly, than a man’s, her hair is hugely important. 

Joseph DeAcetis: What is the advantage in coming to you for men and women seeking hair color? 

Jennifer Albert: The real difference is how I see coloring as part of the bigger picture. Coloring without taking into account the style and the cut and the client’s day-to-day life and activities, that’s a big missed opportunity. Engaging with me ensures I know what the client is trying to achieve and sometime makes the client aware of alternative possibilities they want to try out.

Joseph DeAcetis: How do you help repair damaged hair?

Jennifer Albert: There are two parts to repairing damaged hair: The now part, and the forever part. The now part is figuring out the organic products and healthy hair routine that are going to get you past the immediate crisis your hair is experiencing. The forever part is, how are we going to adjust your lifestyle so that your hair continues to get healthier and healthier – and keeping you away from whatever was causing the damage in the first place. I’ve personally experienced clients coming to me with half their hair burnt off from bleaching – we started off by changing the color to provide nutrients back to the existing hair, and then created a ‘wig’ out of extensions.

Joseph DeAcetis: Talk to Forbes about how you work with each respective professionals style Details please. 

Jennifer Albert: There are so many styles, so many approaches. We take into account everything – scalp, shape, texture, hair history, hair health, hair goals, occupation, schedule, you name it. We’re like doctors: We need to know not just the immediate need (or issue) but also the context. It’s holistic. Every client is an individual, which is how it should be.

Joseph DeAcetis: What are your day-to-day responsibilities? 

Jennifer Albert: I’ll be working with one client on one very specific goal, then next thing I’m all the way up, thinking about the whole business – new ideas, new services, new brands, new people, mentoring, handling events, social/PR, etc. For example, I had the idea for my organic beauty line JA Essence Beauty, then I created all the formulas. Every day is different – and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Joseph DeAcetis: What additional services does your salon offer? 

Jennifer Albert: Everything offered relates to our core services, of course, but they’re about extending those services to new places, new people, new platforms. We do all kinds of events, e.g., popups / launch parties, networking events, art exhibits, photo shoots. We work with makeup experts, filmmakers, yoga and wellness coaches. We do educational workshops, sharing what we’ve learned with other artists on topics like how to run their business independently, how to build entrepreneurial skills, how to grow and expand into new areas. And of course, we have all sorts of related services like microblading, eyelashes, hair extensions.

Joseph DeAcetis: You have the floor: Talk to my viewers about why they should make an appointment with your salon - based on looking right for the workday? (details) 

Jennifer Albert: There are tons of talented people in this business, and I’m not suggesting we have a monopoly on that. I think what we’re trying to do differentiates us, in that we have really fostered this creative environment that encourages professionals to expand their horizons, think outside the box – and encourages clients to do the same. Obviously we are super high-end and we’ve worked with the biggest names and best people – again, others can say that too. It’s our culture that differentiates us – and that’s something best experienced in person.

Joseph DeAcetis: What are you future projections and growth strategy for the next few years?

Jennifer Albert: Well, now that we’ve got a brand and operational blueprint, the goal is to take that DNA and transplant it to other cities where it’s needed – which is pretty much every city. We’ll also standardize how we provide our services offsite, so we can deliver that same JA experience whether you’re in our salon or at your daughter’s wedding or in your place of business. We’ll train and educate and mentor and continue to build this incredible network of talent and spread them throughout the universe. It’s a big job – but we are exactly the right people to do it. I also plan to expand on my organic beauty line JA Essence Beauty. The product line is very important to me as I feel it’s a part of my role in the community to offer organic, no frill products that are also sustainable and environmentally friendly. Being able to offer these products to my clients knowing that they will genuinely help their wellbeing and selfcare routine is very impactful. 

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