Sometimes it is just through trials and errors that one finally gains
success. Other times it is one’s passion that drives one to success. Hard work and opportunities taken are also how
some people find their niche.
Take the late Steve Jobs, the creator of Macintosh computers, for
example. He was a college dropout who
became a multi-millionaire, a successful icon and also left behind a great
legacy for the world.
Local hairstylist Jasmine Charles has got her own story to tell of her
winding road to success that has been helped on by her bubbly and friendly
personality.
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| Jasmine Charles |
It all started for the 48-year-old at the age of 15 when she was given
a book on make-up and beauty. “This book gave me the inspiration to just love
make-up,” said Jasmine, who is of Sri Lankan descent.
However, she never really
thought of making it a career as she didn’t think she had the skills for it and
she wasn’t sure if there were courses related to it.
“I always thought because I was an extrovert, the best course for me
was something to do with communications,” chuckled Charles.
It was after her SPM that she realised she had to do something productive
with her life and of course trying to make the wiser choice she chose to do her
A-Levels at the Methodist College in 1984. “Half way through my course I
realised A-Levels sucked,” she laughed. She then decided to quit and start
working.
She always nursed a desire to study in America because she had a
relative who also lived there. So she decided to work hard in order to save enough
money to get her to the States and pursue a degree in Communications and Music.
Her first job here was at a blood bank where she worked for two years.
She was ready to be made a lab technician there but by which time she had saved
enough funds to go abroad.
“When I was just about to leave for the States my dad passed away,” she
said. It then became harder for her to leave everything because her siblings including
and her had to pay for the funeral and support their mother. She put her dreams
on hold and continued working for another two more years but this time in an
engineering firm.
In 1987, “I finally saved enough money to pursue my dreams,” she
said excitedly. I had been accepted at a University to do a degree in
Communications and Music, and was going to live with a relative.
“Then one day while I was in Los Angeles, I met a very friendly woman
who asked me if I would be her model for her hairdressing examination. It
brought back memories of when I was 15 and inspired by cosmetics,” she said.
Soon after this Charles changed her course of study. She enrolled for a
three-year Diploma in Cosmetology in Los Angeles. She thoroughly enjoyed this course because it did not
just focus on one area like the hairdressing or make-up but incorporated everything
from head to toe. “I learned all about hair, make-up, waxing, and manicure and
pedicure,” she said.
After studying for about two years she returned to Malaysia for her
brother’s wedding but sadly was unable to go back to the States as she
overstayed in the US therefore leaving her visa revoked. Devastated and
frustrated she had to just use whatever skills she had already acquired to
start working in the hair business and made her way up.
In 1990 she worked for one year as hairdressing apprentice. “I couldn’t
take working for someone else so I decided why not I start my own business,”
she added.
She opened her hair salon in a third-floor shop lot in PJ Newtown and ran
a successful business for 20 years. It started out with only one chair, then
two, expanded to four then later six and now eight chairs in total. “It was
never easy because at that time I was practically the only Indian entrepreneur
operating a hair salon,” she said. Charles added that her salon was like having one
in the backstreets of New York where no one would want to go.
Nevertheless she managed to attract medium working class and she
somehow advertised her business in magazines and also through word of mouth.
Her business began to pick up and soon artistes and media people began to
patronise her. Her vivacious personality helped gain more customers.
Today besides her hairdressing expertise, she also sells imported hair products
from the States and Europe. The brands include Redken, Joico, La’ biosthetique,
Bosley and Nioxin . A year ago she moved her shop to a high end place in PJ
Palm Court.
She now focuses more on scalp issues, dry and curly hair, damaged and
coloured hair, thickening of the hair and anti-hair fall treatments. She is noted for her colouring and redefining of the curls techniques.
In addition to this, she has also earned a reputation her bridal, corporate
and formal wear make-up where she only uses Bobbi Brown and M.A.C brands,
waxing and treading, and manicure and
pedicure.
Now with a clientele of 500 customers she has become a successful hairdresser.
It is amazing for someone who started out on rocky ground. “It was not an easy
way up for me as I had to undergo many trials and tribulations.”
She
however advised those who are considering this career to really have the
passion for it.
“Never
ever take this line just for the money,” she advised.
“Being a hairdresser is not easy as you have deal with the customer’s
mood and keep them satisfied. You also have to update yourself on the hairstyle
trends. Also not forgetting the long hours of standing up and dealing with many
customers,” Charles added.
A person can always be successful no matter what people say. Take all
the negativity in life and turn it to something positive. Sometimes you need to
take the wrong turns to end up on the right track. It doesn’t matter how rich
or poor you start out being but everyone
still has a chance to have some measure of success in areas they are passionate
about.
